09 December 2007

Google Apps via iPhone

Ok, over the past few days I've been really geeking out to the various Google apps (especially when used via iPhone!), and today I tried out yet another that completely blows me away, and will be infinitely useful to me: Google Notebook. Basically, it's an app that is used to record bits of information of all kinds... command line syntax, URLs, lists, recipes, you name it. And it works splendidly via iPhone (you can only add to your "mobile notes" from the iPhone, but you can view all notebooks via iPhone).

The rest:
  • Reader - has consolidated 10 of my favorite Safari tabs into one(!), and is also amazing via iPhone. FAST.
  • gmail - again, iPhone... it supports conversation view, and is arguably better than MobileMail. Full composition support.
  • Documents - Very usable via any standard browser, but really nice via iPhone! You can't edit, but you can view every type (docs, spreadsheets, presentation). View only.
  • Photos - the already-minimal (but beautiful) interface is amazingly slimmed on the iPhone. I wouldn't say it's beautiful, but its very usable and fast. Gets the job done, and gets it done well (doesn't hold a candle to .Mac galleries, but hey, it's free!). View only.
  • Calendar - VERY nice iPhone interface. Couple the slick phone interface with SMS alerts, and you have a killer MobileCalendar replacement... except for the fact that you cannot change calendar items after they've been entered on the iPhone (via "quickadd"). So if you do "dinner with jenny tonight" instead of "dinner with jenny tonight at 7pm," you're stuck with an all-day event.
Overall, Google is really going for the jugular with their apps on iPhone, and across the board on the desktop. Their apps are really making me question my subscription to .Mac. I don't think google's intentionally doing this, but they've been building one heckuva foundation for years that they're finally starting to cash in on... and it's really compelling.

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