New iGoogle is the New Vista

As I write this message from my Google Mail account, I can't help but feeling bad for lamenting over the new iGoogle. I consider myself a pretty loyal Googler, using their Search, Mail, Docs, Calendar, YouTube, Blogger, Picasa etc. etc. etc. I've often joked that I probably occupy the hard disks of several google servers in California. So, while it is not my intention to give Google a bad rep...it seems that they deserve one.

The new iGoogle homepage is just plan awful. The side-tab design is a colossal waste of web real estate and makes navigation near impossible. The new page is cluttered and going against everything Google originally stood for (clean cut and minimalist). I have since deleted all gadgets and ceased to use iGoogle.

Fortunately I've found an amazing substitute. NetVibes (www.netvibes.com) is a phenomenal tool that does every Google did and more! NetVibes is not as minimalist as Google, but definitely serves my purpose. It integrates Google Mail, Calendar, News and many more customisable widgets (see here).

Goodbye iGoogle, hello NetVibes !!