Google Web Services

Here is my list of my favorite, must-have online web services for general productivity. I've included web-based applications for handling your e-mail, generating and sharing documents, managing your online reading with RSS feeds, storing/sharing/syncing of files & notes, and getting a complete handle on your to do list. If there is a single compelling reason for migrating your work to the cloud, it's that you have access to it, both for reading and editing, no matter where you are, as long as you have an Internet connection and a web browser. Of course, you need to remember your passwords too! But the best part is that all of these web services are free. Although most offer a premium version that gets you more features and/or storage, the basic free versions are extremely capable and feature-rich by themselves. 1. Google Gmail We'll kick off the list with an application that you've surely heard of, even if you're not using it (you should be). This is hands-down the best e-mail webmail service available today and has been for years. Although Gmail turns the traditional folder storage system on its head and instead uses labels, it works. And its Gmail Labs options give you the ability to customize how it works for you in many ways. This has easily become a free online service that I would be willing to pay for. 2. Google Docs Proof that you don't need the complexity of Microsoft's Office suite in order to produce (and share) documents, spreadsheets, presentations and even drawings and forms. Google Docs is a free web service that includes the ability to collaborate in real-time on documents, which is a fantastic feature for quicker progress on any project. 3. Google Reader Another of Google's free web 2.0 services, Google Reader allows you to manage your RSS feeds without having to manually go visit your favorite websites whenever you want to find out if they've published new articles or content. Google Reader is a great way to keep up with dozens or even hundreds of different sites. 4. Dropbox I can't say enough about this great fun web product. Dropbox provides you with a store of space (2GB) in the Web to store anything you want and then share it with anyone or with yourself on your other computers. The synchronization occurs automatically and transparently anytime you upload new files via their website or 'drop' it into the shared Dropbox folder on your computer. Dropbox is easily one of the best online services available today. 5. Toodledo If you're a GTD (Getting Things Done) fan or even if you're not, and you have more than a handful of items on your To Do list, you owe it to yourself to sign up for Toodledo (free for the basic service) and add your tasks into this online application. Apart from its powerful features and multiple mechanisms for classifying your to-dos, Toodledo has numerous ways in which to access, edit and add to your list including iPhone and iPad apps, e-mail, browser extensions, Twitter and more. 6. Evernote If you're the note-taking type or like bookmarking articles on the web or even keeping newspaper or magazine clippings, it's time to get all of that material in one place, and that place is online in Evernote. The Evernote online web service also includes desktop applications for your computer so you can sync all of that material to your computer for quick and offline access and modifications. Evernote also ties in nicely with numerous 3rd-party apps to get your data into their system. 7. Google Search I had to include Google Search in this list to be complete. While you already use this on probably a daily basis, there's no question that it has improved your productivity in reducing the time it takes to find what you're looking for. And Google is working daily to improve the results and reduce the amount of spam that is included. Sure, the other search engine competitors and other critics debate whether or not Google Search is the best web service in its class, but honestly, you'd be hard-pressed to say it's a bad service. There you have it: 7 of my must-have products/services that are sure to give your productivity a boost. I encourage you to give them a shot.

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