Google Profiles

While messing with Google Reader today I decided to update my Google profile information and got to thinking. When is Google going to show us the different ways they are going to integrate the Google profile? Right now, your profile information is being used in Google Reader, Google Shared Stuff, and Google Maps. So when are they going to integrate with Blogger and the rest of their applications? I'm interested to see how Google plans on consolidating their applications in a more social way like they are doing in Google Maps.

Currently, there is a very minimal amount of profile information that is actually being shared between Google Reader, Google Shared Stuff, and Google maps. Here is what I get to consolidate between those three apps:
















Step it up Google! I want to see what you are planning on doing with the social integration sooner than later! Give me a dedicated profile page that can link all my apps and make it easier to navigate to. No more ?id=12312312 junk in the url. Make it easy like http://www.google.com/profiles/merrell.sam. Hopefully we will soon be seeing the fruits of Googles social labor.

Finally, Gmail 1.5

I finally got the upgrade to Gmail's new interface and I'm quite pleased with what they've done. I'm not sure I would call it Gmail 2.0 since the contacts section is what got most of the attention, but it definitely needed some love. Aside from the nice new upgrade to contacts, I'm glad they finally made the mouse hovers more useful. I always thought it was pointless just to show me their email or picture.

The old and useless version:








The new and improved version:

I missed the search train?

I just noticed that Google Reader has the long overdue search feature. When did this happen? I must have missed it while I was travelling to Austin I suppose. Either way, I am extremely happy to see this feature finally implemented. Let us all rejoice in the Googly searching goodness that has now been set free on Google Reader. Yay!