The fine Google Maps offering can be improved by more tightly integrating the text Directions with the map’s outlined route. Each turn should be numbered with its corresponding direction step, either by default or by mouse over. Even more helpful would be if both mousing over the turn / #, and the Directions text included ‘running’ distance–tally of distance in miles and/or feet covered UP TO that step.

( I realize using the term ‘running total’ might confuse user who are using the map as a jogging guide. Life can be confusing, even with fine mapping services. )

I’ll mock up a screen shot if I can time later on… actually if I have enough time to do it properly, I’d include the javascript or css to display rollovers per turn.

Google, Google Maps, maps

I came up with a good calendaring system. As you know, the big service providers (Google and Microsoft) offer a free calendar program. What to do with it? Well, both Gcal and Windows Live Calendar allow you to create multiple calendars (each with its own name, color, …).

I needed to make a combination that suits me (hey, isn’t that life?). My idea about calendars is that they should show the viewer what he might be dealing with, and also should let him review what he hath done. We are offered many options regarding events but do not NEED to do them all… nor do we have time for all. The modern way is to be flexible. But a man has obligations…

My system is to have 3 calendars: 1. Could Should    2. Must    3. Did Done

In this way, I’m aware of what I must do (the Red ‘Musts’); I’m mindful of what I could do (often overlapping, blue entries describe both what I could do and should do).  When something becomes true and has happened, then it has been done. And ya see here, I use these Calendaring programs Edit function which includes changing the Calendar. If I did something, I change it to ‘Did Done’ and write about what actually happened.

I think it important to have a record of what really went down. This is like diary / journal keeping. And it is distinct from a list of what MAY have happened. When you are your own historian (or think that some historian may someday research your docs) you want to make it clear that what was planned, or what SHOULD have been, is not the same as what happened in your life.

I recommend you keep multiple calendars, and that you use the Edit feature if you want a historical record. A lot of invites have the enticing, mysterious “???” end time. When you write your history, you can mark exactly when the party stopped.

Both GCal and Windows Live are great programs. I use Windows because, as I’ve mentioned, I like to create / edit on the PC and then sync when the PC is online. Gcal, unfortunately, does not allow you to Write in ‘offline mode.’ It’s read-only, and is in the browser. I like to open my dedicated calendar program on the PC and do as I please. And that’s that!

calendar, Google, Windows

Gmail’s use of the “Conversation” causes confusion with its Filters system. If you are reading a message, aka “part of a conversation thread” then you can use the drop down menu “More Actions” => which shows a link “Filter Messages Like These.”  It’s a good feature to have—if it worked properly. But the filter page that appears after you click this option does not pertain to the specific message (example, “sender”) but rather, to the FIRST message in the thread. And often times the first message is by YOU (the user).

Here’s how it plays out; I compose a message to ten people asking if they want to join a new fake band. I get a few positive responses. I read the response from “Jerry.” I decide to Filter all messages from him so that I can Label as “fake band.” I click “Filter Messages Like These.” Instead of populating the “From” address with Jerry’s, the filter populates it with my email address.

This is all the more problematic because for some reason, Gmail does not allow you to create filters based on Contact Groups, neither from the Contact Group edit panel nor from within Filters New panel. The situation is completely ridiculous because in most other places, Google is VERY on-top of granting access to your Contact List. I’ve written about this before, specifically the consequence of having to edit a filter per email address (which changes sometimes) rather than with a Person / Contact (or Group).

Oh Google! I have grown convinced that you alone are the most high Internet company, and will always do right. And yet I occasionally confront silly user interface glitches that seemingly contradict this vision of you as Ultra Righteous. Please please see if you can find someone who can take a break from counting money and insert some pragmatism into your designs.

gmail, Google

Google is making waves in the software industry, pissing off Apple and teasing Microsoft with plans to build an operating system, Chrome, based on its browser of that name. But by skipping the ‘interim’ step of making desktop software it is missing a big and present opportunity. The new model in software is "syncing" in which several platforms–phone, web site, desktop – run "applications" (apps) that synchronize content / data. When given a choice, the browser is usually the last resort for the user. She would rather run an app than open up Safari (et al) and go to a URL. Likewise, it’s easy to open a program on the desktop and enjoy a ‘rich’ experience.

Microsoft understands this, and is able to offer Windows Live Mail, which syncs Email and Contacts and Calendar from the desktop with the Hotmail / ‘Live’ web programs. Google understands this, to the extent of mobile devices and the web (by the way, it licenses the sync technology from MS). But on the desktop, Google only offers..er, Google Desktop. It requires ‘Google Gears’ if you want to access certain apps off-line. In either case, the apps (Calendar, Mail) run through the browser. The apps are ‘read-only’ when off-line: you cannot create a new message or event. Strange.

Google’s offering is the result of a way of thinking that seemed plausible 2 years ago (before Apps and Adobe AIR took off), but now seems silly: that the web means the browser. And it thinks a user accesses a desktop version only when off-line, rather than the other benefits of specialization and richness. Being online does not only mean browsers, but, web browsing does mean being online in people’s mind. People hate using a browser off-line. It’s counter-intuitive. Sure, there’s a lot one can do in a browser as Firefox shows. And there’s a lot more that can be done, as the Chrome OS will no doubt prove. But today, in Dec. 2009, I just want to access my Gmail on the desktop. The best way to do that is with Windows Live mail program (which supports Gmail). But the best overall experience for mail / contacts / calendar syncing is with Windows Live (Hotmail) itself. So I am switching to Live.

Maybe soon Google will at least support an Adobe AIR developer who can make a sweet Google AIR app. Is there anyone out there?

Adobe AIR, Chrome, email, Google, Microsoft, syncing

Google Voice is terrific; it’s now run by Google–of course it’s totally awesome. Well, not totally.. As envisioned by its creators, the Grand Central team, the service was to be a single place to view all sorts of messages: voice, texts, emails (even though email addresses were of the format “phone number @grandcentral…..” ).

gmail, Google, Voice