Google Dashboard – Friend or Foe

Writing by Nick Stamoulis Tweet

The latest feature to come out of the Google Labs is one that seems to have drawn mixed emotions from many quarters around the web, called Google Dashboard. One report that I read recently about Google Dashboard claimed that the features ‘exposes how Google controls your online life’ – a little tough of a statement all things considered.

Most people know that Google keeps a record of many of your online activities – but does Google control that activity? I think not. Google Dashboard, the name for the new feature, is just that a dashboard. You will be surprised at what information Google has but the information is only based on Google products. Not only that, there are options there for you to edit or delete some of the information and to turn off the collection of some information.

Here is a great video that explains exactly what Google Dashboard is:

Twenty of Google’s products are included in the Dashboard with more to come in the future. If you are a frequent user of Google products like Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Orkut, YouTube, Picasa, Talk, Reader or Alerts to name a few then you may find the Dashboard an easier way to access each of these products.

Once Google’s web tools have been included it may help to make their access a click or two easier. Is it a friend or foe? Probably neither, it’s just another toy so ignore the hype and take a look and see what data Google has collected about your activities.