November Recap: New Answers for Old Problems

Problem: Google Checkout is not successful.
Solution: Free processing and other incentives for holidays.

Problem: orkut doesn't do well in the US.
Solution: make it available to everyone and integrate Google Talk.

Problem: Gmail needs some Web 2.0 changes.
Solution: a new design for displaying messages.

Problem: Vista comes for Google Desktop too.
Solution: a transparent sidebar.

Problem: Windows Live Local has click-to-call.
Solution: add click-to-call to Google Maps.

Problem: it's hard to read books in Google Book Search.
Solution: new Adobe Reader-like design. Still few full-view books.

Problem: very few people use Google Answers.
Solution: delete Google Answers and come up with a better service. This time a free service.

Problem: people want charts in Google Spreadsheets.
Solution: new functions, easy-to-publish spreadsheets and an API. Also kill iRows.

Comment of the month (from Jon):
"This is sad. Yahoo Answers is pitiful. It should be renamed Yahoo Preteen Opinions, because that's the quality of "answers" one will find there. Unresearched, juvenile, illiterate, asinine, absurd, naïve, giggly, drivel is about the extent of what you will find there. Oh, but wait, at least they have disgusting, cutesy little avatars.

OK, maybe it's not all that bad, but Yahoo Answers does not even come close to the quality of the Google Answers website. The only reason it has succeeded is that there are far more people wishing to hear free, feel-good, life-affirming drivel (and see cutesy avatars), than those who will pay for well-researched answers (life-affirming or not). Just sickening."

No idea why, but people found my 10 tips for Google Image Search useful.