Google has an amazing popularity all over the planet, most of which is anyway generated via the company's massively used search engine, while the other half accounts its Android operating system.
But while Google remains to be an Internet powerhouse with its presence being such an important thing, users never really go beyond the usual Google features. The most basic Google features we end up using everyday are its mail feature, the Gtalk and the Android operating system (provided you run an Android device).
But there should be more to the experience than this, isn't it? Apparently Google has so much more to offer that once you get into it wholly, you will start wondering why you never used them in the first place.
Nonetheless, everything has a start, and it's never too late to get started with the entire experience. If you care to do a bit of digging on Google's site, you will actually be surprised to find everything from productivity applications to an instant messaging client bundles together.
But with all that being said, apart from our usual Gmail and Gtalk offerings, which do you think are the other features that are also worth mentioning? Here we take a look at the top 5 Google-based tools to keep a tab on.
Google Docs
Google wants you to be more productive, and hence the inclusion of the Google Docs feature into the site. The free productivity suite comes loaded with a word processor, a spreadsheet editor and a presentation application. So basically everything you need for your work under a single banner.
Apart from that, a feature that we always prefer from the Google Docs is where it showcases its ability to share documents and editing capabilities with other Google users. So multiple people can make edits to the same document at the same time.
Google Desktop
If we know ourselves better, we are always feeling lost whenever it's the case of finding a file that's crammed somewhere in our systems, maybe between a thousand other files. Feeling lost? Enter Google Desktop.
The Google Desktop is basically a downloadable application offered free of charge. Once a user downloads and installs the application on a computer, Google Desktop searches and indexes the files on the user's computer. It also gives users the option to install personalized Google Gadgets that can be used to retrieve information.
Google Calendar
It's high time people started taking the Google Calendar feature seriously. For the record, the Google Calendar is not just a feature "to check out today's date" but a lot more.
If you have a Google account, you can create a Google Calendar. And even if you don't have one, you can register for a free account. You can basically use Google Calendar to schedule events and invite people to participate.
A single user has the option to open multiple calendars and view all the scheduled events in a single window. And if that's confusing, Google will make matters easy by displaying each calendar's events in a different color.
Google Health
Are you feeling a bit under the weather? Seeking a doctor to get a regular checkup but your usual physician is out of town? Google Health is there to make sure you reach out to the right people in town with the knowledge of what's ailing you.
Google Health basically creates an electronic, centralized location for your medical files. And if given the chance, it will even maker sure that your doctor sends all your details to your personalized drive. Moreover, it's even secured from hackers.
iGoogle
This one is probably the most useful tools of all in the list. It's only natural that you have your specified set of sites that you frequent almost everyday, more than others. So wouldn't it be a great experience if all the data collected from those sites are placed under a single roof to make life easier? iGoogle does just that.
The iGoogle service allows users to select a host of applications and news feeds from across the Internet. Also, users can organize their own iGoogle pages using a set of simple tools, one of which is a series of tabs at the top of the iGoogle page.
