As the authors say, it is hard to talk about the internet without talking about Google. For better or worse (and probably a combination of the two) Google has had a profound impact on the internet. For my part I tend to be pleased with most things Google has to offer, and while there are some changes I would like to see, it is tremendous that Google continues to provide such a wealth of free services to everyone.
The biggest complaint I have heard from people about Google is the accusation that Google sells page ranks. While it is understandable that people would be upset about this, the accusation is completely erroneous. Google does sell advertisements, but they are clearly labeled as such. The trouble, I believe, is the Google search process, while quite effective, is not easy to understand. The video below is Google's explanation of how it works.
I use a lot of Google products for personal use and with my students. Here are my favorites. Gmail is essential. It is secure, reliable, and easy to use. I have two accounts (one for personal use and one I used with my students). I use Google Calendar religiously, and I tried to get my co-workers at GHS to use it too. We had shared calendars at work but there are many staff who still prefer to use one big paper calendar in the main office, which isn't very useful unless your in the main office. I used Google Docs with my students for a number of reasons. Originally, it was out of necessity. The computers at my school freeze often, and students lose their work. MS Office became especially problematic. Because Google Docs saves automatically and students can access their files without having to log on their account on the server (we also had issues with our server), it became a wonderful solution.
My other favorite Google products include SketchUp for 3-D modeling, Google Reader, and Google Plus.
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