Google is continuing to shut down services which aren’t core to its business – something it has been actively doing ever since Google co-founder Larry Page took over as CEO. Today, the tradition continues as Google is announcing the shuttering of five more services, the most notable of which are Google Video and iGoogle, its personalized homepage offering.
Clearly iGoogle has outlived its usefulness. The service dates back to a time when homepage portals were people’s entry points to the Internet. These days, we just never close our browser tabs, it seems. iGoogle is getting the ax on November 1st, 2013, which is far enough away for users to export their data, says Google.
Another big-name closure is Google Video, a service which has long been overshadowed by Google-owned YouTube. It’s actually surprising that Google Video is still up-and-running, given that it stopped accepting uploads in May 2009. Google Video’s shutdown is arriving much sooner, however, so if you’ve dragged your feet in moving videos over to YouTube, now is the time. Google Video is no more as of August 20th.
Other services fading to black today include Google’s Symbian Search App (bookmark Google.com, Google advises), Google Talk Chatback (a Google Talk widget for websites – Google says try its new acquisition Meebo instead) and Google Mini, an enterprise appliance that’s been around since 2005. Note that Google isn’t exiting the enterprise by any means, it’s just that Mini’s functionality is now offered by other products like Google Search Appliance, Google Site Search and Google Commerce Search, the company blog post reminds us. Google will honor its existing contracts for Mini customers, though. You can read more about the closures here.
If you’re starting to lose track of the services Google’s has killed off in recent months, here’s a brief refresher:
Google Bookmarks Lists, Google Friend Connect, Google Gears, Google Search Timeline, Google Wave, Knol, Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal (RE<C), Aardvark, Desktop, Fast Flip, Google Maps API for Flash, Google Pack, Google Web Security, Image Labeler, Notebook, Sidewiki, Subscribed Links,Google Flu Vaccine Finder, Google Related, Google Sync for BlackBerry, mobile web app for Google Talk, One Pass, Patent Search, Picasa for Linux, Picasa Web Albums Uploader for Mac and Picasa Web Albums Plugin for iPhoto, and all Slide products.
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