Web Worker Head to Head: iGoogle vs. Netvibes
May 4th, 2007 (12:00pm) Judi Sohn 54 Comments
Web workers know what we like when it comes to the technology that makes our unconventional work lives a little easier. And when we like something, we’ll go to the mat for it against the competition as many of our most popular comment threads can attest. So here’s your chance to lobby for your hero and maybe convince a fellow web worker as to the error of their ways in a new feature we’re calling the “Web Worker Head to Head.” We’ll give you the contenders and the first round (aka our opinion), you continue the battle in the comments. At the end, we’ll see who’s left standing. No hitting below the belt, please.
First up: iGoogle vs. Netvibes, the heavy-weight battle of the AJAX personalized home pages.
New word for something that’s been around for quite some time, but no one was quite sure what “ig” stood for. Now we know it means iGoogle. Just about every web worker already has a Google account (or two, or three) so the initial page may vary based on which account is currently signed in. Like other Google pages, the page is heavy on functionality, light on graphics and style.
Jab! Google’s services are integrated into the page, so if you add the Gmail, Calendar or Reader modules it will automatically pick up your data from those services. Knock-down! But as we pointed out in our comprehensive review of AJAX start pages, Google could do a better job here. While you can now compose a message from the Gmail module, you still need to load a separate window.
Google is trying to up the pretty on their dry pages with themes that are keyed in to your location, so they will subtly change depending on the time of day/season.
Fancy footwork! For mobility, iGoogle is the champ. Your personalized home page is easily viewable on mobile devices without changing any configuration on the page. Netvibes requires you to create and maintain a special mobile tab for that content.
Clinch! Both Netvibes and iGoogle are trying to build community around their start pages. In iGoogle, you can share individual modules with friends. In Netvibes, you can share modules or entire tabs. iGoogle has recently announced a “build your own” gadget feature that lets you create customized widgets in an easy-to-use interface and share them, rather than the more complicated API programming usually required.
They’re no Google, but for a company that does just one thing they’re doing alright.
Jab! Since Netvibes is just a homepage, you don’t have to log in and out to access different services the way you have to do with Google (if you have an account for work-related email and services, and an account for personal-related email and services). Netvibes themes, while they don’t change based on the time of day, are prettier right out of the gate:
Like Google, you can add multiple tabs, but Netvibes presents better options for customizing tabs.
Google wants you to share your gadgets with friends, Netvibes invites you to share entire workspaces with the world.
Upper cut! If you add your own feeds, Netvibes wins by a mile.
Netvibes includes a “next->” button at the bottom to view older headlines, shows the read/unread state clearly and allows for a one-line summary of content. iGoogle gives you headlines, with an option to expand to read more. That’s about it.
For that reason alone, Round 1 goes to Netvibes.
Your turn. Tell us what makes iGoogle or Netvibes the winner in your cage match.
54 Comments Post your own comment
MacShout says: May 4th, 2007 12:44pm
I took about three shots at NetVibes before it stuck with me. I had been using Yahoo!’s new my yahoo beta, which I hated. I now can’t live without netvibes. Easy to use once you get started, easy to add tabs and feeds. I now spend a few hours a day on netvibes.
I tried iGoogle a few times over the last week, but I have four google/gmail accounts, and it is a pain to use each time, as I have to log in, blah, blah, blah. While I think it is a good start, they are still behind netvibes in usability.
Jubei says: May 4th, 2007 1:00pm
What must seem like ages ago, back in the late 90s I used to set My Yahoo! as my customized home page. I can’t remember when I stopped using it, but last year I began using Netvibes and it serves its purpose. I much prefer their clean layout and subdued colours to both Yahoo or Google’s offering.
bdusablon says: May 4th, 2007 1:37pm
I thought about commenting in extreme detail, but really, all it comes down to is usability and speed. Netvibes is fast, very fast – and it’s easy to move tabs, rename, edit, add, etc. iGoogle is slower loading, not as seamless in it’s transitions, and the most annoying thing of all when I was trying it out as a main page, was that I couldn’t move the tabs. If I wanted my fourth tab to be my second tab, I couldn’t do it.
Google is taking over a lot of different things, but the great thing about Netvibes is that it’s all they do. They do Netvibes. They’re good at it. Period.
GigaOM » What’s on GigaNET says: May 4th, 2007 1:41pm
[...] WebWorkerDaily: iGoogle vs Netvibes – a Web 2 showdown [...]
Lucas Z. says: May 4th, 2007 1:43pm
At first moment I was using Google’s IG, But I didn’t like so much. The page that I use now is Pageflakes . I also like to use other widgets and those kind of stuff. I like it because it’s fast to load, and there are many flakes.
Sean says: May 4th, 2007 2:09pm
I rpefer iGoogle. I tried netvibes a little while back and it just didn’t do it for me. Since I use Google as my start page, and google calender all the time, igoogle just makes sense. I use just a few apps (weather, gmail, etc…) so google makes sense for me.
It could use some work re: speed and looks, but I like it.
–Sean
Chris says: May 4th, 2007 2:34pm
Definitely Netvibes. As a UI person I got there just to look at the interface.
Tony says: May 4th, 2007 2:55pm
Netvibes wins! I am a Google disciple and use nearly all of their products in one fashion or another. I used Google/IG when it premiered, but was easily swayed by the UI and speed of Netvibes. Netvibes is always open in the first tab of Firefox for me… ALWAYS.
Sean: Google calendar integrates nicely with Netvibes.
Russell Lundberg says: May 4th, 2007 3:25pm
I tried iGoogle, My Yahoo, Protopage, trying to find a way to reapidly scan a variety of news feeds for stories aprropriate for the audience of the Teletips Network. NetVibes works best for me. Easy to add/edit feeds, and to scan and drill down.
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Areaman says: May 4th, 2007 5:27pm
This is a *workforce* blog? Everyone knows you need multiuser collaboration in the workplace. This capability wasn’t even discussed in your review. Pageflakes won the Gartner award because so many enterprise users are using it at the office – because it’s the only product that allows users to collaborate in private groups. Check this out:
http://www.pageflakes.com/Community/Help/Blog.aspx?ShowComment=1&BlogPost=71
Let’s do this right next time in Round 2 – bring Pageflakes into the ring!
Miguel Vera says: May 4th, 2007 5:59pm
I tried Netvibes once but I guess I was too used to the good old Google Homepage. I could give Netvibes another chance, but I’m sure that Google will keep enhancing it’s new iGoogle, so I think I’m sticking with it.
Blogger MirSpace » WordPress.com is an easy and powerful way to start blogging. says: May 5th, 2007 1:31am
[...] Web Worker Head to Head: iGoogle vs. Netvibes [...]
Paul says: May 5th, 2007 5:19am
Been using Netvibes since late 2005 and am always excited about most of their improvements
I’ll admit that Netvibes can be slow-loading at times, but not enough to keep me away from it (could be my PC/memory etc, since it loads faster on my work PC). I have yet to dive into Netvibes UNIVERSE, so cannot comment on that.
Netvibes ability to stretch modules is ok, but so wish they would implement total module size customization a-la protopage, yourminis/goowy, while keeping their own style (no overlaying modules- each module would auto reshape/resize as another module is modified- perhaps not yet possible?)
Google’s theme/search header is three inches high/deep, so for someone like me with a 17″ monitor, that takes up a lot of space. I have a friend who has a larger widescreen monitor and says the same thing about Google’s 3″.
Ditto on the FEED-adding. Google’s way is cumbersome. I still contemplate switching to Pageflakes, mainly because it loads faster, but they seem to have less modules, but then again I love Netvibes ability to search within module and the content within each module. Possible upcoming fights: yourminis/goowy (same company), pageflakes, webjam, webwag. As a sidenote, schmedley.com is cool, but far from a startpage like the ones mentioned in this blog post.
Dario Salvelli's Blog says: May 5th, 2007 6:30am
iGoogle vs Netvibes: chi vince?
Come avrete letto da qualche parte Google ha rinominato la sua home page personalizzata in iGoogle: nuovi gadgets da inserire per personalizzare a seconda delle nostre esigenze la prima pagina web del nostro browser. Google sta integrando anche questi …
Sean Feeney says: May 5th, 2007 7:12am
I use netvibes now, after originally using Google ig. I helped nv with latency checking in their early days when JFG was their CTO. The possibility for customizations just seems stronger on their site, plus with built in modules for sites like MySpace you can’t go wrong.
astrojith says: May 5th, 2007 7:23am
I go for Netvibes anyday. Google needs to improve a lot.
atulabraham says: May 5th, 2007 11:33am
its comes down to use-ability, the user doesnt care if it is google or his mum, !. = netvives : googel, atul , coo, instantwebmeetings.com – BETA lunching in weeks, prepare to be BLOWN away
atulabraham says: May 5th, 2007 11:35am
sorry, thats 1:0, netvibes : google
simulacram says: May 5th, 2007 1:00pm
I love all that Google do, but confess that this round goes to Netvibes. I can view mutiple Gmail accounts on Netvibes, ironically I can’t with iGoogle. To get the most out of Netvibes from various locations you really do need to log in to keep your settings, but thats fine with me.
Lost Nerd says: May 5th, 2007 1:09pm
the single account limitation is google is a big turn off. also the recent scare of losing homepage settings ( of which i was one victim) has been a BIG turn-off for me. Netvibes it is !!!
Steve Severance says: May 5th, 2007 3:30pm
I use Netvibes and I have for a long time now. There are little things that got me to use it like the market control can display data from international markets, specficically Japan and Hong Kong.
Steve
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RxistKJ says: May 6th, 2007 1:35am
“Netvibes requires you to create and maintain a special mobile tab for that content.”
Why create a separate mobile tab? I just renamed my existing tab with my RSS feeds and content “mobile”. Or am I missing something?
(un)relaxeddad says: May 6th, 2007 2:32am
Been using Netvibes for a year. I use Google for a bunch but Netvibes is the whole package. And Netvibes universe is the cherry on the cake.
Judi Sohn says: May 6th, 2007 5:00am
Rxxistkj, I kept a separate tab because not all modules in my existing tab worked in the mobile browsers. And I prefer my tabs named by content.
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ScottW says: May 6th, 2007 8:30am
Google’s Ajax solution is a decent homepage but I use it primarily due to the multiple tabs. I’ve found it makes a fairly good RSS reader with different subjects grouped by tab.
kyle says: May 6th, 2007 10:28am
um netvibe is joust to hard to learn and igoogle gust so beter you can search for wat u want and makeit ur own
Marcin Lejman says: May 7th, 2007 3:31am
I definitely prefer Netvibes. There are so may great things about it. First of all, it’s lightning fast, at least where I live. I enjoy flexibility of the interface – when I want to move things, everything works as expected.
In the past, one annoyance was that Netvibes had no module for Remember the Milk, but now they have a decent module for that.
I also like the Netvibes’ feed reader – I actually prefer it over Google Reader – again for its speed. I have my feeds nicely grouped by tabs and I can scan headlines very fast, using just keyboard, reading in more detail when I have some time.
I like the recent addition of the mobile tab, although I don’t like that I am forced to duplicated some of my feeds on that page (I am following about 100 feeds, but I want only about 10 of them to be accessible via my mobile).
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Philip Ryan Johnson says: May 7th, 2007 4:18pm
I’ve been using Netvibes since its early days and I gotta say the guys over there really know what they’re doing. It keeps getting better and better….all the little things count. Like readability, the ‘next’ button, customizability, and the ability to drag ANYTHING anywhere and resize columns on the fly. And I never have to login. Love it.
David Ward says: May 7th, 2007 10:05pm
I started using Netvibes about 6 months ago and for the last few months have also been using iGoogle. I have both of them in my startup folder in Firefox and end up using iGoogle more often. I have not made up my mind as to a definate winner but I’m leaning towards iGoogle…Only time will tell though.
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Dark Eagle says: May 14th, 2007 2:53am
Netvibes is slick, fast and looks great. iGoogle doesn’t comes anywhere near.
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Parth Bakshi says: May 15th, 2007 11:25am
I Was using My Yahoo! for abt 4 years now but lately have shifted my loyalty To netvibes.Yahoo was slow not innovating much it was tooo web 1.0 ish.And The new Ui of Netvibes Rocks.Netvibes gets a thumbs up from me.
Marty and Jen » Blog Archive » Automating My Life says: May 16th, 2007 10:38pm
[...] Since MM introduced me to Netvibes.com a few months ago, I keep all my feeds, emails, calendars, and digital information in one place. A digital dashboard for my life if you will. I tried iGoogle after I got my gmail account. It was quite come time ago, but I remember that it just couldn’t do what I wanted it to do. It isn’t that iGoogle didn’t work, it just seemed to have some limitations. To be fair, that was over a year ago, and perhaps today there are more widgets that would make the site more usable. But I have fallen in love the netvibes, the ecosystems, and sharing information this way. Seems I am not the only one talking about this differences. Web workers know what we like when it comes to the technology that makes our unconventional work lives a little easier. And when we like something, we’ll go to the mat for it against the competition as many of our most popular comment threads can attest. So here’s your chance to lobby for your hero and maybe convince a fellow web worker as to the error of their ways in a new feature we’re calling the “Web Worker Head to Head.” We’ll give you the contenders and the first round (aka our opinion), you continue the battle in the comments. At the end, we’ll see who’s left standing. No hitting below the belt, please. Read the full article here. http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/05/04/web-worker-head-to-head-igoogle-vs-netvibes/ [...]
igor berger says: May 17th, 2007 9:43pm
Anyone interested in contributing to a new Google group that is started to develop and improve iGoogle, please come and join us.
Thank you
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Ayden Byle says: October 11th, 2007 7:46am
Netvibes kills everyone else cause you can import ANY url not just predescribed widgets or modules. It also is much, much better as a multiplicty webpages and feeds can be fully used whole screen at the same time switching back and forth from tabs without EVER having to have two Windows open. AHA. What is the sense of even choosing any “startpage” if you have to open other windows….then you are back at just using Mozilla or IE…..In fact after netvibes releases their own mail and document apps its actually more competition to Microsoft windows as a platform because its your whole desktop and web preferences acessable from anywhere !!!!!
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redeye says: January 17th, 2008 1:02am
Sorry Google, as much as I’d like to be loyal since I’m a heavy user of many of your products, igoogle just doesn’t stand up to the usability, speed, functionality of netvibes. Netvibes wins hands down and it’s not just the multiple tabs. In as little as 30 minutes on each of the sites one can easily tell netvibes is the superior portal.
df says: January 18th, 2008 12:44pm
Hi everybody!!!
A good example of Web 2.0 : http://www.uStart.org …
this website is designed for pepole who wants to have all informations like RSS, podcasts , weather , mails , dates of tv series , notes , etc… in the same page! Everything is customizable (bloc position, skins, … a real Web 2.0 page!)
I use it everyday
Enjoy!
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