Top 4 Biggest Google Blunders
The following is a guest post by Alia Haley. If you would like to write for this blog, please check out the guidelines here.
In spite of some massive successes, like Chrome, Maps, Gmail, and AdWords/Adsense, to name a few, there have also been many blunders from Google over the past 10 years or so. Google Wave, Google Buzz, Gmail’s Launch, and DejaNews all have been proved to be failures for various reasons, mostly due to the technical side of things.
Let’s take a look at these blunders in closer detail.
Top 4 Biggest Google Blunders
1. Google Wave
The idea of Google Wave was closed by Google for various reasons; perhaps there were too many features, or it was launched ahead of its time. Basically, Wave was supposed to be a real-time messaging platform which quickly proved not to be a success. After launching Google Wave in May 2009, the development of the product has been ceased permanently.
2. DejaNews
DejaNews.com was a site for Usenet discussions where messages were posted to discussion groups. The site was shut down in 2001, and the archives were moved and renamed as Google Groups. The closing of the service was handled terribly, as it was without warning and didn’t allow anyone anywhere to post or browse usegroups.
3. Gmail’s Launch
Gmail, Google’s popular web 2.0 email marketing service, is a huge success today. However, the initial launch of Gmail was a quick failure. The launch took place on April Fools day, which was widely misinterpreted. Previous fake launches on April 1st made many believe that it was just another prank. Gmail was launched in 2004 as an invite-only service.
4. Google Buzz
Many mistakes were encountered with Google Buzz, most notably user control (or lack thereof) and a simple, yet confusing design.
Control was very limited, and it was more of the application controlling the user and did not provide the liberty of options and features you would have expected to find.
Privacy was another concern, and the lack of tech support, like a Help Center, was baffling.
Buzz seemed to be essentially a Twitter-like application, when Google should have tried to create something different and better, as they’re trying to do with Google+.
Although many blunders have been introduced by Google, there are always opportunities to come up with better ideas and technology. The recently launched Google+ is an integrated product of Google products and Google Buzz. Google+ is a social networking site which was designed keeping in mind all the drawbacks of Facebook.
About the Author:
Alia Haley is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and luxury, and is fond of games. She recently bought an Aprilia Scooter for herself. These days she is busy in writing an article on how to compare mobile phones.
Tags: blunders, Buzz, DejaNews, gmail, google, google groups, social networking site, Wave
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Tagged with: blunders • Buzz • DejaNews • gmail • google • google groups • social networking site • Wave
Filed under: Micro Blogging • Social Networking
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Actually, for me, Google Buzz is the biggest mistake. That is why it’s now dead. So many issues and flaws about it, that is why they took it away.
Levi@Nashville Premises Liability Attorneys´s last [type] ..Boy returns to school after serious brain injury
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Hi! Just new to your site, I might try to use gmail. The quality of Google is very good as well! Never heard or tried DejaNews.com!
TracyAnn0312´s last [type] ..imi holsters
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very interesting post, am surprised google have only made 4 mistakes to be honest, i think google buzz was their worst, it was soooo confusing
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I think the main missing in the list is orkut.
That should also be here.
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Cheolsu
Orkut was hugely popular in Brazil and India. They couldn’t take this success to the rest of the world. And eventually, Facebook took over these countries. Google plus is the best Social Networking platform from google yet. The months ahead will determine if Google Plus is a success. They don’t need to be #1, they just need to provide quality service to dedicated set of users.
Cheolsu´s last [type] ..Tumblr Login
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I really enjoyed this post. I guess success goes hand in hand with failure. You won’t know if something will work if you don’t try it, right? It’s all about taking risks at the right time.
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I have once tried Google Wave since i applied as a beta tester. At first, the features seems great like you can collaborate with friends doing a documented project and you can do your share to it simultaneously with your friends. You can also discuss at the same time. After a while, i realized that I really cannot find a very good use to it. I stopped using it after days of trying the product since it doesn’t really have a great impact for your daily activities and projects.
Farrell´s last [type] ..Solid Foundations for Better Vision
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I think that the most unsuccessful was Google Wave. Maybe because there had been much information about it before it appeared, and people expected too much from it and didn’t get it
Amanda@BuySellWordPress´s last [type] ..WordPress Themes
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Google wave and buzz were both duds on an epic scale. They definitely deserve to be on the list. But I am not sure if Gmail was such a big letdown. I remember in the initial days Gmail was a rage – people desperately wanted an invite to get in. Some even bought their way in.
Amanda Gordon@Vacuum Cleaners´s last [type] ..Portable Vacuum Cleaner
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I also think that Google Wave was a way ahead of it’s time. It totally made everybody feel “…what?!”
Lily@Healthe Trim Reviews´s last [type] ..Healthy Trim Reviews – What User’s Really Experienced
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Thanks for sharing the information.I use google buzz.But I am not happy with it’s facilities.Specially I am looking for more secured system.I think google plus is the perfect one for me.
john´s last [type] ..Ex Girlfriend Quotes – It’s Time To Smile Again!
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This just goes to show that success does not always come at the doorsteps even with huge companies. It goes with the right timing, right market a right way. Thanks for sharing this. I never heard of some of the blunders before.
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I think google buzz is their biggest mistake. It did not hit since they put it on email. And most users are did not know exactly how to use it.It’s just like an ordinary decoration.
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thanks for helpful information. I use Google Wave, but sometime i don’t like it. I think i prefer Google Plus,it’s very interesting for me, i can make friends on that and share with them about my life…
JOHN SMITH´s last [type] ..Microsoft Windows XP Registry Guide
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I don’t know if Gmail is a mistake but I’m using it for a while now and I’m satisfied with specially their feature of multiple access on a document. Quite convenient! But among in the list, Google buzz is on the top spot for the biggest blunders.
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I couldn’t agree more that Gmail is the biggest mistake of Google because Gmail has been developed very well from the very first time it launched. I currently use it now and I am happy to have it rather than other email provider.
Carmen@Timber Doors´s last [type] ..Timber Doors
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It’s hard to believe that Gmail was a failure a few years back. It’s a good e-mail marketing service that everyone should pay attention to. I’m just glad that it has recovered from its downfall. Also, I’m hoping that Google + won’t commit careless mistake as this site is really handy in terms of internet marketing. I don’t want to see that site go away. It would be such a waste.
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Blunders happens to all. Big G is no exception. But sometimes blunders may prove great success in future, eg: gmail. You can learn a lot from your simple mistakes.
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Twitter: carinsurednow
says:
This is a great article. Yes Google Buzz was a major mistake. It appears there were major legal problems with Buzz also. Hopefully Google+ does better.
Kirk @ Florida Insurance´s last [type] ..Florida Car Insurance Requirements
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Thank you for the info Alia.
I believe google buzz is their worst project. Everyone is just wondering about that. Been a yahoomail user for a long time, also created the gmail account. It has no difference as I see, or if so, what is the advantage?
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Twitter: sanjaykhemlani
says:
I think Google Buzz was the only failure they did, the rest was a success.
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Twitter: SEOExpertforYou
says:
I didn’t know the story about Gmail although I find that quite interesting. I also didn’t know it started that long ago, but that doesn’t surprise me as much as that they launched it on April Fools day.
Caleb´s last [type] ..How to I Get My Backlinks Indexed?
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Twitter: ctejares
says:
There are a lot of people who have been surfing the Net for quite some time to fall for those April Fools jokes online, but I never thought that GMail was one of those legitimate services that officially launched on that date. Talk about bad timing. Well, at least the service bounced back and became one of the most used email services in the recent years.
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I can still remember in the early days, I’ve to purchase gmail from someone at ebay. but seriously, I’m glad I did, gmail is far much better than yahoo.
Internet Marketing 101´s last [type] ..Finding Category ID in wordpress
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I really liked Google Buzz while it lasted. I can’t say I have any experience with the others. Also now actively using Google+ it does not feel much different than the Google Buzz days. I hope to see more people using it actively. Nice info, Alia. Thanks for sharing !
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Well time will show if Google Plus is a success, but so far i already see some drawbacks – for example, I can see in my cirlces Toyota and Coca Cola, and I can’t recall ever adding them to my circles? Infact I couldn’t care less about Coca Cola, and I don’t remember ever visiting its website, or pressing the +1 button! So seeing it makes me more puzzled than thirlled aboout this new social network.
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Twitter: johncooper123
says:
Thank GOD I am not the only one who do blunders GOOGLE is with me. LOL.
Jokes apart, well Google some times fails but they really work harder than any other. This happen sometime with new products. If Google fails in any thing they try to improve it and re-branding it in market. Google is one of the greatest network exists on earth. They make mistakes but I don’t believe that they do blunders.
John Cooper´s last [type] ..Dinosaur Bedding
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Hehe I also find Google Plus as a failure, but maybe that is just me.
- Liselotte
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Google Wave since i applied as a beta tester. At first, the features seems great like you can collaborate with friends doing a documented project and you can do your share to it simultaneously with your friends. You can also discuss at the same time. After a while, i realized that I really cannot find a very good use to it.
Leny´s last [type] ..The Serious Side Of Making People Laugh
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Twitter: HughesGroupRE
says:
When you have as many “at bats” as Google does, they are simply not all going to be home runs. Any company which doesn’t have a history of mistakes probably doesn’t have much in the way of spectacular successes either.
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I really liked Google Buzz while it lasted. I can’t say I have any experience with the others. Also now actively using Google+ it does not feel much different than the Google Buzz days. very interesting post, am surprised google have only made 4 mistakes to be honest, i think google buzz was their worst, it was soooo confusing
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Got to hand credit to Google for trying all sorts of innovative ideas though. Some of them work, some don’t. I’m not sure how well Google Plus is doing exactly compared to Facebook but I’ve heard it’s their most successful social networking platform. I’m just puzzled how they could’ve ignored the social networking area for so long though. Back when sites like Myspace started popping up, Google should’ve recognized it as a huge potential area and put major focus on coming up with something like Facebook before Facebook itself.
-Jean
Jean @ Used Tires´s last [type] ..Things to remember before buying Used Tires
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Twitter: mmapages
says:
I’m glad to hear that even the big boys make mistakes. It just proves that we shouldn’t be scared to fail. I must say, the bit about gmail launching on April fools day was interesting. It just shows you how one small detail can really cost a new venture.
Jonathan@mma-training´s last [type] ..Freddie Roach’s Fundamentals of boxing (Title boxing)
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Yeah and even if they want to start Gogle buzz again they cant undo permanent damage they’ve done to their brand.
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I think it’s telling that a lot of Google’s problems have been competing in an existing space. When they create something that’s both new and better, like the original search and (eventually) GMail, they have a lot of success. But projects that are just trying to copy Facebook (Buzz and Wave) fail. For that reason, I think that G+ will as well.
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