01-28-2012, 04:32 AM

So I'm going to go right out and say it. Google is becoming very plain looking to me. Let me explain.

1) Last year, Google stuck a black bar across almost all of its websites. They have colored highlights above things (go to Google.com and you'll see what I mean). This isn't bad, and it's better than the old design of text links that were blue. However...

2) Gmail has become, to me anyway, less inviting to use. It's also a little more clunky (or was if that's the case - I use Mail for my emails more than I use any web interface these days...)

3) YouTube. The old channel designs allowed you to have transparent wrapper boxes in any color you liked. Same goes for text and links. (Some people are really good at customizing and making it look good, some are not). The new channel design incorporates fewer options - you get background options. But that's it. Shades of grey will be splattered in your YouTube channel now.

4) Google+. This more or less falls under point #1.

Now, I'm not saying that there is no color, but I'd like to see a little more maybe. I wonder if that's asking for too much since Google has stated that YouTube channels are going to the new design on 3/7/12.

I'm also not saying that Google is the only one that's sporting more shades of grey than an old black and white TV. Apple has something similar on its websites (most of them) but Apple manages to stick a decent background behind it, making it, to some extent I guess, more appealing.

And as for other tech companies, I'm actually liking where Microsoft is taking its design themes for its websites and products.

So, what are everybody else's thoughts? I'm just curious to know.

01-28-2012, 04:47 AM

I couldn't care less.

For me, Google as a search engine does exactly what it's prescribed to do, search. I care not if it looks pretty. Same goes for YouTube really, if I want to watch a video of a dog talking, or a woman failing to reverse park, then it does that well enough for me to not start picking holes in its layouts and design.

Never even used Google+ so can't add my opinion on that, but from what I've heard, it's a rubbish version of Facebook, so wouldn't grab my attention anyway.

I handle my Gmail account through my Apple products - I've probably logged directly into Gmail less than 5 times.

Just my 2p. Thanks for highlighting how boring Google is though, never really noticed that before.

01-28-2012, 08:40 AM

I personally find having to hover over the Google logo to select whether I search for images, news etc. very clunky. Perhaps I'll get used to it more however at the moment I am not liking it.

01-28-2012, 09:19 AM

I love minimalist design so I love the aesthetics of Google's "refresh." I'm with you on the black bar though. That said, I can see how this design isn't for everyone.

My biggest problem is that they're doing what many major websites seems to be doing: overusing what I believe is JS and CSS. The perfect example of this is Google Image Search which is incredibly slow when it really doesn't need to be. This isn't a Google specific thing but as a web company, they've taken it and run with it (unfortunately) on a lot of their products.

01-28-2012, 01:07 PM

I use ixquick. Google is evil.

01-28-2012, 01:24 PM

You ever try DuckDuckGo?

02-01-2012, 06:52 AM

I like that Google doesn't add unnecessary elements to its designs which could either slow things down by increasing file size or rendering complexity -- and I also like that they don't complicate matters for users with tons of "cool" features.

Google.com's focus is razor sharp and lightning fast. I would kill for a single client that would let me create such an uncluttered, clear, easy, interface for their corporate front-ends.

02-01-2012, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Shikarnov

I like that Google doesn't add unnecessary elements to its designs which could either slow things down by increasing file size or rendering complexity -- and I also like that they don't complicate matters for users with tons of "cool" features.

Google.com's focus is razor sharp and lightning fast. I would kill for a single client that would let me create such an uncluttered, clear, easy, interface for their corporate front-ends.

I would contest that the silly popup thing that they use for choosing whether you search Images, News etc. would come under your umbrella of "unnecessary elements". I much prefered the old black bar.

02-01-2012, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by vansmith

You ever try DuckDuckGo?

I have and I like it now.

02-01-2012, 12:55 PM

I like it too but I miss the image search. If they had that, I'd be sold.

02-05-2012, 03:14 PM

Google still has image search, accessible at google.com/images or google.com/imghp whatever you prefer.

Personally, I like the way the Google search engine functions now, with instant, and the black bar across the top is very nice. It stands out to me, and the google page being bland is very minimalistic in my opinion, non-intrusive on my searching. It does the job, and I'm still loving Google's search better than any of the other search engines out there.

Google+ I don't use.

Google Chrome - occasionally, my flash plugin will screw up freezing the browser. I think I need to reinstall Flash. Other than that though, I love how the browser runs, I have all the addons I like, and it's very easy to use on my macbook pro. I like how the X's on my tabs are on the right hand side - what I'm used to between google chrome and mozilla firefox (which I used on my old windows laptop). Safari has the X's on the left side of the tab, and that feels very unnatural. It's like trying to do things with my left hand, although I'm right handed. I also have icons on my browser skin that are important to me - such as my Gmail checker (right now I know that I have four emails unread in my inbox, clicking the icon will take me to the gmail tab) and my Web of Trust - showing Green because mac-forums is a trusted website I also have chrome customized with my Rainbow Dash My Little Pony skin. <3 It's pretty and blue.

Gmail - took some getting used to with the new layout, and yes it feels clunky with the new big buttons for trash and report spam, but it still does the job and I like gmail better than any other email provider. Spam control is better, and I like my ninja theme.