community background

Tech

Tech
S
Sumfin7

Google Spreadsheets are dumber than Excel, but easier to use, more accessible, and is cloud-based, which has its own pros and cons. I like it for quick calculations, but important calculations I prefer to have locally via Excel. Offline isn't nearly as good as Excel

Google Drive is the gold standard for cloud storage. Drag-and-drop upload is very user-friendly, and isn't locked behind paywalls or flood you with ads

And it goes without saying that Google Chrome is the gold standard for a search engine

L
lolpat

I use quite a few Google products, and overall, I think they’re incredibly convenient and well-designed, but they’re not without their flaws. Here’s my take:

1. Google Search

Obviously, this is a daily tool. It’s fast, accurate, and has answers to almost everything. That said, I sometimes feel like the search results are overly commercialized, with ads and sponsored content taking up too much space.

2. Gmail

I love Gmail’s clean interface, powerful filters, and integration with other tools. It’s great for managing both personal and professional emails. The downside? It sometimes feels like a data-mining machine.

3. Google Maps

This is probably my favorite. It’s a lifesaver for navigation, discovering new places, and planning trips. The real-time traffic updates are fantastic. However, I’ve noticed the app occasionally gets buggy with directions in less populated areas.

4. Google Drive

I use this a lot for file sharing and collaboration. It’s seamless, and the integration with Docs, Sheets, and Slides makes it a solid choice. My only complaint is that the storage fills up quickly, especially with emails and photos syncing automatically.

5. Google Photos

I love how easy it is to back up and organize photos. The search functionality (e.g., typing “beach” and finding all my beach photos) is amazing. That said, the free unlimited storage being discontinued was a bummer.

6. YouTube

It’s more than just entertainment for me—I use it to learn new skills, watch documentaries, and stay updated on trends. However, the increasing number of ads can get annoying.

Overall Thoughts

Google’s products are incredibly useful and well-integrated into everyday life, but the trade-off is privacy. I’m always a bit uneasy about how much data they collect, even though it makes their tools so effective. It’s a love-hate relationship

A
AnnoyingDutchMan

I use google drive - I like it. Its not that expensive to upgrade neither and it connects nicely to all my devices
Google fotos - Ditto as before. It automaticly saves my pictures in the cloud.
Chrome - Its a little bit heavy on RAM, but i like it
Youtube - Got premium nowadays. Its quite expensive but those adds are the worst

FirestormGamingTeam's avatar
FirestormGamingTeam

So for my social platforms, I use Google Adsense for payments and ad management.

I really like Adsense, it enables me to manage my payments, manage my adds and really gave me an insight into that side of Google.

T
T0Nejy

I love my Google Pixel 9. Its AI camera is amazing, the sleek design feels premium, the Tensor G4 chip makes everything fast, the battery lasts all day, the OS runs smoothly, and the vibrant display is stunning. It’s perfect for photos, gaming, and multitasking.

Kethervir's avatar
Kethervir

As a Film Music Composer, Google Drive For mobile tablet and Desktop is something that i use everyday. Is a precious tool that is absolutely foundamental to keep my important files of the projects and the tracks of my portfolio to present outside the studio my professional works. I particulary love the possibilities to store and organize in folder and to share with permission, with strangers, but especially with your different systems synchronized with just a google account. Really a precious tool.

D
DunRingill

Beside the classic google products (Gmail, YouTube, Drive...) I like using the Google Lens App with my android phone. I use it for translating menues or signs in foreign countries, quick picture searches etc. It works quite well and helped me many times.

https://lens.google/intl/de/#cta-section

Shovel's avatar
Shovel

The products of Google are inextricably woven into my daily life, as I use them for everything: from work to entertainment, even shopping. Google Search serves me in finding information right away, be it in researching for work or merely finding some random facts. The other heavy tool I use is Reverse Image Search, not just at work, where I track the source of an image or similar visuals, but in shopping too. If I see someone wearing a bag that I love on the bus, for example, take a quick picture and then use Google to find the product online. It's such a handy feature! The other staple is YouTube: from entertainment and tutorials to news and insights, there is no limit to the kinds of content you will find. This, of course, does come with the minor irritant of ads. For streaming, it's my Google TV. It's intuitive, the interface is very easy to use, and the recommendations provided are shockingly good. Lastly, Google Chrome is my browser. It's fast, user-friendly, and has a ton of extensions that make it all the more versatile. Not to mention, the cross-device syncing is a lifesaver when I can pick up where I left off anywhere. All in all, Google's ecosystem is reliable, intuitive, and just perfectly fits my daily routine.

Y0EMINENCE's avatar
Y0EMINENCE

Large Audience: It has a vast user base.

Ease of Use: Simple uploading and sharing tools.

Monetization: Potential to earn revenue through ads and memberships.

Visibility: Good SEO and discoverability features.

Music:

YouTube usually post videos with famous artist songs and they give the credit to the artists.

Irenkovsk's avatar
Irenkovsk

I use Google Docs a lot for working on group documents. It's very useful for university projects with several group members, as any of them can edit the document whenever they want. It also shows who has made edits

F
failedd

The Google products that I use the most are:

_Google Chrome: I use it to search for anything because it is the most secure, fast and efficient browser

_Gmail: I use it to check, send and receive emails

_Youtube: one of the products that I use the most, I watch videos both to relax and to learn

_Google Drive: a great way to manage storage space virtually

K
Kraken

While the standard gmail, youtube, google search engine, the one ive started using more recently cause of my studies is google Scholar. This had become useful with refining my searches when looking for academic papers, policies and all that mumbo jumbo stuff to get me through my studies.

Vivisector's avatar
Vivisector

Gmail - is now the best thing to use about email's world.

Youtube - bring my passion (videogames gameplay) for me its very important

Play store - you can found anything you need for your devices

Chrome - even if its the browser that impacts performance the most, remains the safest and most complete to use

Files - good for manage the archives of any devices

Drive - handy for saving important files

LiquidMorkite's avatar
LiquidMorkite

Well. Though I'm not an Android phone user, I find myself relying on a lot of tools from Google. First of all it's been like 2 decades that I've been using Google Search, and pretty sure everyone here uses it, weird thing no one here has mentioned it, I guess it's too obvious, lol.

Other very useful tools I'm using include Google Mail, Maps, Drive, Keep. I used to use Jamboard to have online brainstorm with some of my colaborators, but too bad they're scrapping it soon. And last but not least, YouTube, though it was not orginally Google's, props to them to keep it alive and running. I also use Google Calendar once in a while when my phone's own calendar app doesn't suffice.

Doc's avatar
Doc

I use a lot of Google's products, like Gmail, Maps, Google Search Engine, and more, but let me focus on the main one for me: Android.

Well, I really appreciate Apple and their iOS, but as a citizen of a country where the dollar conversion rate is really high, an iPhone has always been more expensive here. So this is how my choice for Android phones started in 2013.

From 2013 until now, Android has evolved a lot. I remember that back then there was a big gap between iOS and Android phones, but nowdays I really can't feel it anymore, maybe I'm used to Android. Anyway, I could buy an Apple phone, but Android phones from Samsung, for instance, can deliver good quality at a low cost, so I can't see the point for using iOS. So talking about Android, and in my reality, I can't see a competitor now because Google is doing great work with it.

K
Kage446

I use Google Mail, Drive, Maps, YouTube, Finance and Sheets the most.

All of the products I use are great and I would say I use Gmail the most as my email is with Gmail. I can lay everything out logically and organising my emails makes it so much easier to find and email quickly.

I use YouTube for watching live streams and vods. YouTube makes it easy for me to keep up with DIY, gaming news and reviews.

Google Maps, by far is the most useful tool because I use it for all my travelling, whether I know the router or not. It tells me when police cameras are in affect and can re-route me if there is traffic or an accident on the way to my destination.

Sheets and Finance allow me to modifiy and keep track of my stock portfolio and what stock I have on my wishlist to buy. In finance I can create and run reports on all my stock and I can find the latest information on any stock.

Henry's avatar
Henry

The Google products I use every days are: Google Keep, YouTube, Google Chrome and Gmail. And I'll tell you guys why.

  • Google Keep

Every day in the morning I plan my day in a To-Do List, from morning routine to sleeping routine. If I didn't it, my day would be a mess and, to do that, I use Google Keep.

  • YouTube

By far it is the Google product that I use the most. I use it to study to College, to improve my programming skills in my personal projects and to entertainment, watching lots of gameplays of indie terror games.

  • Google Chrome

The best browser in the world, in my opinion. I use it to researches, of course.

  • Gmail

I use it to keep track of sales, career oportunities and to sign in in various platforms across the internet. It is a pretty good way of jumping the boring sign in procress.

fosteriboza's avatar
fosteriboza

I use google only because I already have a lot of data going around and it would be a pain to move to alternatives.
Using:

google docs - script writing (very useful, helps working in a team, because of its sync)

I do not use google chrome and there is one reason: Firefox. It's faster, more secure, does not collect data (telemetry can be turned off with some tweaking).

Gmail - planning to move to an alternative (Found Tuta, want to try)

I used android, very customizable and piratable

R
Rocha

The google products I use the most are, Youtube, Gmail, Drive and maps.

Google Chrome is for sure the best browser we have at the moment, It is easy and simple to use.

Youtube is a platform where I spent many hours, for enterteinment or work. From youtube i’ve learned a lot.

Google Drive is where I save all of my stuff from work.

Google maps helps me a lot on a trip.

USCSS's avatar
USCSS

The Google products I use the most are Chrome, Maps, YouTube, Drive, and Google Translate

Google Chrome is my favorite browser. It's very fast and has a lot of extensions that make browsing much easier.

The downside is that it consumes a lot of memory.

I use Google Maps all the time. It offers detailed maps and real-time traffic updates, which makes it perfect for planning your routes. Although there are public transportation routes that are not updated (at least where I live).

YouTube is a very good platform for watching videos of all kinds, but what really bothers me is the excessive amount of advertising.

Google Drive is wonderful for storing and sharing files, but I don't know how private the privacy of the data can be.

Google Translate is very good when you need to understand something in another language quickly or need to translate some text. However, automatic translations can sometimes be a little inaccurate or lose the original context.

I translated this text with Google Translate since Spanish is my native language and I don't know English.

(Translated with Google Translate)

LeoMo's avatar
LeoMo

The Google products I use the most are:

Gemini, a very advanced artificial intelligence that rivals its competitors. I use it a lot to help me with projects and ideas, and I also play around with it a bit. I think it's the coolest.

Google Calendar, very useful for those who have problems with data and appointments, and unfortunately I suffer from this problem.

Gmail is the one I use the most because of my projects and my college. It's very useful and functional. I really like it.

I also just started using Google Drive a lot because of college and it fulfills its purpose.

YouTube is the best social network for videos, that's indisputable, in my opinion, when I'm bored, YouTube saves me.

MURRRAAAAY's avatar
MURRRAAAAY

I like google meet for video calls!

Also maps if I'm out and about trying to find somewhere!

I also like some of there apps on iOS as it makes you platform agnostic if you decide to switch to android they are available to work there too! Unlike the iOS ones which are iOS only!

Also use a Chromebook as its a fab, low cost way to get things done when a lot of the things I do are web based anyways its ideal, looking for a new one right now on black Friday as my current one is showing its age with multipole tabs open! Really simple devices to use too, I would totally recommend as long as you don't need any apps natively installed on the laptop itself you should be good to go!

If you are going for a Chromebook these days I recommend a Chromebook plus, they all have a minimum spec they must meet and run way better than the super cheap Chromebooks you see everywhere, much better user experience and more future proof for supporting the ecosystem in years to come!

https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/chromebook/discover/chromebookplus/

PS these machines are especially good if you use any google services as the google services are integrated so well!

MURRRAAAAY's avatar
MURRRAAAAY
MURRRAAAAY

PS i have my eye on this one if anyone is interested, one annoying thing is in other regions like Australia they sell this chromebook plus in a totally white shell and it looks so smart, we have the standard grey which is annoying! If anyone sees the white chromebook model of this laptop for sale in the UK let me know!- https://amzn.to/3Z4VPGG

avrona's avatar
avrona

While I do use most Google software products, I'm yet to try any of their hardware, but still, here's a quite rundown of everything:

  • Google (the search engine): The gold standard for a reason, it works fine, I like the customisation, it's fast, I like all the custom panels for things. I know there are a lot of alternatives out there, but Google never offended me enough to consider switching to anything else.

  • Google Chrome: Basically re-read my Google paragraph.

  • YouTube: Given how that's the maypole of my whole career, I kind of have to like it, even though to this day I still take any opportunity to complain about how insanely difficult they make it for small YouTubers to grow, or all of the other dumb things they did. But it's the biggest video platform for a reason and I don't think any competitor will overthrow it. You starting to see a pattern here?

  • Gmail: Again, good for what it is, even if navigation is way more difficult than it probably should be.

  • Google Docs: I like how I can work on documents easily anywhere, but I also hate it has no proper offline functionality, which is just dumb.

  • Google Drive: Competent, but I hate the constant bombardment of offers to upgrade my space when I'm running "low" (even when I have plenty spare), I also hate how it zips up files if you try to download multiple at once, and navigation could be made way easier. The virus scanning is more annoying than anything as most files I work with are too big, and thus I get that annoying pop-up all the time.

  • Google Maps: I spend way too much time just look at random places around the world in 3D. It's just so fun to explore and the closest you can get to seeing the world without moving from your room. It's also just great at navigating you around and super simple to use.

JB
Josh B

Google Rewards: I have used this app for a couple of years and its pretty easy to use and not very time consuming. You basically answer very short surveys about whether you have heard of different companies and your opinion of them to earn small amounts of money to use on the Google Play store. You typically get £0.1-0.3 per survey so this is not a big earner by any means, but handy for any app or in-app purchases you may want.

You also have the opportunity to upload shopping receipts to earn some extra pennies for the same purpose- digital or photo receipts are accepted which is handy.

Google Maps: Usually very useful but I agree with another comment about using Waze intermittently- Maps is ok but the Waze app has better community engagement, which can make journey times more accurate and traffic disruption updates more timely and reliable.

Google Wallet: Self-explanatory, a safe way to keep your bank details at the ready for contactless transactions, in addition to storing digital gift cards- at least they wont get lost this way!

L
Larold

I find myself using Android, YouTube, Google Maps and Search mainly. I also must enjoy Chrome's UI and most of its features, because I use Brave which is built on top of it.

I share others' negative sentiment towards most things Apple, which has certainly influenced me to stick to Android products.

I don't use Google Drive/Docs in the same way that many others do, but they have been very reliable for enabling and storing all kinds of spreadsheets/documentation made by communities for games I play.

Maps has also been invaluable for planning the bulk of my commutes. An issue I can have with it is its tendency to underestimate travel times during morning and rush hour, but I just plan around that and expect the worst.

Google's search engine is still top-notch, though I still find myself using alternatives like Bing alongside it for images.

mypets's avatar
mypets

My life doesn't work without Google products! To start with the web browser, I always prefer to use Google Chrome! I use Gmail and Drive a lot, even though I'm running out of memory and need to pay for more space... I have a lot of photos saved thanks to these tools. I also use Maps, I find it very easy to use and I always find my way around better using it. I use Youtube almost every day to watch anything. I use Scholar at university to search for academic articles. Docs, Sheets, Lens... I must use others that I can't remember right now haha

Horror and Cats's avatar
Horror and Cats

I genuinely still use the two Google Home Minis I got nearly a decade ago (or at least closer to a decade than half of one).

Casting music from the phone in my pocket using WiFi is so much better than fiddling with Bluetooth speakers or, worse yet, physically plugging into a speaker system.

Plus, you can set it to cast to one or all speakers on your network, so doing house cleaning for instance means that in all your rooms, you can have your music or podcast running no matter where you are and without fiddling with switching or carrying a speaker around.

Funny enough, I don’t even know if they still make/sell Google Home Minis. These are the original two I bought and one of them literally survived, without any performative detriment, a cat peeing on it.

That is a good product to me.

M
MrT

The obvious Google products I use every day is Maps, GMail, Chrome, and YouTube. The not-so-obvious is Google Keep, I find it really handy to keep little work notes. I have also used Translate a few times, most notably to understand and setup the radio on my wife's imported Japanese car.

Marukosu's avatar
Marukosu

I use a lot of Google products every day in my daily life, and I have nothing to complain about. The ones I use the most are:

Gmail: I use it every day to check important news or messages and to confirm login access.

Google Keep: I use Keep to take notes and remind myself of important things. I like it a lot, but it could be improved by incorporating some features from Trello.

Google Drive: Some of the classes I’ve taken in my life used it as a way to share important materials.

Google Docs: Whenever I need to do some writing, I always choose this one.

YouTube: I don’t need to say much—everyone uses it.

These are the ones I use the most, but there are others I occasionally use, like Google Maps, Gemini, Assistant, Slides, Sheets, Photos, and more.

Recently, I discovered a new product that I really liked: Google Labs. It’s a collection of some of the new technologies Google is working on, like AI

PandaTime's avatar
PandaTime

I rely on several Google products daily, and they’re generally excellent in terms of convenience and integration. *Google Search is my go-to for quick information, though it sometimes prioritizes popular or sponsored results over niche content. Gmail is fantastic with its spam filtering and organizational features, while Google Drive and the suite of Docs, Sheets, and Slides* make collaboration easy and seamless, especially for remote projects.

*Google Maps is invaluable for navigation and discovering new places, though it can occasionally struggle with accuracy in rural areas. YouTube is great for both learning and entertainment, but the ad experience can get overwhelming without Premium. Lastly, Google Photos* is super useful for backing up and organizing images, although the shift away from unlimited storage is a drawback.

Overall, Google’s products are reliable, intuitive, and well-integrated, making them hard to beat for productivity. However, privacy is a concern given how much data they collect, so it's always a balance between convenience and being mindful of personal information.

Borrrrr's avatar
Borrrrr

  • Google Search: It helps make life easier because I want to learn about many things, so I use it to find various references.

  • Gmail: With Gmail, digital correspondence becomes more convenient, and as a student, I truly appreciate its usefulness.

  • Google Drive: A great and flexible cloud storage solution that can be accessed from anywhere.

  • Google Meet: Simplifies online meetings and serves as an alternative to Zoom.

  • Google Chat: An alternative to WhatsApp, as one of my lecturers uses this app to create class groups.

  • Google Maps: Very easy to use, understand, and sufficient for daily life needs.

  • Google Play Games: Useful for linking game accounts. Since I enjoy playing games, it helps save my game data.

  • Google Translate: Simple and easy to use for understanding the meaning of foreign words.

  • YouTube: An enjoyable source of entertainment with a wide variety of videos to watch.

Thank you :)

E
Empen

I've been using the Pixel series of phones for 6 years now, and I've loved them almost unconditionally. It has been great- smooth displays, quick speeds, beautiful camera- my family is always complimenting my photos.

That being said, when you 2x YouTube on a Pixel it tends to lag, which is very frustrating, as I watch most content in 2x speed (adhd don't laugh at me lololol)

Overall, a very clean phone that carries Gmail, Drive, etc and I'm fully plugged into that google ecosystem! It's easy and fun and universally compatible on the internet.

D
De_Jester_

Besides the search engine, I use Google Home every day. A few years ago, I transformed my bedroom into a smart bedroom. I installed loads of smart devices like smart plugs and several LED lights. With the integration of Google Assistant, I can control my room with my fingertips or my voice. What is more convenient than that? I definitely suggest Google Home to everybody here!

L
LordSardinhas

I don't use Google's tools as much as I would like, but I do use some of them.

Chrome: although it consumes more RAM than other browsers, for me, it's the best. It's easy to sync with other devices and more secure.

Gmail: I've been using it for as long as I can remember. I've tried several email services, but Gmail has been the most functional, easy to understand, and work with.

Drive: the most practical way to store files in the cloud without issues and securely.

Google Maps: I've always used it, and it has never let me down or caused problems. It's always up to date and offers the best possible routes.

YouTube (I think this one counts too): there isn't much to say about it; it's the best in its field, and everyone knows it.

Samuel's avatar
Samuel

Gmail, Drive & Chrome. The main 3 .

Let's get onto what I think about them!

Gmail: The best all rounder mail system!

I've used so many different mail systems before, and Gmail just works perfectly for my needs. I found Hotmail (Outlook now?) was too hard to navigate sometimes, Apple Mail was rediculously oversimplified it lacked things, but Gmail hit the spot perfectly. I receive around 60 emails per day, and being able to effectively create tags and have filters automatically set up extremely fast to sort promotional, primary and socials is great.

Drive: Needs some honest work.

Drive is a major letdown, and I'm only using it due to its cloud compatibility.
I've never seen a more annoying storage client to navigate before. You want to access the file you just closed? Too bad! It ain't in your recents and you won't be finding it unless you take effort to search for it. Want to find something that someone sent to you via docs? Welp, massive road trip of looking through "recommended" docs you haven't opened in the past 4 years with only 2 words written in them. Much rather prefer Microsoft OneDrive over Google Drive.

Chrome: The ultimate RAM user

Chrome Chrome Chrome... where do we even begin?
This thing is an absolute memory sucker, using well over 400mb of RAM on some webpages! Not great for anyone remotely busy and requiring more than 2 tabs open at once. It's like Russian Roulette with a browser, hoping that the next tab you open doesn't max out your memory with a BSOD - As of right now, with 6 tabs open, it's using 2.3gb of RAM! That's with only 1 extension active as well!

Not to mention their disgusting restrictions on Adblockers, claiming

This extension may soon no longer be supported because it doesn't follow best practices for Chrome extensions

You mean it doesn't allow you to suck even more RAM up, and restricts monetary gain? It's totally not like you're a multi-billion dollar company.

Anyways, I'm definitely going to swap to Mozilla Firefox once I take the effort for it.

Overall, looks like Gmail is the only Google product worth using.

E
EdoCenta05

I use Gmail and the classroom a lot for school, it works well and what I do with it is simple, I find everything I need. I only use Drive to store files I need between my PC and laptop. The only Google app that I use the least is Maps, as I have an iPhone I prefer Apple Maps both for its style but also for its practicality. The thing I like is that they are totally free and always updated

M
Mino

The only one i really use is Gmail, Gmail is the mail i have been used to and i don't want to switch. On the other hand, i don't use google for anything else, every other google service is so clunky and laggy.

Hunter's avatar
Hunter

I personally use a lot google products, for my studies and also for surfing the web for products or just content, and also as new content creator I use it make my content relevant and interesting.

here are the products I use the most:

  1. Google search : My go to search engine for almost everything related to my studies or buying product, this engine is so important I don't see any of us here can avoid it at this point . but when searching for something really specific, rarely it becomes tiresome.

  2. Google maps : Use it to find local shops or just find my way out of situations :), I live in a vast country this for me is important because I travel a lot, I don't like thought the voice assistant It feels like your angry wife sometimes :D

  3. Drive with docs and forms and sheets every products for documents and data, this exclusive to my studies to share between my teachers and colleagues, a really helpful set of products from google, though It can have some stability issues.

  4. Gmail ofcrs I wouldn't be here telling you this, for mails mainly contacting my teachers. A must this days.

  5. YouTube to watch my favourite content creators and also creator my self on my channel called : " The Hunters of death ", this year YouTube made many changes to the tools you can use as a creator that I really like, really good year for the biggest website for videos on the planet.

Rich's avatar
RichStaff
Hunter

Hey Hunter, many thanks for submitting to this reward! We're looking for members' opinions about whether the Google products they use are helpful, rather than just a list of them - would you be able to edit your submission here and add a few thoughts about that? Thanks!

Hunter's avatar
Hunter
Rich

Oh I didn't read the Bounty carefully, my bad I try to correct this right away o7

S
Solaris104

I mostly use the following Google products:

Google Play: I use it for games because most mobile games keep their data saved on it. Without it I couldn't keep track of my progress in games that support Google Play or unlock achievements.

Google Maps and Android Auto: great navigator I use it in conjunction with Android Auto, yes my car supports Google Maps with Android Auto

Gmail: classic Google mail service, now it's a must in Android phones

Google Drive: to avoid losing some files I send them there, since the service allows you to keep files in a dedicated storage even if limited.

Youtube: one of the best Google services for videos.

and on my cell phone I only use Google Chrome

years ago I also used the Google+ service which however has been closed, it was a social network like Facebook for those who don't remember

0ffworld's avatar
0ffworld

Is too many a valid answer?

I don't have a TV, but except for 2 other streaming subscription services, YouTube is the one I use the most for video content. I don't like that Premium is getting more expensive, but even despite that I'm still getting my money's worth.

Gmail is my main email provider. It's free and easy to use. The UI has become worse over time but I see no reason to switch.

Google Maps is my backup, in case I think Maps on iOS hasn't quite got the right address. I prefer the iOS product on mobile because it's easier to use one-handed but when I'm on the PC, Google Maps is a better option.

Google Drive I use as well for storing and managing my family's photo cloud storage.

For work, I use their office tools. Docs, Sheets, Presentation.

I stay away from Gemini or whatever their stupid AI solution is at the moment though. I could rant about how people playing with AI for fun and their impact on the environment forever. That's for another time though!

Makster's avatar
Makster

Drive has taken over Microsoft Office ever since Microsoft had enforced the policy of requiring an annual licence over just buying the Office Package and that's it.

Drive with it's Docs and Sheets, and being able to convert PDFs into an editable word document has saved me so much frustration on applying for applications and filling in templates.

Google's new Notebooklm is also incredibly impressive as an AI assistant for summarising data, documents, websites, audio, video and providing an audio commentary/summary to make it sound like an engaging two person podcast. I'd highly recommend giving it a try just for the novelty of an AI generated podcast within minutes of uploading documents!

Sturmer's avatar
Sturmer

Which Google products do I use? A bunch of the standard ones, with email as the central hub—Calendar, Meet, YouTube, YouTube Music, Maps, Drive, Scholar, and others already mentioned. However, I’m gradually moving away from these services where possible, as I’ve lost trust in this tech giant. I’m adopting alternatives or self-hosted solutions for mission-critical tasks to avoid being vulnerable to sudden blackouts at someone else’s discretion. My company also uses a Business Suite subscription to support our work environment, and I occasionally use enterprise products like BigQuery for data storage and Cloud for server backups, but mostly as secondary options.

In terms of quality, Google products often fall short compared to specialized tools, and the lack of dedicated support is a big downside. However, the seamless integration across products is a major advantage and crucial for most users.

MQC's avatar
MQC

These are the main Google products that I use on a daily basis:

  • Google Search

For me it is without a doubt the search engine that gives me the results I am looking for in the most efficient way. I have used a lot of search engines, and without a doubt I choose Google Search.

  • Google Gmail

Practically all the email accounts I have are with Gmail, and I find its email manager very easy and intuitive. It also has the following service associated with it by default...

  • Google Drive

15 gb of free storage accessible from any device just by linking my Gmail account... perfect for transferring information when I need it quickly and efficiently.

  • Google Youtube

Honestly, it's my main hub for entertainment and leisure information, with lots of content creators that I consult on a daily basis and with its large storage capacity, it allows me to view past content.

  • Google Translate

Quite efficient translator with a wide range of languages available, and with different text capture options in photo mode and in real time that make it a surprisingly powerful and useful tool.

  • Google Maps

I think it is without a doubt the main tool I use on my mobile device, both as a Street View guide and for GPS navigation. Up to date and with the perfect guidance system in foreign places where you don't speak the language.

  • Google Colab

A free platform that provides a cloud environment for creating and running Python code. I use it on a daily basis at work and it provides us with a series of indispensable functionalities.

CMDR Henckes's avatar
CMDR Henckes

I use a bunch of them, not because they are superior to the competition, some are, but use an account for almost everything helps a lot.

The mains one are:

Gmail: One of my emails are from google, I use them more for secondaries activities and as a backup email, the interface is clean and works equally good on PC or at the cellphone.

Docs and Google Drive: For me the system of crating a document that can have groups and editing it together the google is years ahead of the competition, it lacks some functions that are useful but it won't be a real problem and the best part is that everything is free.

Android: For me the best operational system for smartphones, it has a great amount of compatibility with files formats, peripherals, freedom to modify the files and easy access to them, it is't perfect but it has the best of what is offered in the cellphones niche

Chromium: Yes Chromium, not Chrome, for me Chrome is one of the worst browsers out there but its opensource code, the Chromium, give us great browsers out there like Microsoft Edge, the one I use.

Google Lens: Who already used it knows how this can be very useful, search things by image or photo. Just point the camera at the thing you want to search like a car model and the google will show you the name of the model and search it for you!

Lanah Tyra's avatar
Lanah Tyra

I use more of their products than I thought. It's easy to only think about the obvious like Gmail or Google Maps. I started using more products when I really got into content creation and having things accessible on whatever device I was using became very important. Since I have an Android phone and no intention to swap to Apple products, making the most of Gsuite was the best choice for me.

I have upgraded to a 1TB Google Drive storage which is synced to my PC and all my games are set to store screenshots there. This way if I want to post to Insta from my phone, I have everything ready there. Also keep my assets there, so if I need to make any changes to my thumbnails, banners, I can do so from anywhere. Also since I lost a lot of my templates when my SSD died, this also serves as a backup beside my external hard drive.

As nobody likes to pay for MS Office I was looking into free alternatives for a while, but Open Office or Libre Office just wasn't quite the same in terms of the UI and functions. But I had to realise I use less and less Word documents as a lot of official business is conducted now via online forms and my CV is also made with Adobe InDesign, so after taking count what I actually need a spreadsheet or word processor for I swapped to Google Docs and Sheets. It does everything what I need it for, conveniently stored in Google Drive making the need for uploading stuff to Dropbox unnecessary, so again it let me reduce the number of different products I'm using. No more needing a document for something and no idea where I put it.

I'm still in the process of moving my notes from OneNote to Google Keep, but that will be my next project to simplify the applications I'm using.

Youtube is one of my main channels and it's easy to forget it's also owned by Google. I have Youtube Premium and since someone pointed out it also includes YT Music, I switched to this from Spotify, and I'm quite pleased with the song recommendations I get since it also takes data from what I watch on Youtube. Spotify most of the time didn't give me relevant recommendations.

I don't drive but I use Google Maps to look up transportation options if I have to go somewhere. Interesting how I didn't need this back in my home town where I knew the layout from before navigation on a phone was even a thing, but I found myself relying a lot on Google Maps in the UK and even if I should know where something is and how to get there, I just look it up instead.

L
lebiadkin

  • Gmail. It has a very good structure and I use to its UX since many years ago.

  • Google Drive. It offers a lot of space even with the free options, and you can "increase" it with every gmail account that you have.

  • Google maps. I have tried another map options, but for me this is the best, specially when I used it on holidays in another country.

  • Google TV / Chromecast. My TV is not smart but with this device it become one. Very easy to use and all, or almost all, the streaming platforms apps are available.

F
Florida

One of my main Google products I use is my Google Home Mini, one of the older ones and as much as I can love it sometimes my god it can also annoy me. I'm not sure if it's due to its age and if the newer ones are drastically improved but it feels like it's never able to really do what I want it to do despite constantly telling me it can do more than tell the time. It's terrible at playing new songs on Spotify and in general songs with hard to spell names often just resorting to a random song I've never heard or just playing the artist and not the song. It also cannot do web queries unless they're extremely basic and it can't handle proper questions. Despite that I like it still and find it more useful than not, I just have to remember it's not proper AI and that it's better for bare basic tasks.

Rich's avatar
RichStaff
Florida

100% with you on this. It works well enough to answer basic questions and play music, and on balance I'd still rather have it than not, but it screws up so many inquiries - and in one problematic room, drops from my WiFi - often enough to be a real nuisance.

Braulio M Lara 🔹's avatar
Braulio M Lara 🔹

WICHT PRODUCT FROM GOOGLE I’M USE

Today Google or the conglomerate Alphabet and his products are in everywhere in the net and is almost impossible to don’t use one product or another

I ‘m use a lot of them, starting with the Original Google Search engine that I have used since it came out on the market, I also use its the other Google browser, Google Chrome, which is very interesting, I also use :

  • GOOGLE MAPS

    is very important to me, especially if my car's browser it doesn't work, I also use

  • GOOGLE CALENDAR

    which I have been using lately to coordinate many activities, and of course the dates , birthdays and important duty l’m Registrate in the app

  • GOOGLE TRANSLATOR

    has saved me from many situations, I’m use it for to help me with so many words in German or inclusive English that because technically speak l’m don’t clearly understand

  • GMAIL

    is very important, it is my main email

  • YOUTUBE

    also belongs to Google, and today is the new TV and of course l have my YouTube channel there 😊

  • GOOGLE PHOTO

    l have it and work automatically and is a big help with the memory of my handy

    and at one point I even used the social network Google+, when it existed, and other Google things that perhaps people use and I haven't yet realized.

Let’s Participate it 💪🏼

yan57436's avatar
yan57436

Today, when I open my cell phone, I immediately see gmail and its notifications, and my day only starts after I've analyzed everything that's there, since I've filtered it and only receive what's really important. I don't even need to talk about YouTube, it's my main source of entertainment, both online and offline, since I have premium and I leave the automatic downloads on for times when I'm without internet. I think the last thing I'd like to highlight is google maps, which I use almost daily, either to find out the distance to a certain place or to choose the best route, as well as having signposts.

SIRCAM's avatar
SIRCAM

Personally i use Gmail, Youtube Music, Youtube, Chrome Browser, Google Maps and of course their search engine.

As web developer i only apply for technologies as Google Cloud, Google Business, Google Search Console and Google Merchant.

From these products only with Google Business i had issues and a lot headaches till today, without hesitate i can tell that Google Business is the worse product they have, plague with tons of errors, that summing up to the lack of assistance is really a nightmare.

People had to create a Google Business SubReddit to support each other as mentioned above due the lack of assistance or sort of customer support..

x0xShinobix0x's avatar
x0xShinobix0x

I have always used Google, however over time I have replaced some services and devices. For example, I have always used Android smartphones produced by Google, such as the Pixels, but over time I switched to Samsung and I am more comfortable with them, especially with the Galaxy FOLD 5. I am convinced that the Pixels are more devices aimed at geeks.

I have used Chromecast for years and Google Stadia, when it was alive, the same goes for Google Plus, a social network that has been very useful for spreading my content. I currently use Gmail, which I would never replace, while for the browser I switched from Chrome to Firefox because over time I encountered various problems.

As mentioned, although I use a Samsung Galaxy FOLD, I prefer Android to iOS, even if I also have an iPad. Obviously, having a website, I rely on Google Adsense to monetize, even if the pay is miserable and Youtube for publishing videos but not for streaming, I opt for Twitch in this case, especially after I unfortunately lost monetization two years ago and I can't get it back.

Lastly, I rely on Google Authenticator for 2fa codes, even if I associate this app with others like the Microsoft one but it is essentially the main one.

A
AlexGoesTheWorld

Too many products if I have honest. I've been slowly working to "de googlify" my life but it takes time and sometimes there are no viable alternatives.

The service I still use are mainly part of the Google Suite:

  • Gmail

  • Calendar

  • Maps

  • GDrive, GSheets and GDocs even if I rarely use them nowadays.

  • Youtube, is there an alternative at all?

Outside of the Google Suite, Android because there is no real alternative in the mobile phone landscape. Sure, there is MacOS but no, I'm not going to spend 1k+ euros for a phone.

I ditched Chrome for other browsers (Firefox and its forks, Vivaldi) and would like to ditch other Google services, especially Drive/Docs/Sheets, Gmail and Calendar, but it's a long road and finding alternatives is often... hard.

N
NotAValveGame

Gmail and YouTube mainly if that counts. Gmail is an easy to use program for emails and easy to make for myself to separate IRL me and online presence me. Gmail is what I use to make my account on everything so I mean its my most used google product by extension. YouTube is where I make most of my content. Its the best video creation platform, I wish they would care more about the streaming side of their platform so that it could compete with the terrible platform of twitch.

Foolish_Imp's avatar
Foolish_Imp

The google products I use the most are Gmail and Android phones. I find Gmail relatively convenient for making quick accounts for things like shopping or social media accounts and for junk mail. However, I don't use it for important things because the amount of spam it tracks. I only use Android phones because I think their Ui is executed much better than iphone and I like having buttons. You also get to upgrade your storage with an sd card. Furthermore, I've found that is much easier to fix some technical issues on your own with Android as opposed to iPhone.

DU
Deleted user

In my case, I can't respond by limiting myself to just one Google product. I consider myself a superuser of multiple Google products.

Here’s a list of the main ones (not necessarily in order of importance):

Drive: I can’t live without cloud storage; it’s been essential to me for over a decade. In the past, I had to deal with major data losses when physical devices were damaged. Permanent data synchronization in the cloud has taken that worry away.

Maps: Essential in my daily life for checking traffic conditions or locating places. I was deeply disappointed when they removed the web version of Timeline, a very useful feature that had become my virtual journal for visits, routes, and trips.

Sheets: A vital tool for basic data management and collaborative work. Although I still recognize Microsoft Excel as a more powerful tool, Google Sheets is sufficient for my data needs.

Photos: My life’s images from the past two decades are stored here: all my memories in one place.

Gmail: For me, its strength lies in customized labels. There’s not a single email that I don’t label. Plus, the search features (especially advanced search) and integration with other tools in Google’s ecosystem are outstanding.

Analytics: This tool has been a cornerstone in my work as a journalist and data analyst for nearly 15 years. There isn’t a question its metrics haven’t been able to answer. It’s so powerful and feature-rich that it tends to be underutilized in many environments.

Chrome: Maybe it’s just habit, but it’s still my favorite browser. The main reason? With Chrome, I’ve never had to worry about remembering a password.

I could keep listing other tools, but I think these are the main ones in my life. 😃

Block9's avatar
Block9

Out of all the products Google offers, the ones I rely on most in my daily life are Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Drive. Each of these tools has become essential to my routine for different reasons, and I genuinely enjoy using them.

Gmail is my go-to for managing emails, both personal and professional. It’s organized, easy to navigate, and has features that keep my inbox uncluttered, like automatic sorting of promotions and social updates. I also appreciate its integration with other Google services, which makes scheduling, linking files, and collaborating seamless.

Google Maps is, without a doubt, a lifesaver when I’m getting around. Whether I’m driving to a new place or exploring a city on foot, I can trust Maps to give me accurate directions and help me avoid traffic. Plus, I enjoy exploring local businesses through Maps’ recommendations and reviews.

Finally, Google Drive is where I store and share all my documents, photos, and files. I find it incredibly helpful to have my files accessible across all my devices, especially when I need to collaborate with others. The cloud storage is secure and reliable, and I love that it’s compatible with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, which I also use frequently.

These three products—Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Drive—make my life easier and more organized. They each have practical features that help me stay on top of tasks, and I’m grateful to have them as part of my daily toolkit.

J
Jon

On the phone side, I've had a Pixel (1), Pixel 3 (mint), Pixel 4 (orange), Pixel 5 and currently use a Pixel 7. My wife has a Pixel 6.

Have previously used various iPhones plus Android phones from Motorola, Samsung Galaxy, HTC and Nokia.

None of them come close to Pixels in terms of quality for price and lack of bloatware/UX, although I will admit that I like my Nothing (1) for weird aesthetic reasons.

F
Feddboii

I mean gmail and sheets are probably my most used tools obviously.

Sheets is done for budgeting and analysis of my earnings/spending.
The best part is the more you learn, you find out that sheets have tools to use more
complex equations and duplicate them so you don't have to rebuild the same chart, over and over.

The fact that they're all "free" is really nice.

TrialByStory's avatar
TrialByStory

The biggest one for me is gmail. I jumped onto that platform as soon as I was given the opportunity when it first came out and you still needed an invite from an existing user in order to sign up. I've still got that original account and a more recently-made one for professional use.

Next is Android. For various reasons I have a strong disdain of Apple as a company and its products (it's a personal thing, I don't judge other folks for liking Apple or iOS, I just prefer not to be involved with that company wherever I have the choice), so my phone is in the Google Ecosystem as well.

Google Rewards. Someone else has mentioned it already, and I'm adding my voice as well. Google rewards isn't what I'd call proper 'Passive Income,' but if you have a subscription for google products it can help reduce or cover its cost, or it can fund the occasional microtransaction in a mobile game or the purchase of the Android port of a 'real' game like Stardew Valley or Slay the Spire, etc.

Last and, at this point kind of least, Google Drive. Drive has been my go-to cloud service for years. It's what I used all throughout college, and it's where I did my writing until recently. Issues with the mobile app have led me to pivot to a different system for writing, but I still use Drive for general cloud storage.

JHenckes's avatar
JHenckes

I stopped to do some research on everything I used google for and it's more than I imagined hahaha, I'll tell you the main ones:

- Gemini: I think it's an AI that has evolved a lot, and its automatic implementation in google searches was great, I use it all the time during my work!

- Google Calendar: It's my forgetfulness stopper hahaha, I'm very forgetful, but this app's notifications save me from real problems!

- Google Meet: This isn't my favorite, but I use it a lot for work, so I'm used to it.

- Google Rewards: What I earn is what pays for my Google One subscription every month, so I have nothing to complain about.

- Google One: It's kind of a compilation of the entire Google ecosystem, such as Drive, Photos and Email. So nowadays there's no way not to use it, it's essential in my day-to-day life.

I think that's good, there are others that are more specific, but these are certainly the ones I use the most and I think they're great!

JHenckes's avatar
JHenckes
JHenckes

I forgot about Google Maps, but lately I've preferred Waze hehe

Lanah Tyra's avatar
Lanah Tyra
JHenckes

Oh I didn't know about Google Rewards, I'll need to look that up!

Toretto 70's avatar
Toretto 70

  • Gmail (very important to receive mail from everyone)

  • Gmaps (better than else map apps)

  • Youtube (to reseach many information video-based)

  • Gdrive (for save my very impressive photo's)

  • Google Pixel 4 (just for take a pic and video)

J
JomamaJr

I use google drive and gmail the most since they are a vital part of ny work

Kane Carnifex's avatar
Kane Carnifex

  • Android + Pixel Phone

  • Google Account (Drive, Calendar, so everything?)

Google Sheets, Forms etc this would count for me to the Google Account.
Same goes for Photos which link to back to the drive.

But no Gmail for example.

So was going through the submits and copied these which i also use:

  • Maps

  • Docs

  • Translate

  • Lens (Android)

Looks like there are the one or other which i don´t know or don´t use yet.

TeaLeaf's avatar
TeaLeaf

I use Android daily and it definitely is a practical product for my life! It makes a lot of things wasy easier in my day-to-day life.

F
FEBRIAN_574H

  • Gmail : my default recive E-mail

  • Gmaps : easy used navigation maps

  • Youtube : great to search many things in video

  • Google Drive : good place to save my data and photo

S
Scarlet

For me, Google Drive has become an essential tool for managing both my personal and professional files. The ability to have everything in the cloud, accessible from any device, is a huge advantage, especially when I'm on the go or working across multiple devices. It's not just a simple storage space, but a complete ecosystem that allows me to create and edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and forms in real-time, which makes my work much more efficient.

One of the things I love most about Drive is the collaborative feature. I can share a document with anyone, see changes in real time, and leave comments directly on the text. This makes group work much easier, even when we're far apart. The automatic synchronization between my computer, phone, and tablet is another great perk: I can start working on a file on my computer and then continue editing it on my phone while I'm on the move, never losing track of my work. Also, the automatic backup feature gives me peace of mind, knowing that every change is saved without me having to worry about it.

What I appreciate even more is how Google Drive integrates seamlessly with other Google services I use daily, like Gmail and Calendar. I can attach documents from Drive to an email or schedule tasks related to a file directly in Calendar, which makes my organization much simpler. The interface is always straightforward and intuitive, making file management stress-free.

A
Auri_McNish

Google has created an impressive ecosystem of tools that complement each other, making productivity and communication more accessible and efficient for millions of users around the world. Below, I share my opinion on some of its most popular platforms:

Google Classroom
Google Classroom has revolutionized online education by simplifying the management of classes, assignments, and communication between teachers and students. I find its interface to be very intuitive and easy to use, making it an accessible tool even for those who are not familiar with digital technologies. However, sometimes the organizational features could be improved to offer more customization options, especially in more complex educational environments. Additionally, anyone can access it, which opens a window for cybercrime to target students, especially in vulnerable stages when they are more impressionable and manageable. This presents a risk that many educational institutions either do not recognize or choose to ignore.

YouTube
YouTube is undoubtedly one of the best places to consume online content, whether educational, entertaining, or of personal interest. Its recommendation algorithm can be both a benefit and a disadvantage, as it sometimes tends to show similar content to what we've already seen, limiting variety. However, its ability to offer videos in different formats, from tutorials to full documentaries, makes it an invaluable platform for both learning and entertainment.

Gmail
Gmail is one of the most comprehensive and easy-to-use email services. I like its integration with other Google services, such as Google Drive and Google Calendar, which allow me to manage multiple aspects of my digital life from a single platform. Despite its simplicity, it offers advanced organization and security tools, like filters and two-step verification, that make me feel secure when using it.

Google Drive
Google Drive is essential for cloud file management and storage. Its ability to sync documents, spreadsheets, and presentations has greatly facilitated my teamwork at university and personal organization. The option to share files easily and its integration with other Google apps, such as Google Docs and Google Sheets, make it a versatile and efficient tool. However, I wish the free storage space were a bit larger.

Google Play
Google Play is the go-to app store for Android devices. I find its interface to be quite user-friendly and easy to navigate. The variety of apps is impressive, ranging from games to productivity tools, which allows me to personalize my device to suit my needs. Sometimes, the quality of apps varies, but the reviews and ratings from users are quite helpful for making informed decisions.

Google Meet
Google Meet has improved considerably in recent years, particularly in terms of video call quality and its integration with other Google tools. I like its simple interface and its ability to host video conferences with many people at once. However, there are still times when the connection can be unstable, especially on slower networks, which can affect the experience. Despite this, it remains a very useful tool for virtual meetings.

Google Translator
Google Translator is an extremely useful tool for quickly and efficiently translating texts and phrases. It has often helped me understand content in other languages and communicate with people who speak different languages. Although its accuracy has improved a lot, there are still many areas where it could be more precise, especially with complex phrases or specific contexts. I consider it to be one of the Google apps that is falling behind the most.

R
Realis

I use a lot Gmail, Youtube, Photo, Contacts and Calenar, i think they are very useful and user friendly especially that one of the photo because in automatic it give you the possibilities to have the archive timeline of your photo.

S
Sora

  1. Google Chrome : I use it as my main browser because it is the best browser with a very comfortable interface.

  2. Google Drive: I use it to backup important files.

  3. Youtube : I use it to search for entertainment videos and also educational videos.

G
gtgt40

great search engine that easily finds what everyone needs

Fras_Shoyo's avatar
Fras_Shoyo

As someone who often juggles multiple daily activities, Google Calendar has become a very important tool in keeping my schedule organized. Here are a few reasons why I love this app so much, the first being Ease of Use, Google Calendar is designed with a simple and intuitive interface. Even for beginners, adding events, setting reminders, or managing schedules is quick and easy. All setting options are available in an easily accessible place for users, secondly Cross-Platform Synchronization One of the main advantages of Google Calendar is its ability to integrate across multiple devices. Whether on my phone, tablet or laptop, any changes I make to my calendar are instantly synchronized. This ensures I never miss an important schedule, no matter where I am. Thirdly Flexible Reminders Google Calendar has very flexible reminders. I can set up email or pop-up notifications as needed, even hours or days in advance. This helps me prepare better for each event.

Conclusion Google Calendar is an ideal solution for managing time and improving productivity. With its comprehensive features, high flexibility, and ease of integration, I feel more organized and efficient in my day-to-day life. If you're looking for a reliable and easy-to-use schedule management tool, Google Calendar is the best choice.

emoji

Rewards (and other cool stuff) inside!

Not only are there great reward submissions to check out, but some of the best conversations on the internet are happening here - and our members are getting rewarded for having them. Don't miss out!

sunglasses emojiemoji pointing left
◤
Related bounties

Communities

Just About

Video Games

Critter Café

Farming Simulator 25

Elite Dangerous

SMITE 2

EVE Online

Minecraft

Pokémon

Content Creators

Film & TV

Tech

Books & Comics

Music

Sport

There’s more to love

Help shape the future of our platform as we build the best place to express and enjoy your passions, whatever they may be.

Join now
Emoji

© Just About Community Ltd. 2025