Google Crowdsources Reader, Docs and Search Features

Dana Oshiro — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:16:32 -0800

Google has just opened the floodgates. With millions of users, it's only natural that the company is prioritizing features and crowdsourcing new product ideas. In a recent blog post, the company has revamped Google Product Ideas as a series of separate feedback pages for iGoogle, Google Docs, Google SketchUp, Google Ad Planner, Google Custom Search and as of today, Google Reader.

]]> The Google Reader Team is asking users to submit new features, bundles (reading lists) and custom links. From here submissions can be shared and users can move ideas up or down in a Digg-like voting mechanism.

ReadWriteWeb first wrote about Google Product Ideas in late 2008. At the time the site was focused on collecting mobile ideas. Today Google is offering users a chance to submit on a variety of products. Within each sub-site users can view the top voted suggestions, the most popular concepts, the newest submissions and the ideas that have been "answered" or acted upon. While Google Reader's Answered Ideas page is currently blank, it will be interesting to track what the team chooses to work on and why.

To submit your product ideas visit the main Product Ideas page.

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Google Product Ideas: In 2009, You Could Be Working with Google R&D

Rick Turoczy — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:30:42 -0800

Any number of companies - like computer giant Dell for example - have taken to "crowdsourcing" their R&D, asking customers what features they'd like to see and then letting the public vote the best ideas to the top. Now, it seems that Google is taking the opportunity to include its massive user base in the decision process with the release of Google Product Ideas, a new offering that allows users to - you guessed it - propose what they'd like to see Google build and vote on proposed ideas from others.

]]> According to the introductory post, Google Product Ideas is currently focused on mobile development:

"At Google, we know we've got some really great users with some really great ideas, and we're excited to open up a new project called Product Ideas, a platform through which we're taking a new approach to feedback for Google mobile products. Whether it's a feature request, a crazy idea, a rave or a rant, we want to hear it. Even more, we want other users to hear it, to see what others are buzzing about, and to be able to vote on all these ideas."

But the FAQs indicate that this may just be the beginning of the conversation:

"We love that you have thoughts about our other products! Currently, we're in the process of rolling out Product Ideas pages for other Google Products, so stay tuned more information."

To join the Google R&D team - or to propose some ideas and vote on others - simply visit Google Product Ideas and log in with your Google credentials. After declaring a nickname and indicating where you're from, you'll be part of the team deciding where Google Mobile development goes in 2009.

Who knows? Your idea could inspire the next feature that Google mobile picks to pursue.

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google product ideas - ReadWriteWeb

Google Crowdsources Reader, Docs and Search Features

Google Product Ideas: In 2009, You Could Be Working with Google R&D