Speculation re: the future of Notebook

Perhaps it is time for some unwarranted, but entertaining (?), speculation regarding the future of Notebook. Follow the logic with me ...


  1. Both Google Notebook and Google Bookmarks share a very similar functionality and potentially the core software code is the same

  2. Google has suggested using Notebook for the Bookmarks functionality

  3. Notebook development has stopped

  4. Bookmarks development may therefore stop

On the Google Chrome Releases blog, there was a note regarding "Bug Fixes and Scrolling Improvements" that mentioned the following change to Chrome:


"Removed the option to import bookmarks from Google bookmarks. We think we can improve this feature, so we're pulling it out until we come up with something better."

Also on the release notes for Chrome, I find this:

"Remove 'Google Toolbar' as an option for importing bookmarks. The user experience without the ability to keep bookmarks synchronized is not good. We decided to pull this and work on a better user experience."


So, this quote informally suggests that either they will scrap bookmarks in it's current form altogether and develop something completely new OR enhance the current product.


The question/speculation is ... will Google develop a new Bookmarks that incorporates Notebook functionality ... and potentially embed it in their Chrome browser with Sync'ing functionality?? The Opera browser has taken the approach of embedding Notes in the browser. Perhaps Google will follow suit??


Thoughts??

6 comments:

  1. Well it would be about time. I think synchronized bookmarks should have been there from the start. Google Chrome <-> Google Bookmarks. Seems like a no-brainer to me!

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  2. That's my guess, no notebook functionality but bookmark syncing. I use Foxmarks for this in Firefox and couldn't live without it now.

    I put all my frequent sites right on the toolbar and delete the page title, as all of them have a favicon now (little icon so you know what site it is). So I just have a little row of colorful icons that take up very little space on the bookmark bar under the addressbar, and they sync to every computer i use frequently (laptop, home pc, work pc, and work laptop).

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  3. Sounds like a reasonable forecast, seeing as Chrome dev branch (4.0.220.1) right now has "Sync my bookmarks" under the wrench menu (Options | Personal Stuff tab), then stating "Google Chrome can store your bookmark data with your Google account. Bookmarks that you create on this computer will instantly be made available on all the computers synced to this account."

    I'm considering cleaning my by Google Bookmarks once and for all, let this syncing thing happen, then sync to Xmarks using Xmarks for Chrome, Alpha as backup. http://blog.xmarks.com/?p=1119

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  4. Best way to sync bookmarks right now is with XMarks. works across Browsers.

    That Said, Google Notebook is the best thing I have seen Google Make besides their search engine.

    Looking at Evernote as a replacemnt... but not so much the same.

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  5. What will happen with my notes on Google Notebook? Thanks in advance.

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  6. Google has always made the claim that they will allow existing account holders to access and keep their accounts. The shutdown was essentially stopping all new accounts and eliminating promotion AND SUPPORT of the product.

    Now, it does beg the question of how long this will continue? I have a hard time imagining a world where some G-Notebook accounts will exist in ten years ... but I guess it's possible.

    To be safe, I'd recommend exporting your notes into a substitute account for safe keeping.

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