Personalize your Google Home page

What's New at Google?
Personalize your Google Home page.
URL: http://www.google.com/ig/

Google provides an option to personalize your Google Home page with Google News, GMail, NYT, Slashdot, Wired, BBC News, Weather, Stock quotes, Driving directions, Movies, Word of the Day, and Quote of the Day.

Screenshot of My Personalized Google Home page


Why is Google going the Yahoo! way of showing content on the search page?
Google is unique because of its fast and simple user interface. Why do they want people to read email, check stock quotes, follow news stories, and more when they've come to search?

Google seems to have plans of becoming a portal.

Why does Google want to change the Internet's most popular Home page design?
If I want to check GMail, I will visit GMail.
If I want to read news, I will visit Google News.
What's the Usability in cluttering the Home page by showing content on it?

The idea of personalization is cool, but I won't use it. I'd prefer the Classic Google page, as they call it now, without any of these personalization features.

What do you think of Google's personalized home page? Take a poll on Google Blogoscoped and express your opinion. I feel it clutters the white, clean, simple, and usable look-and-feel of Google.

Update: 07:58 p.m. IST.
Some more thoughts.
- I agree GMail on the search page or a good thought for today and word of the day is informative and useful.
- Google shouldn't make their page stress on content.
Content should be secondary. Google should retain its flavour of white and simple design.
- The link to revert to Classic Google should be made prominent.
- Addition of RSS is a feature that's awaited.

Technorati Tag: Google