On Google Keep

Note: this post addresses the web version of Google Keep. Some of the points made below may not apply to the Android Version.

Google announced Keep on it's official blog. This after a teensy snafu picked up by Android Police last week. The web app is functional, but not yet fully featured. It works quite nicely as a replacement to Google's tasks feature in Gmail, and Google promises full Drive integration in the coming weeks. That update should take it from a useful note taker and list maker to a powerful productivity tool, especially if integrated into Google Now.

As mentioned above, there are some quirks that prevent it from being a true "Evernote replacement". Issues include everything from simple user interface issues (links posted in Keep are not clickable) to rather glaring integration issues (photos can only be uploaded from the local machine, not added from Google+ or Picasa). As a result, Google Keep is oddly isolated from the rest of Google's services.

The app version is Android-only for now, which is unfortunate. Google's iOS apps are stellar and can turn an iPhone into an excellent Google phone. Keep would appeal to users of Apple's Notes app and, with some updates, could the Reminders app as well. Updates integrating Keep into both Google Now (as well as bringing Google Now to iOS) and Google Drive will be crucial in expanding Keep's user base.

The Android app is more well-rounded, but lacks some useful features like the ability to share lists (Google Play Store review). Until Google Keep is more fully integrated with the rest of Google's services like Drive, and perhaps Google Now, it will be a helpful cloud based task and list tool, but will not replace the heavy weights of the notes and lists world such as Evernote and Any.DO. When it is able to replicate those features, Keep will be a tempting offer for those who live in Google's cloud.

On Google Now for iOS

Engadget posted a video of what appears to be a Google promo showing Google Now running in the Google Search App on iOS. The service would be accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the screen while signed in to the Search app. Google Now aims to give contextual information based on one's location and current activity, as well as providing sports and weather updates and other information. While Google Now lacks the personification of Apple's Siri, it fills much the same roll and appears to do so in a much more proactive way. Engadget also reports the video being pulled from You Tube (the video embedded in the Engadget post is hosted by Engadget).

Google has not been shy about submitting their apps to the Apple store. Many of their apps provide a just-as-good or better experience than the web versions including Gmail, Google+ and Google Search. Google Search updated with Google Now would provide a powerful and useful app and provide the added benefit of spurring Apple on to increasing the functionality of their own native apps.

It would be interesting to see Google port such a central part of the Android experience to iOS. Google Now is not just another web service like Gmail or Google+, it is a key point of differentiation between the two platforms. Of course, Google is like Amazon, they are not in the game to make money off of hardware, they make the hardware to make money on their content and services.

Baseless rumor and speculation: Pulling a video is more in character with a response to an accidental leak than for a gag post or faked video. If that were the case, one would expect a quick denial of an iOS port from Google. The fact that the promo video exists and was leaked may indicate a project that is near completion. 

One final thought: imagine the utility of the Google Search app with Google Now if Apple were to open Siri's APIs. Oh well.