Top 10 Google apps

CNET.com.au reviews Google's most compelling desktop and Web-based applications for communications, mapping, 3D drawing, and more.

As Google expands its empire beyond stellar search, the goliath keeps piling onto its heap of free tools that enable you to communicate, manage multimedia, jam-pack your calendar, map trips, and even create virtual worlds. Some of these apps integrate seamlessly with each other, while others stand alone. Most of these services are rough drafts that remain in beta testing, so expect them to evolve. Here are the 10 Google apps that we find the most intriguing, whether for their sheer usefulness or for the controversy they attract.

1. Gmail beta Gmail is a star among the Web's top e-mail tools, especially for its inventive message-organising methods. And Gmail plays well with other members of the Google family. Case in point: its natural-language abilities can detect when someone sends you an event invitation, then whisk you to Google Maps or Google Calendar so that you won't miss the party. Read the review here.

2. Google Calendar beta Dinner at 8? How about sword-swallowing classes at 8:30 instead? Google Calendar enables you to manage appointments and discover events from assorted sources that other users have made public. Read the review here.

3. Google Talk What's better than an instant-messaging tool loaded with expressive emoticons, as well as links to news stories and streaming music sites? If such bells and whistles strike the wrong note with you, then the answer is Google Talk. You can run this no-frills chatting client either within a floating window or embedded within Gmail. Add a headset and talk to buddies for free. Read the review here.

4. Writely beta Who says you need to pay through the nose for a word processor? Ever since we started using the free Writely to compose and edit basic text files, we've been hooked on its simplicity. The drawback? If you're offline, you're out of luck. Read the review here.

5. Google Spreadsheets Most people find crunching numbers dull. It's extra-clunky when you must open a hard drive-hogging application just to sum up some quick figures. Google Labs' Spreadsheets lets you make calculations on the fly from anywhere, as long as you're online. It may not be an Excel killer, but it's a time-saver. Read the review here.

6. Google Maps Cartography seemed dry until Google Maps started serving up free satellite views to the public. Since then, enthusiasts have been shaping this dynamic mapping tool to pinpoint the locations of hot dog stands, celebrity sightings, and visits from outer space. Review coming soon.

7. Google Earth Remember the hype that the Internet would immerse us in virtual tourism that would be more fun than actually going places in the real world? Such predictions were premature, but sit down with Google Earth, and a momentary lookup can turn into hours of flying around the globe to explore its nooks and crannies. Read the review here.

8. Google SketchUp Build your dream house in 3D detail without a lick of CAD or architectural expertise. While you're at it, why not sketch a whole city, drop it into Google Earth, and send it to your friends to move forward with your world domination plans. Read the review here.

9. Picasa Web Albums beta At long last, one of the finest freebie apps for tweaking your digital pictures now lets you upload albums to the Web. We hope that the bare-bones Picasa Web Albums, now in a testing phase, will eventually add more features for editing, tagging, and sharing photos online. Read the review here.

10. Google Desktop 4 beta This download installs a top-notch search tool to find files on your computer, and it stacks fun Gadgets on your desktop. Hey, now that you're using so many Google tools, why not just hand over your hard drive to Mountain View? Seriously, though, Desktop's search is terrific, but we nevertheless urge that you either skip it altogether or disable Advanced Features if you feel uneasy about entrusting so much personal data to one company. Read the review here.