Today Google announced that all Start Pages for Google Apps will be migrating to iGoogle on 1st of July 2010. Your current start page on Google Apps will automatically change to iGoogle format and there is no further action required from customers who currently use the start page within Google Apps. After the migration users can login and update themes, gadgets and tabs accordingly to fit their sites.

If you can’t wait for the upgrade and want the full iGoogle experience you can upgrade immediately by logging into your Google Apps control panel and starting the process now. You will see a yellow notice box with further instructions.

Alternatively if you want to take advantage of the new style start page, visit your control panel and create a brand new start page which allows for more customisation, control and permission to lock content from users.

Some of the benefits of using iGoogle include Rich themes, Full Page gadgets, Gmail Gadgets and Tabbed Pages. However when you switch to iGoogle, you loose the ability to customise the headers and footers or use any custom CSS code.

If however you wish to offer more customised solution where you can white list or black list gadgets etc, you may consider creating a new start page.

Use a template to create a user start page:
http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=179916

These changes coming to Google will give you more personal and customised information to you and your customers. If you require help customising your current Google start page, iGoogle or Google Apps account, please contact us.

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