The black bar wasn’t really so awful. But Google apparently is still in the throes of its massive remodel and unification of services, and has announced plans to ditch the black bar in favor of a nested services arrangement under the Google logo itself. Services are linked in a drop-down menu that pops out when you click on the Google logo, showing links to services such as search, Gmail, +, Maps and News.
The bar is split into three regions – the Logo and drop-down menu on left, the familiar search box in the middle and a share box and Google+ notifications on the right side, which are visible on any Google page.
Google believes the redesign makes navigation and sharing “super simple.” I would argue that frequent changes to the set up actually make matters a bit more complicated, at least in the short run.
If the new set up hasn’t yet been rolled out to you, you can check it out in the video below. Hope you like the new digs.
Advocate's Studio 
You seem like a Google fan. What is your take on Google Docs? How far off is it from being practical within a law practice?
I am a big fan of Google Docs. While it has its limitations, particularly when one compares it to the full price local software options, it definitely has lots going for it too – it’s free, there is a great deal of storage, it integrates well with other Google products and there are plenty of extensions and add-ons to increase functionality. You have the same concern with Docs as you do with other online service providers, but it bears noting that Docs has secured access via the “https://” prefix. I myself tend to use it when I want to collaborate with others on a project – docs and presentations have been particularly helpful to me in this regard.
I am teaching a Google course at Solo Practice University, an online educational resource for new attorneys or attorneys transitioning to solo practice. One of my courses will be on Google Docs and how to use it in one’s practice. You may want to check out Solo Practice University online – it is a fantastic resource for all aspects of law practice.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting!