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In context: Back in the days of shareware and the MS-DOS command prompt, computer magazines and companies sold vast quantities of CD-ROMs filled with software programs of questionable usefulness. In the world of shovelware, quantity often triumphed over quality. Today's mobile market is shaping up to be much the same.
Google is introducing a new software bundle reminiscent of those old shovelware CDs with its recently announced Essentials app. Despite being one of the most well-known tech companies in the world, the search giant seems eager to make some of its many internet services easier to discover and install on PC systems, starting with the Google Play Games app that was released a couple of years ago.
The first PCs to feature Google Essentials will be HP models, including well-known brands such as Spectre, Envy, Pavilion, and Omen. When setting up a new PC, Google explains that users can access the Essentials app directly from the Start Menu to "easily switch" between phone and laptop computing experiences.
Google Essentials bridges the mobile platform and Play Games, syncing in-game progress and rewards for popular titles such as Clash of Clans and CookieRun. This functionality is similar to Apple's Game Center, allowing users to start a gaming session on their Android smartphone and continue it later on their PC.
Additional features of the Google Essentials package include access to Google Photos and Google Messages. It also provides shortcuts to productivity tools like Google Docs, Drive, and Calendar. Eligible subscribers will have the opportunity to receive a two-month free trial of Google One, which offers 100GB of cloud storage.
Google says that with Essentials, users are always in control. They can uninstall any Google service – whether a dedicated app or just an internet link – or the entire Essentials package anytime.
Google didn't say when or if the Essentials package will arrive for custom PC builds. Presumably, it will eventually have a downloadable standalone app. However, the company mentioned Essentials is coming to more laptop and desktop brands in the coming months.
Curious or nostalgic users interested in seeing how terrible, yet thriving, the shovelware business was in its heyday should check out the Internet Archive's shareware CD collection.