I’ve tried using many browser pages as my home page/starting page for when my browser opens. They have been disappointing in their inflexibility. iGoogle is very flexible and has a multitude of gadgets that you can use.
You can click on the “Add stuff” on the upper right side of the screen. I would suggest that instead of scrolling through all the possible gadgets, you do a search for your favorite topic such as calendar, maps, clock, etc. – see the upper right side. Once you find something you want, you click on Add it now. When you go back to iGoogle home, you’ll see it in the upper left. You can click on the top bar of any gadget to move it around- drag and drop. I’ve added a to-do list, calendar, timer, gmail (to mention a few) so that I can use this as my portal. If you try out a gadget and it does not help you to be more efficient or productive, you can click on the X to remove it. You can even add a theme to the top of your page. There are so many gadgets available that you can truly use iGoogle as your starting page.
If find any great educational gadgets, share them.
Education with Technology Harry G. Tuttle 
