Is Google the New Microsoft?

http://thisthatotherthing.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/is-google-the-new-microsoft
Ok, so now Google is challenging Facebook and Twitter by adding new social features to Gmail that would allow users to more quickly and easily share status updates and media.  These features are the heart and soul of Facebook and Twitter and by integrating it into their other programs such as Gmail, Picasa Photos, and YouTube, it poses the question, is Google beginning to look and act like Microsoft by trying to get in on every new innovation and make it their own?  Ever since they first produced their Windows operating system, Microsoft has always taken existing ideas and made them their own.  They have been highly successful and profitable with their flagship products, their Windows operating system and Office productivity suite.  While I still value these products, it seems like in the last ten years, they have done nothing original.  They latch onto a new concept or product developed by someone else and try to make it their own, often times unsuccessfully.  In contrast, Google has been a leader in new innovations and has done very well with their products, which by the way are mostly free.  But as Google expands into an ever increasing array of areas such as their own cell phone, and now these new Gmail services, you have to wonder, are they losing their edge?  Are they becoming another Microsoft?

Read more at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/08/gmail-social-feature-to-l_n_453809.html

Google Launches Real-Time Search Results

http://thisthatotherthing.wordpress.com/2009/12/07/google-real-ti…search-results/
At first I thought, BIG DEAL!  Who wants to see people’s posts on Twitter?  Especially crap about Twilight!  But as I watched this video and saw the other sample searches such as road conditions and ski conditions, I thought “Hey, this is pretty cool!  I can see some major potential here.  Anyone who knows me personally, knows I could care less about ski conditions, but traffic conditions would come in handy.  This could be useful for major breaking news stories, etc etc.  Anyone have any other ideas where this could go?

Watch the video at the bottom this short article to see how it works  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/07/google-real-time-search-s_n_382894.html

Google Wave – The Next Killer App?

Last week I described how I had finally found a use for Google Docs; reference desk usage statistics.  Google is soon going to release a new service called Google Wave.  Google Wave is a communication tool that merges email, instant messaging, wiki, and social networking.  It has a collaborative and real time focus that allows users to see changes being made to a thread as they are being typed.  It can be used on mobile devices and not just web browsers.  Information is organized in pieces of information called waves.  Each entry in a wave is called a blip and all blips are archived.  Waves can include all sorts of information and is really fast.  Having only seen a video of a July 2009 seminar introducing Wave, I found it hard to see exactly what it was they were doing since the screen was so small.  But from what I can tell, I can see enormous potential for this type of service for libraries, but until I actually get to play around with it, I can’t think of anything in particular for our library.  I am one who likes to keep up with the latest programs, services, gadgets -store that information away, and then when a need arises, use the proper technology to satisfy that need, just like I did with Google Docs.

The program will not be launched until late 2009, but a beta version will be made available to about 100,000 users on September 30^th.  I hope to be one of them.

To view the seminar, go to http://wave.google.com/ .  Go to Mashable: The Social Media Guide to find out lots more.