Well, three years later and Google is still trying to replace something. So far they’ve only succeeded in replacing AltaVista for your Web search. No, wait, that had already happened five years ago. That was achieved during the time before anyone could even imagine they’d aspire to do anything beyond search. I think this is where the real issue is: they are going at it too broad, trying to do everything at once and maybe are too busy actually earning money. They’ve grown up now, you know, gotta feed the family – VCs, stock holders.

So, I predict that in one year time frame people are still going to prefer to keep their office applications to themselves on a local PC and they are still going to use Google for Web search.

Also, I predict that in one year from the time of this post Google will have their own anti-monopoly lawsuit and won’t be all much different from Microsoft in public’s eyes.

In fairness, Microsoft is still trying to get into Web search business and making every mistake they can to not create a competition to Google in Web search. At least not in one year time frame.

Froogle is too busy, too many stores, bottom line a mess!
I use another site PriceComparison.com:

http://www.PriceComparison.com

Also note that Google has recently acquired blogger.com for the blogs, Picasa.com for the desktop photo management software, and along with Picasa comes hello.com, a Peer-to-peer image sharing software that also posts to your blogger.com site.

Maybe something else is going on. Microsoft just purchased an email searching plugin for Outlook  LookoutSoft.com), and Yahoo just purchased Oddpost.com.

Does all this spell that email is the next killer app (again!)?

Didn’t ThinkOffice try to do this to MSFT already? I think you can still buy their product, but it didn’t work, right?

I tried it. I remember being impressed. You could have your web-based stuff sync up to the computer you work on. So it was portable, but centrally located most of the time.

Clever. Apparently not clever enough (or well-marketed).

–Colin

Google’s strategy looks very much like Microsoft’s strategy of 20 years ago. They already have the virtual monopoly on search and are trying use it to extend into other markets. First, they pick on the leading email platform out there (Outlook), and are poised to take a big chunk out of the market. Obviously, they plan to attack other products with large populations of users. I think Gary, above, hits on another market they must be eyeballing. So, while attacking Excel might not be the best next move, due to technical considerations and possible market resistance, MS Money / Intuit would make a great target. Intuit is already doing it with QuickBooks online. Integrate with some banks, and financial planning services. Saving for a boat? Here’s one that’s in your range! Kids going to college? Here’s a great investment product.

Don’t think Google is going after the collaberation market? What do you call blogger? What would it take to extend blogger into Project management? Add a rich text editor and you have universally accessible word pad, good enough to start eating into Word?

http://www.kevinroth.com/rte/multi.htm

Google is definately working at stealing MS Office customers, using the same strategy MS used to steal those customers away from WordPerfect and Lotus 1-2-3.

The only question is how successful they will be.

Google rocks, in so many aspects. We all know that, so let’s see where it sucks.
Froogle sucks. Compared to http://www.pricegrabber.com/ Froogle is a bad joke.
I am surprised. Maybe Google should not be moving towards making the same mistake others did – trying to be all things to all people and stay more focused? They do not see in danger, yet, but Froogle sucks, indeed

The windows desktop application market is much more subtle and difficult than it looks. I don’t think Google will go there for quite a while. I think they will concentrate on the business of indexing and contextualising information rather than getting involved with the presentation and collaboration end (i.e., office apps).

Phillip when do we get to see your pix from South america? we’re dying here. You say you’ve got 1500, please don’t say you’r quitting your generous photo-sharing?

Google will be fine. They always buy these small startups with good people who can build things. That gives them a certain growth right there; these companies they are buying aren’t incompetent. With all the money they get they should be able to buy bigger companies. Should be interesting either way. There is plenty of work left to make search better.

Google will be fine. They always buy these small startups with good people who can build things. That gives them a certain growth right there; these companies they are buying aren’t incompetent. With all the money they get they should be able to buy bigger companies. Should be interesting either way. There is plenty of work left to make search better.