Google's free pass
Of all the coverage of Google's press day, Paul Kedrosky has the most incisive perspective, with the fewest words, which is always a bonus:
* Google Co-op is a non-alogorithmic search product that breaks my "remember that people are lazy" rule
* Google Notebook is for a market, search clipping, that is cluttered with the bones of failed products
* Google Desktop soaks up desktop space and CPU cycles while underwhelming
* Google Trends is marginally more useful, but it's fringe silliness, a less fun cross between Googlefight and Alexaholic
Being the empiricist that I am, I even reinstalled Google Desktop for the third time just to be sure that I haven't missed something in this latest release. Nope. It is slow, space-consuming, unnecessary, and it messed up my screen, forcing me to do a resolution change post un-install to regain the right part of my desktop.
So, my question: Where did Google get all these free passes? Inquiring minds want to know.
As I wrote yesterday, Eric Schmidt's remarks about "serendipity" didn't add up, Sergey Brin took shots at big bad Microsoft and as Paul concluded, the new product announcements weren't super compelling. I don't think Google is getting a free pass. Expectations are getting lower, and Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL etc. just keep pumping out new features in a race to become the next Microsoft, the MS of the Web age. It's in the DNA--conquer or be conquered. When that starts driving decision making, the bunker mentality prevails, and the notion of focusing on users and innovation become secondary to daily skirmishes for dominance...