Google into classifieds? Now this innovation, kinda..

Its still better than creating and swathing hype around substandard voice chat messengers. I am happy Google is doing something a little new, given that Craigslist already does this, and does a better job.

So this makes the relationship, or disparity if you will, between eBay and Google a little interesting. Why, you ask? Google has "Google Talk" and eBay bought Skype. eBay owns part of Craigslist, and Google is now doing classifieds.

Google is going to blaze through a lot of companies, maybe literally!

Srihari

Space Lift: Giving science fiction a lift?

Consider how naive I am. I first learned about the space elevator at an interview last week. However, I am now space - elevator - educated. There are other places to extoll about the virtues and drawbacks and the number of hoops the technology has to jump to become viable. For now, it should suffice to say that we are inching closer and closer to dropping the word "fiction" from a lot of ideas once classified as "science fiction".

It is so exciting to learn about the next big thing, I now wish I was a sci - fi writer! Maybe I will become one. Or maybe, that part of me will live in fiction. :D Personal egotism aside, this remarkable effort makes me want to go back and read some good, old school science fiction.

Maybe, just maybe, I can have my own Jurassic Park, and in Richard Attenborough's rendition, "The next time..."

Google Vs. Microsoft

So, is Google finally defeating Microsoft? That seems to be what everyone is asking. But is it truly the case, or just mere hype built on more hype. Probably not, but then again, Microsoft has outshined its worst nightmares in the past. Why is this any different?

Because Google is the press's doll? What do you think of Google Print then? I have always thought that companies that lived off of press hype would also die of the same thing.

That is why, I was rudely shocked by the largely insufficient Google Talk. What the heck was that, anyway? Voice Chat has existed for the centuries that the internet has existed. Ask graduate students and they will tell you how they talk to their parents. So, with a product that was barely able to do anything beyond the basics, people were hyping like heck. Maybe, most of what google does is hype?!

Yeah, advertising makes a lot of money. So it did in Internet 1.0. What happened? Yes, I use google for everything search related. Still, I do it because its free. And, I didn't jump the gun on everything. I am sure not many people have. For example, Yahoo! Groups got a lot better after Google Groups came in. Google groups don't do half the things that Yahoo! Groups do, and we didn't run scurrying to Google anyway.

Instead, everyone basked in the glory of the competition, that produced some good products, better groups, better blogs, better networking websites and so on. Where has the real shift been? I don't see it. Apparently many people do. I would wait and watch to see Google actually do something, before I vote Microsoft a dead lion.

Come on, what all have they weathered, netscape, linux, DoJ and Mozilla. What is the sudden rush to endorse everything google?

What Microsoft needs to do though, is grow up. May be give papa Bill the bye - bye. MSN is a joke, more so, the messenger. They never went beyond the PCs. Though Gates has been smart to shift his aim from PCs to gaming, that's a long, steep climb, up against Sony.

Why wait around till Sony does something to gaming, Apple to music and Google to the internet, if you do want to come off as true innovators? The lack of a clear vision and the desire to fight shows on Microsoft. Its become as ugly to IT, as GM, Ford and Chrysler have become to automobiles. At this rate, whatever the next big thing is, there is only one weapon which Microsoft can use to fight it - cash reserves. Word is going around that those things don't last forever!

Buck up Microsoft. Otherwise you will loose.

Google, you need to go back to the days when we used to exchange emails saying, "Hey, did you hear what Google did? Go check it out!" That was your original path to victory. Not a press release everytime someone changes ten lines of code. The thing is, it will crumble the day someone changes the wrong ten lines of code. Take a leaf from Google Print!

How many more competitors to the iPod?

So, now Dell has something called "DJ Ditty". And they are using an interesting word - of - mouth campaign. Makes one wonder. How do you fight innovation on its face? With products that have obscure names and aren't even visible?

It should become IT's dirty little secret that Apple, with its closed doors propriety driven principles is the only company innovating a product. Being selfish in innovation has always been Apple's undoing in the past. It doesn't look like its going to be so this time. I guess when the iPod started getting successful, everyone got comfortable and decided someone was going to run Apple over, and decided to just sit and watch.

Well, they do have 75% of the market, and its probably too late for another company to make in - roads, leave alone beat them out. That said, 22 million pods is almost next to nothing. There are so many more untapped consumers out there. No one seems to care for them either. Do they want people to throw out their iPods and buy itty - bitty - ditty players? Doesn't look like its going to happen anytime soon.

An interesting view on US Competitive Edge in Sales and Marketing

Read the tentacle lady story here:

http://www.slate.com/id/2126685?nav=wp

Its funny in places, and also talks about the existing manufacturing - sales culture gap in China. Makes me wonder how India is doing. I don't think we are doing any better at all. This might be an area to explore and expand our strengths.

Srihari

Okay, I got this name

I am not sure whats going on but both Yamanoor and Srihari are gone. No, I am not being wierd, I meant the choice of names are gone. So, the next egotistical level was ysrihari.

What can I do? Lost out Yosemite, Tahoe and other name choices