Google: World domination, one advertising venue at a time

Brian White — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Rumors, Products and Services, Google (GOOG)

My theory that Google, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) intends to become the largest advertising network the planet has ever seen is starting to bear some initial fruit, folks.

The fact that I can use Google to provide you with this link (where this has been uttered from my keyboard for a little under a year) at least you can let me toot a little bit of horn, right? Barring all those links, try the below links on for size:

Google buys YouTube, the largest online video sharing network
Google buys dMarc, the best automatic-insert radio advertising ecosystem
Google buys DoubleClick to further its ad offerings beyond text ads and the like
Google signs deal with EchoStar for satellite TV advertising
Google signs deal with MySpace.com to sell ads on the web's hottest property
Google partners with Clear Channel Communications for radio advertising

It's pretty apparent that I needn't go on. Then, I ran into a small interview snippet from Tim O' Reilly, head of O' Reilly Publishing and the man who coined the term "Web 2.0." O'Reilly hinted at Google's offering of a free 411 (information providing) service as a way for the company to build an enormous database of voice recognition profiles. O'Reilly thinks that Google 411 has nothing to do with a 411 service and everything to do with building a free or cheap voice speech database so it doesn't have to buy that technology from somebody else. True or not, it would not surprise me to see Google do this for an "on the cheap" motive.

And, I still believe Google has the goal of becoming the world's largest advertising network.

Google: World domination, one advertising venue at a time originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 16 Apr 2007 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google-holic finds something new to love: Free 411

Tom Barlow — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: Products and Services, Google (GOOG), Verizon Communications (VZ)

Admittedly, I'm a Google-holic -- Gmail, alerts, web pages, RSS reader, the works. Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) seems to have a knack for releasing a new product just at the moment I realize I need such a product. The latest? Free voice-interactive 411 service.

I tried it for the first time last weekend, looking for the number of a local pizza joint. Sure, the phone book was in the next room, and my laptop was on the floor next to my recliner, but my cell phone was right there in my pocket. I called 1-800-GOOG411, and asked the computer to find the number of Iacono's Restaurant. It took a couple of seconds of computer muttering that sounded like an LP played backwards (Paul is dead?) for it to offer me a list of potential matches, none of which hit. After a few more tries at deciphering my steel-belt accent, though, it recognized my request, and connected me. For free.

Very cool. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), you can stick your 411 charges!

Another service I've become addicted to is Google's SMS search. For example, I was in the burg of St. Paris recently, looking for a particular church. I texted "Churches St. Paris OH" to GOOGLE (466453). In ten seconds, I received back a text message with the names and addresses of all the churches in town.

I so love living in a future where a company has billions of dollars to spend on making my life easier.

Google-holic finds something new to love: Free 411 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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