Google Evolves

The politics around Google are interesting. They seem to be starting along an assertive path after for so many years being in the background. Hi-profile news about their willingness to defy the Chinese government is perhaps a part of a wider strategy to somehow 'make a difference', perhaps in different ways to the generally private philanthropy of Bill Gates, or the Messianic leanings of Steve Jobs. It seems that they feel they are so big and vitally important now, they are sick of being pushed around.

Their low profile has ensured people have very little emotional reaction to them Yet, I for one find their blatant disregard for Motorola, who have just launched the Droid, disturbing. Suddenly releasing a 'better phone' in the shape of the Nexus One could infuriate new buyers. People buy a phone for years and only upgrade to new generations. Blurring the lines and cheapening people's investments seems to me to be a bad way to go about doing business. Almost like a stance saying, 'we're not doing business. you're not customers- this is progress for it's own sake'. Yet it also has to be said that they have such deep pockets that they could well make a better deal for new technologies as a way to expand their reach, as Sony did with the PS3, than by letting others do the development. If you want something done right, do it yourself- yet it is the timing that bothers me here.

It's all too faceless for me, despite some attractive features, I think I prefer Apple's way of doing things, in which even an old iBook has a place in History