Google Launches New Services

Google Inc., the Internet search engine rapidly growing into a Web portal, Wednesday introduced a new service for users to send instant messages to others via text or voice. Research from a Silicon Valley company shows Google faces a lot of competition.

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG - News), of Mountain View, describes Google Talk as a free downloadable Windows-based application for subscribers to its Gmail e-mail service. Users can send text messages back and forth as with any other instant messaging service and can communicate by voice with the microphone and headset that come as accessories with most computers.

Google stuck to its Wednesday announcement schedule despite a flurry of media coverage Tuesday following a Los Angeles Times story that leaked word of its plans.

Google joins established rivals in the instant messaging market. According to research from Nielsen/Net Ratings, of Milpitas, AOL Instant Messenger from Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX - News), of New York City, was the number one instant messaging service, with 52.3 million unique users in July; followed by MSN Messenger Service from Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT - News), of Redmond, Wash., with 27.5 million; Yahoo Messenger from Yahoo Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO - News), of Sunnyvale, with 21.3 million; and Skype Messenger with 956,000.

Google, which was founded in 1998, eventually grew to be the standard for Internet search technology and its initial public offering of stock in 2004 spurred a sense of renewal for Silicon Valley in the wake of a steep economic downturn. Recent moves indicate a strategy to move beyond search.

Google Monday introduced enhanced desktop features that allow a computer user to search the Web, their own computer files and to access news, weather, photos, their e-mail and other information.

And on Aug. 18, it announced plans to sell more shares in the company to raise an estimated $4 billion to develop more services and make some acquisitions.

Published August 24, 2005 by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal

http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/050824/1155038.html?.v=2

Good news for those of you who have GOOG stock right now ;)

Will anyone be using this new service from Google?

Regards,

Lee

Lee,

All of these new Google services sound pretty good and from what I read they will grow and become more sophisticated. I just hesitate to use any programs that are "free", since you know Google has to do two things to make these "free" services profitable - collect information from users and spew back advertising in one manner or the other - two things I can live without any more of. But I did find something Google is doing very interesting. Maybe I'm out of the loop, but late last night I found that they have what appears to be a 24/7 cable station called "Current", www.Current.tv which is geared to the younger, hip crowd - not the broken hip crowd - but I watch MTV, so what the fuck. It's a fast moving news/info/entertainment show.

While I'm on it, I just wanted to let all of you about a great program I'm using now. It was reviewed in the WSJ recently. I use 5 different programs for notes, today, book marks, projects, collecting files and photos,etc. Over the years I have tried many programs which claim to put it all together in a simple, free floating database - never found one - until now.

You might do yourself a favor and check out EverNote.com - I think it's a pretty lame name for a program that does so much. It's become my new favorite friend and it's just FABULOUS. I spoke to one of the owners and he said in a few months they're adding note sharing, so you can share on your p2p network. I didn't ask about sharing over the new, but I assume that's not a far jump. The program is cheap. Let me know what you think.

Hal

Damn I so should of bought some stock in Google. I personally can't wait until their payment service comes out and hopefully they allow all transactions including adult and slams paypal to the ground.

Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hal

Lee,

All of these new Google services sound pretty good and from what I read they will grow and become more sophisticated. I just hesitate to use any programs that are "free", since you know Google has to do two things to make these "free" services profitable - collect information from users and spew back advertising in one manner or the other - two things I can live without any more of. But I did find something Google is doing very interesting. Maybe I'm out of the loop, but late last night I found that they have what appears to be a 24/7 cable station called "Current", www.Current.tv which is geared to the younger, hip crowd - not the broken hip crowd - but I watch MTV, so what the fuck. It's a fast moving news/info/entertainment show.

While I'm on it, I just wanted to let all of you about a great program I'm using now. It was reviewed in the WSJ recently. I use 5 different programs for notes, today, book marks, projects, collecting files and photos,etc. Over the years I have tried many programs which claim to put it all together in a simple, free floating database - never found one - until now.

You might do yourself a favor and check out EverNote.com - I think it's a pretty lame name for a program that does so much. It's become my new favorite friend and it's just FABULOUS. I spoke to one of the owners and he said in a few months they're adding note sharing, so you can share on your p2p network. I didn't ask about sharing over the new, but I assume that's not a far jump. The program is cheap. Let me know what you think.

Hal

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I don't think you are out of the loop. I have never heard of that program either.

EverNote.com sounds pretty cool I will check it out.

Thanks,
Mark

I like google very much and also much favour for any of their products or services