Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Your Next Telco... Google.
Google. What are they up to? Every super geek in the country keeps tabs on google pretty closely, but I think you have to look at the bigger picture to get an idea of where they are heading. Let's just look at some facts:
1. Google owns a LOT of dark fiber. How much? I don't think anyone knows for sure, but a couple of years ago they started buying all of it using various hidden company names around the globe.
1.5 Google's bid to buy the 700 Mhz range. Google would love to put the internet in every person's reach. Especially if that comes in the way of 700 Mhz wireless that you can get everywhere, even in your car.
2. Grand Central. Google recently bought the small, smart, and very cool GrandCentral.com. This company specializes in making sure you are always connected, via voice, email and all that. It's just Google's version of Unified Messaging.
3. Gmail. They know who you are. They know what you like. They advertise directly based on the content of the email you are reading.
4. Froogle. (Now Google Product Search) They know how to find stuff "at the best price". They currently sell priority ads through adsense here.
5. The Gphone. Although this is still vaporware, this will be the big piece. Gphone will most definitely include a GPS service that will keep track of where you are, and where you are going. Now they know who you are, what you like, and where you are. Ads will be based on all of this combined. It will likely, as most cell phones do, have a camera. It will likely also have Wi-Fi.
6. Google WiFi. City wide Free ISP. Google provides free WiFi access to all of Mountain view california. Oh.. and this can have ads to pay for the "free" access.
7. GTalk. Combine #1 with #2 and #5. Google has GTalk. GTalk has voice capability. Think Skype. Free voice phone calls anywhere in the world while using WiFi, with the possibility of using the camera on the phone for video conferencing. Free txt messages via GTalk. Oh.. And Google also owns that fiber that will be used to connect all of the Points of Presence around the country, which will in turn be hooked up to all of the Google WiFi spots. Oh.. and they can put voice and txt ads in here.
8. Orkut. Google owns a social networking site. Only really geeky people probably know this. It's not been popular.. It's not even advertised on Googles own websites without some digging. I think that Google is keeping it under some pretty close raps and will eventually leapfrog Facebook, Myspace, and most of the other Web 2.0 sites. Oh.. and they will sell ads here.
9. Youtube. Google bought Youtube for a boatload of money. People were puzzled by this.. but should they be? I can vouch that if I'm looking for video content, youtube is most likely the first place I'll look. They recently started putting ads in the bottom of some videos.
Where does this hodgepodge of seemingly disparate services lead us? Google is posed to become not only a search engine that sells advertising, but the company that owns the backbone of the internet, owns the PoP's for WiFi, owns the device you are using to connect to that WiFi, Owns the content that you are viewing on that connection, and at the same time, can direct ads based on all of the combined info it has.
Stock symbol: GOOG currently at 519.75 Up+5.27
The futures so bright, Google's got to wear shades.
1. Google owns a LOT of dark fiber. How much? I don't think anyone knows for sure, but a couple of years ago they started buying all of it using various hidden company names around the globe.
1.5 Google's bid to buy the 700 Mhz range. Google would love to put the internet in every person's reach. Especially if that comes in the way of 700 Mhz wireless that you can get everywhere, even in your car.
2. Grand Central. Google recently bought the small, smart, and very cool GrandCentral.com. This company specializes in making sure you are always connected, via voice, email and all that. It's just Google's version of Unified Messaging.
3. Gmail. They know who you are. They know what you like. They advertise directly based on the content of the email you are reading.
4. Froogle. (Now Google Product Search) They know how to find stuff "at the best price". They currently sell priority ads through adsense here.
5. The Gphone. Although this is still vaporware, this will be the big piece. Gphone will most definitely include a GPS service that will keep track of where you are, and where you are going. Now they know who you are, what you like, and where you are. Ads will be based on all of this combined. It will likely, as most cell phones do, have a camera. It will likely also have Wi-Fi.
6. Google WiFi. City wide Free ISP. Google provides free WiFi access to all of Mountain view california. Oh.. and this can have ads to pay for the "free" access.
7. GTalk. Combine #1 with #2 and #5. Google has GTalk. GTalk has voice capability. Think Skype. Free voice phone calls anywhere in the world while using WiFi, with the possibility of using the camera on the phone for video conferencing. Free txt messages via GTalk. Oh.. And Google also owns that fiber that will be used to connect all of the Points of Presence around the country, which will in turn be hooked up to all of the Google WiFi spots. Oh.. and they can put voice and txt ads in here.
8. Orkut. Google owns a social networking site. Only really geeky people probably know this. It's not been popular.. It's not even advertised on Googles own websites without some digging. I think that Google is keeping it under some pretty close raps and will eventually leapfrog Facebook, Myspace, and most of the other Web 2.0 sites. Oh.. and they will sell ads here.
9. Youtube. Google bought Youtube for a boatload of money. People were puzzled by this.. but should they be? I can vouch that if I'm looking for video content, youtube is most likely the first place I'll look. They recently started putting ads in the bottom of some videos.
Where does this hodgepodge of seemingly disparate services lead us? Google is posed to become not only a search engine that sells advertising, but the company that owns the backbone of the internet, owns the PoP's for WiFi, owns the device you are using to connect to that WiFi, Owns the content that you are viewing on that connection, and at the same time, can direct ads based on all of the combined info it has.
Stock symbol: GOOG currently at 519.75 Up+5.27
The futures so bright, Google's got to wear shades.
