Category: Internet

Does Google Need to Make Money On Anything But Advertising? Answer: No

March 20, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 4 Comments

Googlelogo Google often gets flak for having all its eggs in one basket, at least in terms of how it makes money. Current figures put advertising revenue at 97% to 98% of total revenue. So that has some critics asking what the search giant plants to do to diversify. But to clarify, we should distinguish between two types of diversification: 1) different types of advertising revenue (search, video, billboards, in-game, etc.) and 2) all other revenue (charging for premium services as an example: Picasa, Google Apps, etc.).

Google seems to be aggressively diversifying in one way while only dabbling in the other.

Internet, Microsoft, Tech News

Norton 360: Whatever You Are, People either Love You or Hate You

March 19, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 4 Comments

Symantec Back in December 2006, I did a review of Norton 360 (the beta version) and pointed out a bunch of minor annoyances with the product. Since then, it has been met with glowing reviews by the big boys at CNET and PC Magazine. Interestingly enough, my 360 review is often the most popular article at Computers.net any given week.

I found that it shows up on the first page of Google results for “Norton 360” and is the only site on that first page that has anything really bad to say let alone a place to leave anonymous comments. And there seem to be plenty of people frustrated, looking for some way to be heard.

Internet, Privacy, Tech Reviews

“Google Phone” Rumors: A Compilation of All The Sources

March 18, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 1 Comment

Googlemobile Whether or not Google has a phone in the works doesn’t seem to stop the world from wanting the search giant to have one. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) has a piece out today that discusses the latest wannabe details of the “Google phone.” As of now, that particular WSJ article is listed at the top of the site’s “Today’s Most Popular” section. Here’s a compilation of what we know (don’t know?) about the Google phone:

Gadgets, Google, Internet, Microsoft, Tech News

Comcast Unhappy with Google, Talking to Microsoft for a Better Deal

March 17, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell No Comments

Comcast is busy negotiating with Microsoft so as to find a potential replacement for Google search on the Comcast.net portal. Comcast is the largest cable operator in the United States with over 24 million cable subscribers and is the second-largest high-speed Internet provider (second only to AT&T). Comcast.net receives around 15 million visitors per month and is one of the biggest non-Google sources of search queries handled by Google. Comcast is currently under contract with Google through the end of this year but appears to be less than satisfied for the following reasons:

Google, Internet, Microsoft, Tech News

Microsoft CEO Trash Talks Google While Google CEO Eats Lunch Down the Hall

March 16, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 8 Comments

This one’s a classic in the never-ending Google vs. Microsoft saga. Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer met with business students at Stanford University only to bash Google during the Q&A. He said things like, “Google built one very good business. They only have one thing they do. Everything else is sort of cute.” And in response to Google’s growth plan: “They are trying to double in a year… That’s insane in my opinion.”

Perhaps the funniest part of the story is that Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt was close by during the thrashing; he was eating lunch at the business school’s cafeteria.

Google, Internet, Microsoft, Tech News, Web 2.0

Watch out Google! Microsoft’s Live is the New Toolbar on Lenovo Computers

March 14, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 4 Comments

As of yesterday, Microsoft and Lenovo Group have an agreement that Lenovo computers will come pre-loaded with a toolbar powered by Microsoft’s Windows Live. Lenovo is the world’s third largest PC maker and is the first computer manufacturer to formalize an arrangement with Windows Live. Windows Live is also third in its sphere, ranked behind Google and Yahoo in terms of market share.

Which company did Lenovo use prior to Microsoft for default search and toolbar installation? Google.

Computers, Google, Internet, Microsoft, Tech News

MIT Will Offer ALL Courses Free Online by Year End

March 12, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 2 Comments

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is set to become the first U.S. university to make all of its courses free on the Internet (in this case, around 1,800 courses). The head of online curriculum, Anne Margulies, says the following, “We started this project because MIT believes that one of the best ways to advance education around the world is through the Internet.”

Do-It-Yourself Tech, Internet, Tech News, Web 2.0

Google Apps Premier: Is this the beginning of the new “pick a side” battle?

February 23, 2007August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 2 Comments

Googlelogo_11 In its latest effort to diversify revenue sources, Google now has a “Premier Edition” of Google Apps. The $50 per user per year is obviously much cheaper than any Microsoft equivalent. At the same time, though, Google’s spreadsheet program is nowhere near as robust and so far there’s no Google PowerPoint.

So here are major improvements you get when you pay for Google Apps Premier Edition:

Google, Internet, Microsoft, Tech News