Googleus Maximus

Posted: 01.07.2006
By: Derek Coleman

Will Google Pack Be The Trojan  Horse For Microsoft?
This seems like an attempt to gradually replace functionality that is built into Windows, and yet it is also a clever way to gain more trust from Windows users as well as from Google fans. It is a very conservative but smart move on the company's part considering what many were expecting. They have essentially bundled several useful applications which under Google's Updater will make sure you have the latest version of installed software from Google Pack. I imagine the list of applications will grow as time goes by,  as you will notice that it is in beta at the moment. I think it is the perfect solution for next generation IT as an easier way to distribute much of the applications needed on systems and keep users up to date. I also see it as a system that will eventually blur the line between the desktop and the web. It is no doubt just the beginning for Google's new application bundle and management system, and it will be interesting to see what becomes of it in the future.

Will Google's Video Store Find The Achilles' Heel Of Apple's iTunes?
One way to get as much video content on the web is to allow content providers to determine the price of their content. Google has obviously got something big with this one. At the time of this writing there is still little known about how this system will work, but already there are content providers lined up to provide content using Google's service. This means competition for Apple's still relatively new iTunes Store. The story goes Achilles was made invincible by being dipped in the river Styx by his mother. However, being held by his heel left that particular area was left unprotected. Years later in the Trojan war, he was killed by an arrow fired into his heel by Paris. Apple has become much like Achilles by becoming nearly invincible, with it's iPod and iTunes properties, but that could all change with the right moves by Google. I think content providers will see the convenience in being able to find the price point that works best for them with Google's Service. It also provides a place where independent artists, video bloggers, students, and others can finally compete on a level playing field with some of the larger companies. There is still lots of room for error from both Apple and Google, but there's also a lot of room for success as well.