Is Google making the right move?
We all know what’s been going around the news lately, “Google vs China”. Reading about what happened really makes a good spy movie, “James Bond is sent to China to investigate one of the biggest technology firms being hit with a cyber attack by the Chinese Government due to an inside operation by their own staff and stole sensitive information on Chinese activists” But is Google making the right move by shutting down its China operations to make a stance against the Chinese Government? Personally no. China has the biggest internet penetration in the world, around 380 million people go online. Google has a 34% market share while Baidu rules with 60%. Google’s ad revenues is estimated at $300 – $600 million. If Google leaves, this will have a major impact on the industry as a whole, it’s a good thing and a bad thing depending on how you look at it.
I’m sure all the Baidu executives are popping the champagne as I type this praying that Google packs their bags, if this happens Baidu will quickly capitalize on this and try to gain as much market share as possible with analysts predicting by the end of 2011 Baidu would increase their market share from 60% to 78%. This is very significant for them, at present Baidu is only known within China with little recognition outside the mainland. Google’s departure and Baidu’s gain will make them a global company they will have more leverage to enter into new markets and compete with Google and other search engines on a mass global level.
Is this good on a local level? no, why? Google is good for China, in fact China needs Google and Google needs China, without Google there would be no competition for Baidu thus leaving not many options for the public to choose. Baidu can run a total monopoly in search results meaning the public will only be able to search by the results Baidu wants you to see. But you can’t forget about the other players, the other search engines which make up 3.4% left of the market share, who are they? Sogou service, Tencent Holdings’ SoSo service, the Zhongsou service and NetEase’s Youdao. All these companies are on the same boat as Baidu, preparing the champaign getting ready for one of the biggest internet shakeup’s in China’s modern history. Of course this is seen as a good thing, the smaller fish have more room to grow, but lets face it none of those companies have a proper infastracture in place to meet a sudden surge in customer demand if Google leaves, they’ll probably manipulate the search results like Baidu to please the Government which again leaves very little choice for the end-user.
You see Google although still abided by Chinese law to filter a lot of their results still tried to display the most fair results it could to tell the people, ”We are different, we think about you”, not what the Government thinks you should be seeing. Google leaving will no doubt send the internet industry in China back to when it first started, 100% complete censorship, you see Google was the white knight here to try to revolutionise and change the perception of how the internet should be, but if the biggest internet company in the planet leaves then I can tell you that there will be none that will try to follow in their footsteps.
UK covered in white
This is a satellite picture of UK from space, taken a few days ago, it shows the country covered in snow. Apparently it has been the coldest weather since 1963.
Endgadget sits down with Eric Tseng, Senior Product Manager of Android
While I’m sitting here in the cold freezing my but off, half of the tech world is in CES right now laughing it up with people like Eric Tseng, who is he? well, he is someone you should know especially if you use Android or want to know more. Endgadget had a sit down with him to talk about the Nexus one and Androids future plans.
Nexus One already has a custom ROM?
It’s barley been a week since the announcement of the Nexus One and it’s already been rooted, has gained market share in mobile web browsing and now has its own custom ROM. Now, if I had a Nexus I probably will be to chicken to try it, but looking at the enhancements this ROM seems pretty damn good. Some features it includes, Nano 2.09 text editor, wireless tether, Titanium Backup, Busybox 1.15.3, and lots more goodies, try at your own risk, just don’t send me any death threats if your Nexus decides to die on you. You can check out all the info from Endgadget.
Google and Apple secretly at war?
I know these two giants have been competing with each other for some time. especially with all the recent publicity from Google and Apple’s up-coming “iSlate”, but is there more that we don’t know? Are these two secretly sending message to each other letting the other know who’s Boss? Did you know on the day Google announced the “Nexus One” Apple also announced its acquisition of Quattro Wireless for $275 million. Who or what is Quattro Wireless? I have no bloody idea, so I did a little research and found that they are a mobile advertising platform . So…Why would Apple pay 275 big ones for this company? I have no bloody idea. Then it dawned on me, it made sense, Steve Jobs is one smart man, he is so smart that other smart men like me couldn’t read between the lines, ohhh Steve I know where your going with this. It’s simple, Apple’s acquisition of Quattro Wireless is a message to Eric Schmidt and Google, “You step onto my turf, I’m gon sh*t on yours!” I love it! By acquiring Quattro they can now advertise on their apps instead of online where Google would get paid.
Over 3 billion apps downloaded into the iPhone and iTouch, let me tell you this could be a new way to advertise and who would laugh all the way to the bank? Not Google! After fishing around I found another reason why Steve was putting up his fists, Google also recently acquired a company called, AdMob for $750 million which Apple also tried to buy so Quattro was a way to put up his middle finger. Get the popcorn out and sit back and lets watch these two tech Gods go at it, since the Pacquiao vs Mayweather has been canceled we still have Apple VS Google and this fight will be a good one.
Angry girlfriend smashes boyfriends PS3 :(
I don’t really have much to say about this, I have a PS3 and I stay up until 3am, I don’t see why she’s so mad. After watching the video I felt like I wanted to cry, I just hope my wife doesn’t get any ideas.
Batman wannabes can now buy a Batmobile, if you have that Bruce Wayne Money!
Now this is probably one of the sexiest car I’ve ever seen. It’s the new Lamborghini Ankonian which is a concept car, best of all this car is echo friendly due to the slimmed down body work which means less fuel consumption, so all you tree-huggers have something to smile about when you drive to work, no more crappy Toyota’s that look like a lunch box! There are LED all across the body to act as headlights and the designers inspiration is of course, the Dark Knight himself.
Check out the source here.
Nexus One now featured on Google homepage
This is what Google has that Apple doesn’t, a platform where millions of people go everyday and what has Google done? They have placed a small ad under the search bar, wow! Let me tell you how effective this will be. First of all Google is the number 1 search engine in the world, everyday millions people will see this small ad and these millions of people will click this small ad. How much did it cost Google? $0! Yup, not a dime. This is where Google has the edge over Apple, Apple must’ve spent millions of dollars in marketing & advertising to promote the iPhone, don’t get me wrong they have done a wonderful job in their campaigns, they have forever placed the iPhone as a must have in the 21st century and will be forever remembered as a device that changed the mobile phone industry. Although the Nexus probably won’t have the same impact, it will still do some damage. I would pick the Nexus any day, whether it’s the larger screen, better camera, faster CPU or cheaper price, the overall package of the Nexus is better. Missed the Nexus press conference? Well thanks to Phandroid they have recapped the event.
Does the Nexus One have it what it takes?
I’m sure you have heard everything you want to know about the Nexus One, but is it really the “Super Phone” people are dubbing? Billshrink has posted a comparison table between the Nexus, iPhone 3Gs, Pre and Droid. Look for your self and tell us what you think.
Check it out here
ESPN to go 3D!
ESPN have just announced that they will be going 3D in 2010. They will be broadcasting 85 matches all together with their first 3D game in June, World Cup, South Africa VS Mexico. Not sure how this is going to work out, but it will be very interesting to see if viewers will enjoy games in the third dimension.
Check out the full story here
