More XML Expertise to Google
March 16, 2010
According to ZDNet, Tim Bray, founder of OpenText and collaborator with Ramanathan Guha on things XML, is now a Googler. The story “Ex-Sun Director Bray Joins Google’s Android Team” notes that Mr. Bray will work on the Android. The addled goose wants to point out that there are some big semantic Web guns in the Google arsenal now. Is Google becoming the big gun in the semantic Web or just the semantic Web?
Stephen E Arnold, March 16, 2010
Nope, a free one. No one paid me to reference semantic weapons. I will report this free write up to the FCC.
Microsoft Bing on Motorola Phones
March 12, 2010
Motorola has had its share of troubles, legal, financial, and technical. Not long after its Android powered phones rolled out, Google débuted its Android phone with a fresher version of the Android software. “Motorola to Put Bing Search on Android Phones”, if accurate, provides a little insight into how Motorola wants to show the Google who is in charge. If I buy an Android phone, the mobile search default is Microsoft’s Bing.com. For me the most interesting comment in the write up was:
Motorola will start loading Microsoft’s search and map services onto its Android smartphones in China, bringing more non-Google services to the phones amid a row between Google and China.
It might be a simple jersey tug in the soccer match between Google and Motorola. Google’s partners have strange ways of showing their affection. Semi passive resistance?
Stephen E Arnold, March 12, 2010
Nope. Nope. No one paid me to write this item. Because it is about sports, I will report the state of non payment to an outfit absolutely against allowing anything to take place without compensation, licensing deals, and consideration—The International Olympic Committee.
Cisco Throw Down: Accelerating the Internet
March 11, 2010
I keep track of the network hardware folks, but I don’t write about them in Beyond Search. Most of my readers are interested in search, content processing, and electronic information. I am pretty confident about what my readers want because I only have two or three readers. One is my assistant and the other two people are actually Internet café terminals I hacked to get my RSS feed. So, I’m unpopular. No problem for the addled goose in rural Kentucky.
I read “Cisco Shows Off Super Router” and because the article gets close to what will be an interesting front in the traditional networking sector’s battle with Google. Yep, I know. Google is a search and advertising company. Save that for the search engine optimization crowd and the azure chip crowd.
The core of the story is the statement allegedly made by John Chambers, Cisco CEO:
“Video is the killer app,” Chambers said. “Video brings the Internet to life.”
The idea is that textual information is yesterday. He is right even though I hate to see the end of an era. I regret the loss of mainframes and the wonderful revenue stream those gizmos delivered to me, but time moves on.
What the article triggered in my thinking was that Hewlett Packard and Cisco had a love spat. Now Cisco is going to find itself going where the money is, and that means into traditional telco land. The problem is that the Google with its own home brew telecommunications capabilities, the stuff it has acquired, and the technology in which it invests is going to a much larger factor in Cisco’s future. I think that may be bad news for Cisco and for some telcos. The reason is that the Google is pushing toward efficient, automated, lower cost methods.
To learn about one of Google’s little adventures, check out my KMWorld column about a company with “wireless networks that simply work?. Who will win the next series of battle in this coming collision of Google and outfits allied with traditional telecommunications companies? I don’t know, but I wager that the “real” consultants, the poobahs, mavens, and self appointed experts will discover this skirmish soon enough.
Stephen E Arnold, March 11, 2010
I was paid for the KMWorld article, but I was not paid for this reference to the KMWorld article. So, this write falls into the category of shameless marketing and self promotion. I love it.
A Fading Buzz
March 10, 2010
Google, like most math clubs, is indifferent to jibes and the comments from lesser mortals. I wonder how long that indifference can continue. consider “Google Buzz Could Have Dominated Location. (And Snuck Up On Facebook And Twitter.)” The write up makes the point that Buzz, which is about 30 days in the rough-and-tumble world of “real” products is, according to the article, “a mess.” I don’t have much of an opinion about Buzz. I leave that work to the young goslings who take to social media the way a young goose does to water. For me, the more telling comment in the write up is:
As a sharing service within Gmail, Buzz isn’t ready for primetime yet. As a location service, Buzz could have been a serious challenger to Foursquare, Gowalla, Brightkite, Loopt, and all the others preparing for big launches at SXSW later this week. Imagine Buzz as a location-based iPhone and Android app (or even just a web app). It still could have been linked to your Google Profile and perhaps would have even been a better gateway drug to making Google more social because it would have been a more gradual build-up. And to ensure some usage beyond Google Profiles, Google could have put Buzz in Gmail Labs, as an option for Gmail. As a broken social sharing service, Buzz in Gmail is annoying. But as a location-based stream of check-ins (that people could still comment on and like), it’s potentially interesting.
When I read this I think that Google’s tactical plans are not working particularly well. The issues range from a flawed view of the market to timing and sequencing. With the mounting legal troubles and the push into some tricky consumer sectors, Google’s management may have to step back and ask, “Now what?”
Stephen E Arnold, March 10, 2010
No one paid me to write this. Since I mentioned “buzz,” I think OSHA is in charge of noise-related regulations. Okay, I report receiving no money for this item.
Another Google Black Eye
March 10, 2010
“Google’s Online Only Phone Selling Model Has Failed” makes it clear that the math club is not particularly good in the sales and marketing game. In the last few months, I have noted that some folks are taking a more critical look at the search company everyone loves to use. Here’s a representative passage from this right jab to Googzilla’s head:
Well, it’s been a while now since Google launched the Nexus One — and so far, it hasn’t lived up to their expectations. I guess it’s not as bad as the Google Buzz roll-out, but Google’s attempt at fundamentally changing the way we buy cell phones has yet to bear much fruit.
Interesting. But Google has a policy of not paying for ads itself nor hiring consultants. I wonder if ZDNet’s editors will become more frisky as 2010 unfolds? Not much risk I suppose.
Stephen E Arnold, March 10, 2010
No one paid me to write this item. I will report non payment to the US Postal Service which may deliver some of the Google phones.
Surprise. Telcos Do Not Like Nexus One
March 8, 2010
Some chatter over the last two days suggests that Google plays favorites. Google does play favorites, but it does its head patting in subtle ways; that is, if you see the Nexus One roll out as a low key initiative. Navigate to the SP Trading Desk and the story “Google’s Nexus One Upsets Carriers.” You may have to do some work to see the story. The ads load slowly and then there is a weird pop over thing, but the content is still there.
The Financial Post said:
The launch of Google Inc.’s new Web-enabled smartphone, dubbed Nexus One, means the end of the Internet search giant’s Android software as we know it.
The insight comes from an analyst, Peter Misek.
The story points out that some telecommunications carriers are not jumping with joy over Google’s intrusion into yet another parcel of telco land. Google, the analyst and the telcos, now realize that:
Google is trying to circumvent their ownership of networks, spectrum and customers…Android is currently available on more than a 20 phones.
Now how can Google disadvantage competitors. My goodness, I am no Elizabeth Barrett Browning but let me count some of the ways:
- Applications. Some may not be available for non Google phones. This is the Apple approach and lots of other companies’ approach.
- Latency. Ah, more subtle. Google does prioritize certain network services. Maybe but some hard evidence is needed.
- Content delivery. My research indicates that Google’s CDN technology has some interesting technical capabilities. Even better, the CDN is smart and considers many factors which to one skilled in the art may be applied in other ways.
- Features. Ask Motorola about this angle.
- Metrics. Lots of metrics are available. The question is who gets what and when.
- Services. I can anticipate the real time translation service emerging as an interesting poker chip in the telco game.
Back to the gossip and rumors. Does Google advantage itself? Do Google employees use MOMA?
Stephen E Arnold, March 8, 2010
No one paid me to write this. I will report non payment to that most objective of US government entities, the FCC.
AT&T Dumps Google for Yahoo Search
March 3, 2010
I was surprised to read that AT&T prefers Yahoo Search to Google Search. The story I saw was “AT&T Ditches Google For Yahoo Search on Motorola Backflip.” I found this passage interesting:
AT&T’s first Android phone won’t ship with Google Search. Instead, The Motorola Backflip‘s home screen will sport a Yahoo Search widget, and its browser will run Yahoo searches by default. Yep. I think that’s what they call a burn. It’ll be the first Android device of any kind with Yahoo as the main search engine, which makes sense: Android is Google’s platform, so Google Search is a natural fit. But Android’s also an open platform, which means that carriers can do with it what they please—including denying its creator a chunk of valuable search revenue.
So the love birds are unhappy in the nest? I had heard that AT&T was grousing about having to spend money for Google AdWords as it whips it attorneys to find ways to make the non-telco Google heel like a well trained poodle. Then AT&T indicated that it would sell the Android phones. Now as a way of showing who is still the boss, those phones will use Yahoo Search as the default search engine.
Horrors. I assert that there will be more to this saga.
Stephen E Arnold, March 3, 2010
Nope, not paid. Because I mention AT&T, I must report a freebie to the FCC. I am now reporting: “I wrote this item for free.”
Perfect Video Search?
February 22, 2010
I wrangled a free meal from two Perfect Search engineers. I learned that Perfect Search was providing the technology for i.TV, pronounced “i dot TV.”
I have written about Perfect Search’s robust, high-performance search and content processing system previously. You may know that the company was founded in 2007 by veterans of the search industry. Perfect Search has achieved significant, game-changing, patent-protected innovation in the core processes of search. The Perfect Search system can chop down the number of servers needed to manipulate petabytes of data by an order of magnitude. The result is increases in indexing and query speeds and throughput and dramatically lower infrastructure costs. Perfect Search products include a Database Search Appliance for Oracle, a OneBox Extender for the Google Search Appliance, and search for Backup and Storage solutions.
I am not “into video” so I was not familiar with i.TV. The company offers an application for the iPhone and iPod touch that helps people discover, share and consume media. With i.TV, users can browse hundreds of thousands of up-to-date local TV and movie listings, as well as a catalog of hundreds of thousands of TV and movie titles available for download and DVD rental. i.TV also includes community features and allows people to write reviews, rate shows and recommend shows to followers and friends on Twitter and Facebook. i.TV enables users to watch movie trailers and television previews, purchase movie tickets, manage their Netflix queues, and use their iPhone or iPod touch as a remote control.
My host, Ken Ebert, one of Perfect Search’s senior technologist, told me:
We have been able to replace the native search functionality of the MySQL application and integrate the Perfect Search engine into the i.TV application and have high-throughput functionality for indexing of new data and querying of the multiple MySQL databases that i.TV maintains. Companies that have multiple relational databases struggle to index and search these content repositories in a timely, cost-effective manner, especially when the query involves complex database joins. We are able to search over a billion records on a single Database Search Appliance. We are excited to be able to be involved with a company that has such a great product and that is poised to have significant growth.
Mr. Ebert explained that the Perfect Search team was delighted to to be installed as part of one of the top downloaded iPhone applications.
We downloaded the app and were able to locate specific shows quickly and easily. When I travel, I will be able to catch my History Channel favorite, “Engineering an Empire.” The i.TV app is available at the Apple Store and in the iTunes store and is a top download. Perfect Search brings order to the untidy world of programming databases. From the iPhone there is snappy performance for basic and advanced search.
Besides matching up geo-codes to determine the customer location, Perfect Search is handling some complex database joins, allowing i.TV customers to search by TV Network, actor name, or TV Show title with blistering response times. Perfect Search is also providing queries of several TV and movie listing databases.
Stephen E Arnold, February 22, 2010
I did get a free meal, but I was not otherwise compensated for this write up. I will report good food and fine company as a payoff to the Economic Research Service, a unit of the Department of Agriculture. Adhere Solutions is working with Perfect Search. My son is a smart lad in my opinion.
Someone Said It, Facebook Is a Problem for Google
February 18, 2010
I react to what I see in the open source information flow. I was quite happy to read “Don’t Count Out Facebook as a Competitor to Google.” Google managed to match Facebook’s disjointed approach to user privacy. Neither company is the Olga Yosifovna Preobrazhenskaya (darn good Russian dancer) of social media. Nevertheless, these two companies with their skill in the Plexico Burris Method continue to chase one another. Shooting oneself with regards to privacy could be fatal I suppose. Facebook with its wounds is hounding the Google.
Web Pro News wrote:
Facebook has surpassed Yahoo as the #2 site online in the U.S. in terms of unique visitors, just under Google. In December, according to Compete, Facebook’s unique visitors in the U.S. had increased by over 121%. That’s pretty incredible, because I seem to recall Facebook being pretty popular in late 2008 too.
The Google is chasing some big fish, but I think Facebook might be one of those creatures from the depths of the demographic ocean. Gmail’s Buzz might not be the net to catch the Facebook beasties. Facebook’s search is not too spiffy, but it has users and keeps getting more.
Stephen E Arnold, February 18, 2010
No one paid me to write this article. Because I mention the deep sea, I think I must report fishing without a catch to NOAA.
Vodafone Light Bulb Goes On
February 17, 2010
I was quite amused to read the Guardian’s story “Vodafone Chief Warns Google’s Growing Power Could Harm Consumer Choice.” In the midst of the Barcelona mobile flamenco, Vodafone about Google’s “power”. The Vodafone senior manager making this statement is Vittorio Colao. I wonder if he realizes that his firm hooked up with Google as early as April 2001, long before the US telcos knew there was more to Google than Web search. I noticed that on the Vodafone site there is a Google Nexus One Phone FAQ. Not even the addled goose is sufficient crazed to poke too much fun at Google. I don’t have any relationship with the Mountain View crowd until I publish a Google study based on open source documents. Then a Google 20 something attorney writes me or my client to complain that the information in a BearStearns report was secret or that one of my studies includes diagrams not in a Google patent document. We fax the open source document to the eager lawyer and go on about our business. But the Vodafone outfit is a Google partner and has been since 2001. Now the Guardian is reporting that Vodafone understands Google’s partner. The hook for the story was a speech at the mobile flamenco. I was amused by the Vodafone poobah’s statement that, according to the Guardian, “warned mobile phone executives about Google’s growing power in the online advertising and search market, which he [poobah] claims could damage consumer choice.” I was also amused that the Guardian did not point out that Vodafone was going on dates with Google, presumably doing more than batting their eyes over a coffee and bizcocho.
I am in Harrod’s Creek, and there are some real stories at the mobile flamenco. A poobah criticizing a partner could have been a story; for example, answering this question would have caught my attention, “Why after a nine year relationship are you afraid, poobah?” Or, “Is your deal with Google putting your company in jeopardy and risking shareholder value?” Or, “Why are you partnering with an outfit and warning others in your industry to be wary?” Could be a signal, eh?
I am not a real journalist, so I suppose my questions are just silly addled goose thoughts.
Stephen E Arnold, February 17, 2010
No one paid me to write this. Because the post pokes its beak toward telecommunications, this is a fact of important to the FCC to which I herewith report no dough.
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