Tag Archive for 'Google'

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Google Can Now Buy and Sell Electricity

Published on February 21, 2010 in Global Strategy, Greentech and High Tech & Media. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Google’s ever-expanding empire has added another branch: subsidiary Google Energy has been granted an order by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to buy and sell energy at market rates. See previous post.

Does this mean Google is set to become your power company? Not yet — instead, Google wants more control over the high energy costs of its many data centers, and also aims to become carbon neutral.

A Google spokesperson told CNET: “Right now, we can’t buy affordable, utility-scale, renewable energy in our markets. We want to buy the highest quality, most affordable renewable energy wherever we can and use the green credits.”

Top Innovative Companies for 2010

Published on February 19, 2010 in International Business. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Even in these tough times, surprising and extraordinary efforts are under way in businesses across the globe. From politics to technology, energy, and transportation; from marketing to retail, health care, and design, each company on the Fast Company list illustrates the power and potential of innovative ideas and creative execution.

The top spot is taken by Facebook which has around 200 million active users to date. Most notable in the top five and new on the ranking is Huawei, the Chinese Telecom equipment manufacturer. You can find the complete list here.

Google vs Facebook

Published on February 12, 2010 in Global Strategy and Social Media. 0 Comments Tags: , .

For years Google has stayed on the fringes of the social-networking industry, leaving the field largely to the likes of Facebook and Twitter. Now, however, it is making a determined foray into online friendships. On February 9th the search giant unveiled Buzz, a networking service that will be closely integrated with the firm’s e-mail offering, Gmail. Google no doubt hopes Buzz will help it catch up with the leaders of the networking world—but the chances are slim. Mashable made a comparison here. [Source 1] [Source 2].

The Peoples’ Republic of Google

Published on February 1, 2010 in International Business and Social Media. 0 Comments Tags: , .

By standing up to authoritarianism in China, The People’s Republic of Google will set an example for individuals and businesses around the world. If resistance goes viral, the implications for China could be revolutionary.

On Jan. 12, Google announced it will stop censoring search results on its Chinese site, Google.cn, in response to what the company calls “highly sophisticated” hacking of its Web site from China and the infiltration of Gmail accounts of human-rights activists in China and other countries.

The top search engine in China is Baidu, a homegrown product. Let Google leave. It’s Google’s loss. Right? Well, the People’s Republic of Google may have more leverage in this battle than one might think, though. It’s really confronting China as a nongovernmental organization. And this is a time when nongovernmental entities, from moveon.org to the tea parties and al-Qaeda, exert real political power. Read more here.

iPad is here!

Published on January 28, 2010 in High Tech & Media. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , .

Even though the Apple iPad won’t be available for another 60 or 90 days (depending on the model), Apple already has its official iPad website up and running.

In addition to showing off some of the applications, features and design and technical specifications, the website also features an eight-minute video with Apple’s design and development team discussing the device and showing it off. If you love Johnny Ive and well-produced promo videos, you’ll want to check it out!

You can watch the video over at Apple.com here. Please also find a NYTimes article on how “The iPad: A Media Machine That Opens Up a New Front” here.

Google Energy

Published on January 9, 2010 in Greentech and High Tech & Media. 0 Comments Tags: , .

The Internet giant has taken the unusual step of applying for approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to become an electricity marketer, essentially giving it the authority to buy and sell bulk power at market prices, just the way large utilities and energy traders do. The move offers an indication of just how much electricity large tech firms now consume in order to run their sprawling networks of servers and mainframes.

“We’re interested in procuring more renewable energy as part of our carbon neutrality commitment, so we applied for the ability to buy and sell energy on the wholesale market to give us more flexibility,” Google spokeswoman Niki Fenwick said on Friday.

Google’s FERC application could also potentially allow the company to play a much larger role in energy markets, even becoming a wholesaler of electricity to other big buyers. Google has a long history of downplaying forays into new areas, only to later surprise competitors with new products and services.

Other technology companies that aren’t conventional energy players, like Microsoft Corp. and Intel Corp., also are studying energy markets for opportunities to make money by helping the nation improve the efficiency of the electricity business [Source Reuters] [Source WSJ].

Google unveils Nexus One phone

Published on January 5, 2010 in High Tech & Media. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Google has unveiled an own-brand smartphone called the Nexus One. Google is aiming to take on Apple’s iPhone and defend its dominance in Internet search, introduced a touch-screen mobile phone that runs on its own Android operating system.

The device is 0.45 inches (11.5 millimeters) thick, about the same as the iPhone, and has a larger screen than its rival. The phone will cost US$179 with a T-Mobile USA contract and US$529 without it, Mario Queiroz, Google’s vice-president of product management, said today at an event at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California [Source 1] [Source 2].

Google Korea Unveils New Homepage

Published on December 9, 2009 in Emerging Markets and Global Strategy. 0 Comments Tags: , .

googleKorea

Google Korea has unveiled a new homepage that radically breaks out of the company’s trademark scantiness. Google’s Korean homepage now displays more content right up on its front page, featuring popular search keywords, most searched-for people (“who’s hot”), and the directory of Google Korea’s services.

It remains to be seen if Google Korea’s move will help or hurt the company to gain more turf in this tough Korean market, but one thing is very clear: This is a very big move by Google. This new, content-rich homepage is only available in Korea — and this is worlds apart from Google’s seemingly unrelented pursuit of simpleness.

In a way, this shows Google is very much committed to the Korean market, even to the point where the company is willing to ditch its hallmark simpleness, something many in and out of the company has long regarded to be near impossible. Will Koreans like this move and pay more visit to Google Korea for their internet search? The jury is still very much out.

The Real-Time Web is Here!

Published on December 7, 2009 in Real-Time Web. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

googleWe knew it was inevitable, and now it’s here: Google has just launched real-time search integrated into search results pages.

Basically it means that Google will display information from news sites, blogs and platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, as soon as it is published. It works on mobile too, at least for now only @ iPhone and Android [Source].

Here’s a video demo from Google on real-time search:

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

Google focuses on Cloud Computing

Published on December 6, 2009 in High Tech & Media. 0 Comments Tags: .

googleStrategyIn an interview with CNBC, Google’s CEO (Eric Schmidt) told a little bit about its 2010 strategy. Schmidt told that cloud computing is the centerpiece of Google’s 2010 strategy.

“It’s a new model. You basically put all your information on servers and you have fast networks and lots of different kinds of personal computers and mobile phones that can use the applications… it’s a powerful model and it’s where the industry is going. It is the centerpiece of our 2010 strategy”.

In addition, Schmidt worries not so much about Yahoo or Microsoft but about missing the “next big thing”.

I worry about the next entrepreneurial company that will take cloud computing into an area that we have not anticipated. (I worry about) something that we don’t foresee that could really take off. There’s evidence that a lot of new companies could be built.