WSGD: What Should Google Do? What Google Said It Would.

Today along with a stellar 2010 Q4 earning results with revenues topping 8 billion dollars, Google announced that Eric Schmidt was out as CEO and that founder Larry Page was taking over the day to day operations.  Sergey meanwhile, seems perfectly content handling Google's social initiatives and their "vaporware" department. At the end of last year Techcrunch's MG Siegler made a post enumerating what is (or was) essentially Google's "dream world".  I found myself nodding in agreement with almost every point he made. What happened to changing the cellphone industry? What about keeping our music in the cloud along with our apps?  None of this has come to fruition just as the Android tablet which we've been hearing about for ages (though admittedly more from the blogosphere than from Google itself) remains mostly obscured.  Frustrated, I forwarded the story to a very pro-open source and pro-Google friend of mine. He agreed that he also held some of those frustrations but was unimpressed by MG's lack of positive suggestions. In his words, "haters gonna hate". It became clear to me why I was so frustrated at Google and always found myself backing the iOS camp in Cupertino.  Google says its going to change the world and Apple actually does.  Sure my phrasing may be a bit hyperbolic but it stands that there are many more Google projects of late that have failed then have actually made a significant difference in the world (or at least the tech sphere). For example: Wave, Buzz, Voice (close but no cigar), and Android until recently.  I realize now that most of the frustration is disappointment because really, in my heart of hearts, I am rooting for Google.  Voice, if it worked all the time, had closer to perfect integration, and more flexibility in account linking (and number porting) would be phenomenal for both hooking users on Google's web services and possibly on Android. And on the topic of Android; I love it. When I switched from Windows Mobile 6.1 to my Droid Eris a little over a year ago I was giddy. I thought that maybe just maybe there would no longer be a reason for me to wait for the Verizon iPhone.  A couple of apps and a lot of lag later I was sorely disappointed again. Obviously Android has made leaps and bounds from 1.6 to 2.3 since then but Android, and Google in general, have not made the leaps and bounds that Google promised.  I want my music in the cloud so bad I can taste it.  Google said I could do it soon, and Apple has been mum on the topic. So I'm frustrated with Google and not Apple.  While Apple's customer service is legendary it seems that Google has forgotten rule numero uno: "Under-promise and over-deliver".  The ousting (?) of Schmidt as CEO makes it pretty clear that the "Googly" triumvirate of Schmidt, Page, and Brin are aware of this and are in no need of suggestions.

This image was posted on the Google Blog and was taken earlier today. Would it be too crazy to read into the placement of Eric outside of the self-driving car? I don't think so.  If you do, tell me so in the comments below!

So that's what Facebook was up to! Facebook's Mobile plans revealed.

Over the course of the last year there has been many murmurings and whispers of a Facebook phone. Many of the flagship blogs of the Internet thought so with Techcrunch being the source of much of the rumor and speculation.  It seems that Facebook was true to it's word and that it wasn't working on a phone or some sort of semi-formed feature phone tiptoe into the industry. Instead it was revealed today that Facebook was working on a version of it's mobile site for over 2,500 feature phones.  For many of those living outside the States there are mobile carriers offering free data for the first 90 days from the launch of the site.  This mobile app looks to be a gateway drug of sorts for both Facebook and its carrier partners; Facebook gets flip-phone users hooked on Facebook and carriers get customers hooked on data. All good things. The app launches today and will be rolled out in more countries over the next few months.  Hopefully, Facebook can start working on an iPad app now that this is under their belts, even though Zuckerberg thinks the iPad isn't mobile.

Comments or ideas?!? Leave them below.
Source: http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=483824142130
Cross-posted on CouncilofTubes.net @ http://www.counciloftubes.net/2011/01/so-thats-what-facebook-was-up-to.html