Monday, February 15, 2010

Facebook vs. Google Part Duex

In class we discussed the challenge Google potentially sees with Facebook looking to supplement GMail with Facebook messages. Thus, Google has tried to send a message to Facebook to backoff through the introduction of Buzz (which they completely botched.). However, I believe the stakes are much higher than email. Indeed, I believe that Facebook is looking to challenge Google on a much larger scale by introducing web searching within Facebook. Indeed, I believe Facebook is looking to become an icon on a desktop that you click on and up pops a screen with facebook on the bottom half and search and email on the top. Everything you want in one place. Is the Google algorithm something Facebook can't now copy? Doubt it, look at at Chrome. Facebook wants us to enter their world and stay in it, skipping the need for Google or even Microsoft. Essentially, it is now possible for the impossible to happen - Google to fall to a start up not even five years old.

The ramifications would be so great that Google has done the smart thing by trying to signal to Facebook that there is a limit to how much "bandwith" Facebook can use in terms of time of online users. If Facebook makes the move into search Google will have no option but to introduce a far superior social network. Is there anything facebook does that Google can not figure out? Nope. Ideally, Google should be the search function within Facebook, but that is only if both players are rationale, which in the internet space seems to be a hope more than a reality. Someone will tip the balance of power and live to regret it.

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