Google recently unveiled a service called "Helpouts", which allows users to connect with "experts" to provide real time help/advice on a wide variety of issues. Users pay per minute for a video chat with these experts, and can choose from help on topics ranging from cooking, to makeup, to exercise.
Some view the introduction of this service as a "tacit admission that [Google's] prized search algorithms can't replace a human seeing your problems". This service seems to close the gap between real world problems and the provision of real time solutions.
On the surface, this service seems to solve a problem, and it seems to have the potential to revolutionize the search industry. However, it has a long way to go before it can compete with (or replace) traditional online search. Possible hangups for Helpouts:
1. For this service to be viable for the masses, Helpouts must amass a large number of "experts" who are available to counsel users on a very broad array of topics. This will take time to build, and the quality of the experts must be maintain if the service is to be recognized as legitimate.
2. This service must be made available on mobile.
3. If help is available in bite-size chunks (i.e. 5 minutes) this could limit the revenue of experts, which could - in turn - make expert retention difficult.
Helpouts has the potential to allow Google to provide real time solutions to real time problems, but the kinks must be worked out - and quality assured - before this service could be accepted by the masses.
Some view the introduction of this service as a "tacit admission that [Google's] prized search algorithms can't replace a human seeing your problems". This service seems to close the gap between real world problems and the provision of real time solutions.
On the surface, this service seems to solve a problem, and it seems to have the potential to revolutionize the search industry. However, it has a long way to go before it can compete with (or replace) traditional online search. Possible hangups for Helpouts:
1. For this service to be viable for the masses, Helpouts must amass a large number of "experts" who are available to counsel users on a very broad array of topics. This will take time to build, and the quality of the experts must be maintain if the service is to be recognized as legitimate.
2. This service must be made available on mobile.
3. If help is available in bite-size chunks (i.e. 5 minutes) this could limit the revenue of experts, which could - in turn - make expert retention difficult.
Helpouts has the potential to allow Google to provide real time solutions to real time problems, but the kinks must be worked out - and quality assured - before this service could be accepted by the masses.
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