ILLUSTRATION: seymour chwast
Google Wants All Your Business
Google continues to shake the world of commerce to its core, bringing new ideas and options before consumers. The iconic search engine sparked tremors of fear in every industry from book publishing to advertising in 2005, reinforcing the notion that search is truly the Internet’s killer app. When it intertwined satellite imaging technology with a new map service, millions sought out a bird’s-eye view of their neighborhood.
Constant innovation fuels Google’s success, with ideas surfacing around the coffee stations or through informal brainstorming sessions. Engineers can flock to projects that interest them. The company’s founders believe in taking a lot of swings--risking numerous failures to get a few home runs. Some new services:
1. satellite maps
Zoom in on actual photos of your neighborhood or driving route
2. base
A place to put photos and other information that others can access through search.
3. local maps
Standard search results look drab vs. restaurants flagged across a map
4. gmail
Google’s jumbo-size e-mail accounts boast a minimalist interface
5. google print
Publishers and authors are peeved, but digitizing millions of books will help searchers