NEWS COMMENT: Google

Over the last month, there have been numerous news releases about Google's latest ventures, in particular the acquisition of YouTube, the online video website which they bought for $1.65 billion making the two founders of YouTube multi-millionaires overnight. The fact is, YouTube have only been going for not much longer than a year, but hit on an idea that has proved to be hugely popular.

That aside, do you think that Google are diluting their offering of the providing the most relevant online search by acquiring sites such as YouTube amongst many others. Are Google's lastest acquisitions and tools still in the realm of online search?

Here is a selection of some of the stories covering Google's acquisition of YouTube:
Google to Acquire YouTube for $1.65 billion in stock (Google's own press release)
Google ends speculation, buys YOuTube for $1.65 billion
Google buys YouTube for $1.65bn
Now on YouTube: Google's gamble
Has the dotcom boom returned?

Other Google news since end of September 2006:
Google combines word processing, spreadsheets
Google Steps Up Efforts to Sell Ads
Google's new searchmash test site
Google sets sights on Madison Avenue
Google purchases the garage that launched the company
Judge sides with Google in dispute over keywords


With all this happening within one company, are Google fast becoming the next 'Microsoft'? Will they eventually monopolise our internet experience as Microsoft has monopolised our PC software? It's even becoming part of our vocubulary as we talk about 'Googling' in the same way as we talk about 'hoovering'! The next few months should be interesting reading about the relentless activies of this worldwide dotcom.