the technology buzz: google

if you weren’t aware, google is emphatically becoming the leading software company in the world. they have transformed their company name into a verb, acquired up-and-coming technologies and made them into household names, and cataloged every bit of information exchanged on the internet that would make the NSA jealous. so what are the new innovations and how do they play into the ybp community?

first is the mobile phone arena. google recently released the developer kit for their new software platform that aims to revolutionize how mobile phone software works. dubbed ‘android’, the software aims to bring mobile phone makers and developers together by offering an environment that works no matter what phone you own. the idea is to offer consumers the ability to choose and use newer model phones faster, and provide an avenue for developers to interact with mobile phone users. think of it the same way facebook changed how you communicate and interact with your friends. you go to email, post pictures, upload video, share links, write blurbs about yourself, and play games. by getting a team of mobile phone creators on the same page with a standard and open (read: free) software system, the interactivity between these phones and its users becomes seamless. a few notable players are absent from joining the open software ‘alliance’, however, including at&t, apple, and rim (blackberry).

second is future internet access. i had written about it earlier, but the fcc is officially auctioning off the space used by analog televisions to communicate. for those new to the subject, the government regulates that all electronic equipment must communicate with each other in a defined frequency. this prevents walkie-talkies from interfering with air-traffic communication, microwaves from interfering with baby monitors, etc. now that all televisions being sold are able to communicate digitally, the government has put into law that by january 2009, all television broadcasts will have to be digital. think HD, all channels, all the time. this frees up the space used by non-digital television. google believes that owning this space will give them a definitive leg-up in providing services. essentially, they could provide internet access in the same space that current analog television operates, for free, for anyone that can receive the signal. coupled with their mobile phone platform, they may even provide mobile phone access. given that all of their current services are free, it can be surmised that free internet and mobile phone access via their software is on the horizon.

third is data mining. if google is successful in the previous two ventures, they now have two giant mediums to propel them into the biggest software company in the world. their patented search engine and data collection technology (all of your gmail, searches, and blog feeds are saved and indexed) would also have visibility to practically anyone who uses their free services, including those who may not be on the grid due to economic disadvantage. free internet, free mobile phone access, targeted advertising, and decrease in computer prices mean that anyone, anywhere has access…all with google watching. couple it with their google earth and google map streetview technology, now we have every person cataloged in the google engine with pictures of their residences.

most of this information is to make all of our readers aware of what is on the horizon with the software behemoth. as their stock price continues to rise above $700 a share, investment opportunity is a natural conclusion. other not-so-obvious points of interest are your current cell phone contracts and impending internet service provider contracts. companies like sprint, verison, at&t, and comcast are preparing themselves to combat google’s efforts by not only outlining plans to outbid, but also to shore up their current customers with contractual agreements. carefully evaluate what ‘new’ offers you dive yourself into and think about the time-value cost of being committed to such entities.

last, but not least, is the possibility of financial return. the early adopters of newer innovations are usually the ones that benefit most when the mainstream catch on. google is offering another chance to get involved. although google’s mobile phone platform hasn’t been commercially released into current market phones, they have offered up to $10 million dollars in prizes for would-be programmers out there. if you have some neat ideas and have an affinity for code, your next idea could be a great idea that pays off a million fold.