Microsoft Testing Its Own 'Google Base'

sheasie! writes "eWeek is reporting that Microsoft is readying an online marketplace, code-named Fremont, which is apparently in response to a similar feature that rival Google Inc. introduced a few weeks ago." From the article: "The software giant will enhance the Fremont listings with localized maps, and make them available through Microsoft's newly revamped Internet portal, now known as Live.com, according to the company."

Comments

But...

[tobybuk]

Unless I can type www.google.com to get there is has no hope ;)

When is this going to end?

[Pranjal]

Microsoft seems to be blindly copying whatever is coming out of Google these days.

Competition is good

[cytoman]

This is good, because this creates a competition between two companies which are both strong...no chance of Microsoft swallowing up a smaller company and becoming a monopoly in this case...

I hope this brings out the best value for the consumers.

That's a change

[intmainvoid]

It used to be that companies had to jump everytime Microsoft announced an initiative, dumping cash into project that at best would have them keeping up with Microsoft. Interesting that Microsoft is being forced to do the same now when Google moves - probably only because they're one of the few innovative compeitors that Microsoft can't just buy.

But this doesn't add up

[iamvego]

Microsoft claimed that protecting intellectual property encouraged innovation, in other words they don't want people copying them because they feel copying is detrimental to being innovative. If this is the case, why is it they have suddenly come up with an equivalent of the open document standard, added tabs to their new Internet Explorer, copied Google's search features to the letter, and now copying Google's other offerings (satellite maps, online books and directories). I'm not really against them improving their services, merely that in doing so it goes against what they seem to campaign for. Microsoft now just seems to be a huge company, with huge resources and huge finances and clone anything that makes money. Where's their leadership in innovation now?

Desperation

[OwlWhacker]

It's not just google, it's any successful market that relies on technology.

It's called 'playing catch-up'.

Microsoft's business model is failing, and rather than wasting precious time figuring out what new things it can do, it needs to quickly copy other successful businesses, and preferably kill them off (as usual) by leveraging its monopoly.

Name one?

[MosesJones]

I struggling to think of a single time that companies had to "jump" to keep up with Microsoft due to a new MS iniative...

The internet... nope last there
Enterprise Software... nope last there
Spreadsheets, Wordprocessors... nope last there
Multi-tasking operating system... nope last there
Games Console... nope last there
Mobile Phone OS... nope last there
Desktop Search... nope last there
etc etc etc

Microsoft has NEVER dictated the direction of the market, its just leveraged a monopoly position to successfully copy other people's strategies and dominate in that segment.

The only place where MS are seen to lead is in marketing, where they announce the week after another company has done something that Microsoft will be doing that "any day now"... 2 years later you may still be waiting.