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Google Acquires 5% of AOL
Heembo writes "CNN is reporting that Google just acquired a 5% stake in AOL for $1 Billion, shutting Microsoft out of the deal." Under this new agreement, among many other things, Google Talk will now interface with AOL's instant messenger according to the announcement on Google's site. From the announcement: "Google Chief Executive Officer Eric Schmidt said: 'AOL is one of Google's longest-standing partners, and we are thrilled to strengthen and expand our relationship. Today's agreement leverages technologies from both companies to connect Google users worldwide to a wealth of new content.'"
AOL has a reputation of being a bad ISP, and also creating bad software for it's users. Will this move help AOL, or hurt Google?
This could get interesting. (fp?)
google.slashdot
It's about time there was some co-operation between IM networks. I wonder if this also means that AIM will be open to other Jabber-based networks to connect to easily - perhaps they are implementing a Jabber server based interface to the AIM network?
This reminds me of the transition a couple of decades ago from multiple distinct email networks (Compuserve, AOL, BITNET, etc) to the one unified email system we have now. Hopefully in a few years it won't matter what IM network we are on to be able to communicate. And ideally, one's email address and IM address would be identical.
Google's "Do No Evil" motto found to be obsolete.
this means more stupid people will be using google. IN ALL CAPS!!!!!
Humor from a Genetically Molested Mind
With the arrival of graphical ads and corporate aquisitions it seems that post-IPO Google is abandoning a few of it's old principles in the pursuit of the almighty buck. How long before "Don't be Evil" is gone too? I could kinda live with Google's pseudomonopoly on searching back when their character was spotless, but this may well be the first lurch down a slippery slope. It may just be paranoia, but I think the days of trusting Larry and Sergey are coming to an end.
Because I know Slashdot would never post a dupe.
Pigs around the world grow wings, and start lifting off.
Temperature in hell drops below 32 F.
Mad Software: Rantings on Developing So
I wonder if this means they will be going off standard jabber, using the AIM protocal, or will google setup a gateway for Jabber on google servers? Google has also announced full third party client support(gaim trillian etc), does this mean it will be extended to AIM? This could help the IM world get a little more organized.
And its Yodda-ish motto : "Do!. No evil!"
Dude, that's the Captain Kirk. Version.
The. Correct way. Is.
"No Evil, Do!"
Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
Google + AOL = GAOL?
Optimist: The thumb drive is half empty! Pessimist: The thumb drive is half full...
If Google Talk gets connected with the AIM network, and Google eventually allows Jabber server-to-server (big if, I know), I might possibly be able to talk to my friends on AIM without having to use Oscar...
1. Google buys dark fiber
2. Google builds instant datacenters in shipping containers
3. Google buys stake in dying dialup ISP with millions of users
4. ??? (Do I really need to spell it out?)
5. Profit. A whole lot of it.
A fat man is throwing chairs and popping veins.
There are good guys, and there are bad guys. (Yeah, I tend to see the world in black & white). Google was one of the good guys. (Also Apple, Nintendo, etc) and AOL was one of the semi-bad guys (along with Microsoft, Sony, etc). This messes up my whole worldview. I'm confused now.
Yeah, you are confused, because there are no "semi-bad guys" in a world of black and white.
AOL now 5% less evil!!!
D6 63 0D 70 89 81 BB 8E 7B 7C 5F 5D 54 EA AB 73
It's as if a million geeks cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.
I swear, if I get ONE damned Google CD in the mail, EVER - I'll go to a LIBRARY before I look something up on Google again.
I've predicted before that it'll become fashionable to hate Google. Looks like that's starting to happen. Am I Nostradamus? Heh, no. I've seen a pattern here over the years. Any time an entity becomes big (especially when it's big because everybody wanted it), there are those that learn to live without it, and they feel superior. They speak out and stand behind some rival product that has benefits but is generally pretty far behind, and others who want to look as smart as they do chime in. Karma flows, and before you know it, the zealousy starts. After a while, those that switched sometimes come to the realization that they were actually better off with the old entity or product, so they switch back, then they're accused of having some sort of vested interest in the success of that entity.
I imagine there'll be some head shaking after my post. That's cool. I just think that within a year or so, there'll be colorful posts about how to live without Google. "I don't use GMail, I use some other new mail app because it supports color in the subjects. (Score:5, Interesting)"
Just so it's clear, it's not my intention to be insulting or 'right'. Mainly, this is curiosity. I'm posting this, then I'm going to bookmark it. In a year or so, I'll check back on it and see if I nailed it, or if I was once again talking out of my booty.
"Derp de derp."
"Carry me across," begged the scorpion, "and I promise not to sting you."
The dog was wise and slow to reply. "I don't think so," he growled. "I've never met a trustworthy scorpion."
"Today you have," hissed the scorpion with as much of a smile as he could manage. "I'm not evil, like other creatures of my kind. Besides, if I stung you, I'd drown. Carry me across and I promise all will be well."
The dog relented, taking the scorpion on his back. He paddled out into the current. Halfway across, the scorpion stung him behind the neck.
"Now we will both surely die!" the dog moaned as the venom began to take hold. "Why have you done this?"
"Because I am a scorpion, of course."
This is my post. There are many others like it. If you don't like what you read here, go try one of the others.
The AIM of this deal is clearly to take over the instant messaging market, aka, AIM. With Google's ability to throw together amazing software (look at Gmail), I see a skype-esque but better client that supports itself via ads by scanning your conversations (maybe - if they push it that far - backlash might be too big). Personally, I would not have a problem with that, but I say no to cyber sex.
Google had to sacrifice quite a lot to snag this deal but if you take over instant messaging, you can take over voip, hence, you can take over telecommunications when cell "phones" can simply operate via wi-fi. I say, good move Google - I love you baby.
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You nailed it on the head. Google is an advertizing company. Plain and simple. Everything they do has a purpous: to get more Advertizing $$$. They don't do cool projects just because they are cool and because they help people. They do them because it brings in more advertizing dollars.
If they dominate the Internet that essentially trumps anything MS Windows can do. Microsoft has the Windows desktop. Google wants to be the Internet's home page. Which is more powerful? Which is more evil?
I'm a bit worried because if the Internet is taken over by an advertizing company you can kiss your privacy out the door! They'll collect every bit of info about you and your habits and connect the dots like not even the NSA could do.
When a good company buys a bad company, the result is usually mediocrity. It's can be much harder to fix a crap company than to start fresh and build it right.
However, that isn't what's happening here. Google is only buying 5% AOL, and they already have a business relationship. Google crunched the numbers and determined that one Billion dollars was the right price to pay for renewing their lucrative contracts with AOL, establishing some new contracts, and disrupting Microsoft's plans.
My friend once told me about this time when he made out with a girl who he later found out was his cousin. He tried to explain the feeling to me. He said that his enjoyment made the post-revelation remorse much worse. But I didn't understand.
Jon -- if you're out there -- I get it now.
/. crowd: Get your head out of the sand...
/. population likes.
One of Google's issues right now is diversification of revenue streams. Most of their revenue comes from search and ads. They need to find more revenue from different areas, so what if they decided to provide the backend search and advertising infrastructure to AOL? AOL still provides the same interface and experience to it's users while Google still gets to have it's same interface that the general
What if google provided AOL with the ability to provide customized Ads to AOL users instead of AOL having to perform the work? It's called outsourcing, execute what you are good at and outsource the rest to people that are better at those tasks. If Google is good at displaying the correct ads, then it's in AOL's best interest to leverage this ability. AOL pays for this service and then Google has one more revenue stream.
Thanks for the insight. AOL's edge is their dominance on the instant message market and to have access to that is worth every penny when the alternative is swimming uphill offering what may be a better protocol but few will take to it because their chief concern is whether or not they'll be able to message their old friends. This market gives itself a natural monopoloy. So google's grabbing it and expanding it in all sorts of directions but the direction of which I am most curious is their stock: Is Google still a buy at $430?