When will Google release Me?
Is Google about to go after Facebook?
There has been a lot of speculation recently that Google will be releasing a Facebook killer called Google Me. The reports all seem to focus on the fact that every attempt by Google to get into social networking so far have either failed or had little impact on it’s competitors.
What I find staggering is that nobody seems to have noticed that Google already has all the elements of a fantastic social network in place and they are used by millions of people. Compare Facebook and it’s uses to Google’s own functionality and it starts to show where Google has been headed for the last few years.
| Status update | Google Chat status | |
| Threaded conversations | Google Buzz | |
| Photo sharing | Picasa Web | |
| Inbox | Gmail | |
| Chat | Google Talk | |
| Profile | Google Profiles |
To me it seems quite obvious that Google has been quietly building the back end of their social network and building it’s user base.
Imagine now, if you will, all the services currently offered by Google but with a new front end called “Google Me”. Boom! One ready to use social network with millions of users from day one. Not that this will be easy. Google has a history of having issues with front end designs. In 2009 Douglas Bowman, their lead designer, left the company in quite dramatic fashion. Getting all of their current properties organised into a single entity could well be a huge sticking point for Google.
One things is certain though. If Google can pull this off it could be a very strong challenger to Facebook.
All change.
Approximately two months ago I made the decision, for a variety of reasons, to leave the company that I had been at for nine years and do things a bit differently.
I have started my own IT consultancy company, which is going well, and I have a few more ideas for interesting projects that should be taking shape over the next few months.
From now on all random posts, family pictures and personal related content will be hosted over at my posterous blog. This blog will be detailing my meteoric rise to fame and fortune as well as the projects I am working on.
Please see the contact page if you want to want to get in touch.
Onwards and upwards.