Size of Index: While it would be nice to be able to provide a head-to-head comparison of pages in index among the top search engines, Google no longer talks openly about how many pages it has indexed, instead simply offering that its index is three times larger than any other search engine.
Google Desktop Search: Provides full text search over users' email, files, music, photos, chats, Gmail and webpages that they've viewed. Google Desktop also helps users gather new information from the web with Sidebar, a desktop feature that shows new email, weather and stock information, personalized news and RSS feeds and more. Sidebar is personalized automatically, without any manual configuration required.
Google Personalized Homepage: Allows Google users to determine how and what kinds of information they want highlighted on their Google home page, including weather, news, quotes and words of the day, RSS feeds and more.
Google Personalized Search: Orders search results based on what users have searched for in the past. It also allows users to view and manage past searches and create bookmarks that users can access from any computer.
Google Video Search: Google also features a video store, which we'll discuss further in "Content."
Google Click-to-Call: A new product that gives users a free and fast way to speak directly to an advertiser found on a Google search results page over the phone. When the phone icon is clicked, users can enter their phone number. Click "Connect For Free" and Google calls the number provided. When users pick up, they hear ringing on the other end as Google connects them to the other party. Users' numbers aren't shared with anyone, including the advertiser. (When connected with the advertiser, the number is blocked so the advertiser can't see it.) In addition, Google will delete the number from its servers after a short period of time. Advertisers are charged per phone call.
Dark Fiber: Google continues to purchase dark fiber: fiber-optic cable that has already been laid, but is not yet in use. Thousands of miles of dark fiber are available in the United States, but there have been few takers because of the high costs of making it operational.
Wi-Fi: Google, in partnership with EarthLink, Inc., put in a proposal last week to build a citywide wireless network in San Francisco.
Other players include
Search: Yahoo, MSN, Ask Jeeves
ISPs: AOL, Earthlink, Comcast, NetZero, Speakeasy
Specialty search engines: Kayak (travel), Technorati (blogs), blinkx.tv (video and audio)
What this could mean for marketers
Let's face it: search is far from perfect. When you search for the term "apple," Google has no way of knowing whether you are looking for granny smiths or pink ladies, iMacs or iPods. Now imagine Google knows (through Personalized Search) that in the last two weeks you have queried "mp3 players," "iTunes," and "music downloads," and clicked on results taking you to c|net's review of the latest iPod. As your Wi-Fi ISP, Google knows you are in San Francisco's Mission District and there is a Best Buy on Harrison Street just a half a mile away from your current location. Based on this information, Google can display the highly relevant result of Apple.com's iPod product page at the top of its natural search results and present you with a Best Buy offer for a free iPod case if you click on the "Call Now!" link at the top of the paid listings. All of this will be possible in Google's not-too-distant future.
Next: AdWords & More
