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Google Labs no more

labs.google.com

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Re: Google Labs no more

#6
I get the feeling that the bean counters are taking over Google and slashing off everything that doesn't have obvious monetization potential.

I mean, I know great people who work there, but overall it seems like they're turning into Microsoft circa 2000 - they own the industry, they buy startups and kill the products made by about half of them. Some of their products are great, but a lot of it is just an obvious monopoly enabled money grab.

I wish this wasn't the case.

Re: Google Labs no more

#8
Notice that the shutdown of all these projects are happening on Larry's watch. Maybe it's a sharpened focus on ideas that "matter", but Google needs to try more things not less.

From today's announcement about Q3 results, they still get a huge chunk of their income from advertising. They are dominant, but without another angle they are just asking to be disrupted.

Re: Google Labs no more

#9
post #6

I get the feeling that the bean counters are taking over Google and slashing off everything that doesn't have obvious monetization potential. I mean, I know great people who work there, but overall it seems like they're turning into Microsoft circa 2000 - they own the industry, they buy startups and kill the products made by about half of them. Some of their products are great, but a lot of it is just an obvious mono…

You would never seen something like "Labs" from Apple, and everyone applauds them for "focus".

Re: Google Labs no more

#10
post #6

I get the feeling that the bean counters are taking over Google and slashing off everything that doesn't have obvious monetization potential. I mean, I know great people who work there, but overall it seems like they're turning into Microsoft circa 2000 - they own the industry, they buy startups and kill the products made by about half of them. Some of their products are great, but a lot of it is just an obvious mono…

You would never seen something like "Labs" from Apple, and everyone applauds them for "focus".

Apple did have "labs." One of the first thing Steve Jobs did when he returned was shut it down.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Technology_Group

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