DISQUS

The biggest downside more me was that since Twitter msgs weren't originating on my wireless service provider(verizon), I was charged per msg. Anyone know if there is a way around this?

Mathew,

Google would benefit by controling the user experience from end to end as it gives them all sorts of contol over the packets...some application make take higher priority than others, ie. VoIP traffic gets priority over RSS traffic if they are competing for bandwidth. While this may be able to be accomoplished via software on routers, switches, etc. the serivce provider, as in telco, cable co, etc, has the ultimate control. . In order to truly control user experience they need to own or at least have some authority over the last mile such that they can prioritize packets based on their products. My take is that they will rely upon wireless to do so. What's interesting is that they are doing this totally off the radar(or at least attempting to), are building these monstrous datacenters for the purpose of supporting a platform for delivery of services(formerly known as software among other things) and are doing it in a way that is more effiicient than anyone else.

Sounds far fetched but look at the management team. Huber and Rosenburg tried this once before at @Home Network but were likely ahead of their time. Urs has publicly stated that power companies should give pc's away because they'll make more money by selling customers the power to run the pc's than it will cost them to give away which is why it would not be too unlikely to see them roll out free inet access globally....similar to what they do in Mt View.

So one day you will have your email, your office apps, your tv or vod, your dial tone, your music, your personal publishing, etc all hosted by google all for free and even with free access to it because they'll be able to deliver the most customized delivery of advertising that the world has ever been exposed to. No joke, it's happening while politicians and others ignorant folks try to cry wolf over the telcos and net neutrality and open access and all that other crap which is smoke and mirrors while google sneaks up behind everyone and steals the eggs right from under the chicken.

Nic, I concur.....even without the parenthetical might :) Bottom line is that delivering anything that can be broken down into 1s and 0s is going to be more efficient than delivering by the other three. While that theory applies to many services or products, I am really referring to advertising because, at the end of the day, advertising is what makes the other three possible and without it they don't work. The internet on the other hand, works without advertising and was up until 11 or so years ago. I'm not ignorant enough to think the internet would be where it is today without advertising because surely the $15B a year online advertising market has subsidized a large portion of the internet as we know it. Evidence of this is happening with google and their metro wifi service that they are giving away for free in mt view. It is free(subsidized) because goog will generate more $$ selling advertisements that you'll be the recipient of than charging you $20 a month for the access.

I mentioned the .net and Apex because they have the potential to be a global trading platform for goods and services. Apex currently has many isv's that have built services o top of the Apex platform which customers can purchase, set up, use and integrate with all sorts of business functions. Ten years ago getting setup on a CRM, financial system for invoicing, etc would take years and cost tens of millions. Today it can be done in a matter of minutes for less than the cost of a desktop pc. When this type of platform is available to the global population you will see, at least imho, a shift in distribution of wealth that is closer to a state of equilibrium than what we see currently.

I notice you don't have any of the ecosystem type platform providers anywhere in the mix. although, i do believe goog to be a major player in that space so they are accounted for but under the auspices of content aggregation. i'm thinking salesforce.com or msft with their .net will play a big role in turning the internet into the 4th network...radio, print and tv being the first three :)

perhaps Nick Denton is secretly coding some ad serving platform that he'll f'up too? maybe he and pud are in cahoots.

seriously, i miss nick douglas. has anyone noticed that since denton fired douglas and took over the posting that the # of comments is almost zero!?!?!? is that an indication of visitors or just an indication of people can't stand his lame writing?