What did Andy Rubin do the day it was announced he was moving on from Android to a "new chapter" at Google? He made a nostalgic post not on Twitter, not on Google+ but rather on Facebook, where he's suddenly been busy. I know Rubin has had his Facebook account for at least several months, if not longer, because I've followed him there for some time. He just wasn't active. That all changed on March 5, about a week before the news of his shift away from Android was announced. On that day, he updated his profile picture: That same day, he also added information to his Facebook Timeli [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Top News

Google's early fantasy about mobile was that apps would eventually lose favor in favor of HTML5 and the browser. This is consistent with Google's outlook and competitive history vs. Microsoft and Apple: the Internet and the cloud vs. proprietary operating systems and software. Yet, to date, apps have largely won out over the mobile Web. According to Nielsen, US mobile users spend just under 80 percent of their time with mobile apps vs. the mobile Web. And, comScore has said that "four out of five" mobile minutes (roughly the same amount) are spent in mobile apps. Last week, we discovered [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Chrome | Google: Mobile

FairSearch is taking its anti-Google battle to the domain space. The organization -- which is backed by the likes of Microsoft, TripAdvisor, Nokia and other Google competitors -- announced today that it has filed objections with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) over Google's application to own three new generic top-level domains (gTLDs): .search .fly .map Those are three of the more than 100 new gTLDs that Google has applied for as part of ICANN's expansion of the domain space. Here's the crux of FairSearch's objection: FairSearch recently filed [...]

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According to Glassdoor company review data, Mark Zuckerberg has the best employee-approval rating of any CEO in the US. Last year he wasn't among the top 25. By the same token, last year's top CEO, Apple's Tim Cook, has fallen from number 1 to number 18 on this year's survey. Glassdoor's company review surveys ask employees to "indicate whether they approve or disapprove of the way their CEO is leading the company." Glassdoor said that "rating and rank in the 50 Highest Rated CEOs list was determined using the average approval rating a CEO received between February 25, 2012 and Februar [...]

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At a Broadway-style premiere this evening at New York's Radio City Musical Hall, Samsung unveiled its heavily anticipated Galaxy S4 handset. The event had the hype and production values of an Apple product launch. But, what barely seemed in attendance was any idea that the S4 is an Android phone or contains Google services. Samsung obviously spent a great deal of money on the show. Parts of it were awkward and many of the scripted jokes fell flat. But, the phone is sure to be a hit. The new S4 looks very much like the Galaxy S III (I watched the live stream and haven't held it in my hand [...]

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Google has decided to break up the unit that formerly combined mapping and commerce in a mini-reorganization coinciding with the transfer of Android to the leadership of Chrome SVP Sundar Pichai. Jeff Huber who formerly ran the combined commerce + local group is now becoming part of Sergey Brin's "Google X" team. According to the Wall Street Journal: The mapping unit will become part of the Google search team, led by Alan Eustace, and the commerce unit will be tucked into the advertising group, led by Susan Wojcicki.  The change may have been prompted by some tension in the combination o [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Google: Business Issues | Google: Chrome | Google: Maps | Google: Wallet

A revolt is afoot. Since Google's announcement to close the popular Google Reader service 17 hours ago, loyal users have taken to a change.org petition in droves. Since being constructed by Dan Lewis 1 hour after the announcement, the petition has reached 76% of its goal toward 75,000 signatures: The petition is averaging 3,570 signatures an hour which equates to a signature every second.  While there are other Google Reader Alternatives out there, the community is speaking out passionately against this early retirement. The petition itself includes some pretty poignant state [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content Marketing | Google | Google: Business Issues | Google: Feedburner | Google: Google Reader

[caption id="attachment_36064" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Andy Rubin, left; Sundar Pichai, right.[/caption] Andy Rubin, who has lead Google's Android operating system efforts, will now be replaced by Sundar Pichai. Google says the move today will leave Rubin time to work on a "new chapter" with the company. Google shared the news on its official blog today, saying: Andy’s decided it’s time to hand over the reins and start a new chapter at Google. Andy, more moonshots please! Going forward, Sundar Pichai will lead Android, in addition to his existing work with Chrome and App [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Features & Analysis | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Top News

BBC News reports Google has distributed almost $15 million worth of bonuses to their top executives. The largest bonus goes to Executive Chairman and former CEO, Eric Schmidt. Eric is getting a $6 million bonus. The Google co-founders, CEO Larry Page and Sergey Brin get nothing -- no bonus. But, the co-founders have the bulk of the equity in the company. Following Schmidt comes Google's top lawyer, David Drummond, who is getting $3 million. Patrick Pichette, Google's senior vice president and chief financial officer, is getting $2.8 million, and Nikesh Arora, senior vice president and ch [...]

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The European Commission has made good on its promise last week to fine Microsoft for failing to continue to offer Web browser choice on its PC software through 2014. The Commission imposed a fine of €561 million ($731 million) for not upholding its agreement to offer alternative Web browsers to Windows users. In 2009, Microsoft agreed with the Commission to offer a browser "choice screen" (featuring IE, Firefox, Chrome, etc.) on its Windows PC software to enable consumers to make a browser selection and not simply "choose" IE by default. That choice screen reportedly disappeared in Febr [...]

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According to TechCrunch, Google is creating an Amazon Prime competitor. The two twists are: it will apparently be cheaper and also offer same-day delivery from selected brick-and-mortar retailers. TechCrunch says the new service will be called "Google Shopping Express." Apparently stores like Wal-Mart and Target are some of the potential offline retail partners. If any part of this is true (and it's likely that there's at least some truth to what TechCrunch is reporting) it's very interesting. Google is stepping up its campaign against Amazon, the undisputed king of online e-commerce. If [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Retail | E-Commerce | Google: Analytics | Google: Business Issues | Google: Mobile | Google: Shopping | Google: Wallet | Top News

Google has tried to walk a fine line with Android. While trying to be true to its "openness" rhetoric about the platform, it has also tried to prevent increasing fragmentation. In addition, it has also sought to prevent any single partner or third party from having too much sway over Android. Google's challenges on both fronts are illustrated by cases involving a rival and a close partner: Yandex (the rival) and Samsung (the partner). At the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona, Spain, Google rival Yandex formally introduced its own Android app store. (The Yandex Store was first ann [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Mobile | Samsung | Top News

There were several reports from late last week indicating that Google is negotiating with major labels in anticipation of the launch of Spotify-like music streaming service. As part of these negotiations, according to the LA Times, "Google is proposing a premium subscription service" on YouTube that would encompass music videos and perhaps audio-only songs. The suggested launch window is fall 2013. A well-executed streaming capability would potentially threaten smaller services such as Spotify or MOG. Apple is also rumored to be preparing a streaming Internet radio competitor to Pand [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Video | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics | Google: Legal | Google: Partnerships | Google: YouTube | Legal: Copyright & Trademark | Top News

Google is planning a second campus in Mountain View called "BayView." Vanity Fair magazine got the scoop in an article that includes an interesting architect's sketch of the new Googleplex (shown above). According to the article, the BayView complex: will be built in Mountain View, but closer to San Francisco Bay will have nine "bent rectangle" buildings totaling 1.1 million square feet, all of which will be connected by bridges will have greenery on some roofs will keep Googlers in close proximity; no one "will be more than a two-and-a-half-minute walk from any other" wi [...]

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Here's more stuff for Google to sell through its forthcoming retail stores: touchscreen Chromebooks. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google and unnamed hardware partners are developing new Chromebooks with touchscreens: Google Inc. has developed the first touchscreen laptops powered by its Chrome operating system to be sold later this year, according to people familiar with the matter, as the Internet giant tries to go toe-to-toe with Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system. Interestingly, the new Chrome devices also would compete with devices powered by Google's other operati [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Chrome | Google: Mobile | Google: Nexus

Google's stock price has broken the $800 barrier this morning for the first time since Google became a public company in 2004 at the IPO price of $85. The 52-week low was $556.52, and just a few months ago, Google became more valuable than Microsoft. Today, Google's stock is up 1.25% or almost $10. The current market cap for Google is $264.70B with a PE at 24.73. Related Entries Apple And Google Top Two Brands According To General Sentiment's Analysis Q2 2012: Google Revenue Up 32% With Paid Clicks Up 42% Microsoft Q4 2012 Earnings: Online Advertising Revenue Up 12% Apple, [...]

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Google has been inching closer to opening its own retail stores for the past three years. It opened a Google schwag store on its own Mountain View campus in 2010. Then it tested a “store within a store” or "pop up store" concept in London, called “The Chromezone,” to sell Chromebooks for holiday 2011. In 2012, Google sent a supply of Chromebooks to BestBuy in the US and Dixon's in the UK to create an offline retail presence for the product. In addition, last year, Google was running a novel promotion with Virgin America at several US airports. Users got to try out Chromebooks on Vir [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content Marketing | Google: Business Issues | Google: Chrome | Google: Google Play | Google: Marketing | Google: Mobile | Google: Nexus | Top News

Google (and Motorola Mobility) have counter-sued the UK's BT Group (British Telecom) for patent infringement in the US and UK. This follows a 2011 patent lawsuit filing by BT against Google. Google has probably asserted its patents in an effort to provide some negotiating leverage against BT in any future settlement discussions. The patents at issue concern IP telephony, data management, networking and mobile technology. BT claims that several of Google's services infringe its patents, including aspects of Android. By contrast Google says that BT has infringed its patents with the latter's [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: International | Google: Legal | Google: Mobile | Legal: Patents

It's been a week since Microsoft went on the attack against Gmail, launching its "Scroogled" campaign portraying Gmail as a privacy monster that reads your emails for ad targeting purposes. How's that been working out? To date, the Microsoft-backed petition against Gmail's practices has gained about over 6,000 signatures -- equal to about 0.002% of Gmail's user base. The Petition To Nowhere At the Scroogled site, Microsoft invites people to sign an online petition. In the week it has been up, it's gathered about 5,600 signatures: That's hardly an overwhelming response, especially consider [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Features & Analysis | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics | Google: Gmail | Google: Privacy | Legal: Privacy | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Outlook | Microsoft: Privacy | Top News

Oracle has filed an appeal in its unsuccessful copyright and patent case against Google involving the Java programming language (specifically Java APIs). Oracle acquired Java when it bought Sun Microsystems several years ago. At trial, Oracle was basically shut out on all its claims. It appears that Oracle is only appealing the copyright portion of the case. The jury originally did find copyright infringement by Google, but also found that Google's selective use of Java in the Android OS constituted "fair use." Fair use is a defense against infringement. The judge in the case, William Al [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics | Google: Legal | Legal: Copyright & Trademark | Legal: Patents