Google Profiles just got updated

Google Profiles don't seem to have much practical use to me besides being useful for standards compliant stuff. I really wish Buzz became popular in place of Twitter, its a much better (and more open) platform in my opinion.

http://www.google.com/profiles/<username>; is showing the old style profile while https://profiles.google.com/<username>; is in the new style.

Bummer because, when editing my profile in the new style, it tells me that the correct URL is the first.

It is like the internet revolution all over again, but for the masses. Most people with any sense in them already have a ~uname/ somewhere and //that// is their profile. But for "monsieur tout le monde" it is too complicated to order hosting and install wordpress on it.

This is why everyone absolutely //loves// facebook -- because suddenly they can heave their "own website". Sure its just a wall and mostly used for other people to spy on you, but you can spy on them too so isn't it a great deal?

This seems like a sure flop to me because it is essentially an escalation of rights from knowing my email address to knowing a bunch of other things about me. Not cool.

On a different note, it is funny to see Google try something and fail... we have gotten used to their superpower, maybe they are not so strong after all. Has the Goliath gotten slow?

http://maps.google.com/

https://profiles.google.com/u/0/

https://groups.google.com/

P.S.: Looks like they invested in eye-candy. try changing your profile picture for an example.

I am running Chrome 11.0.686.1 dev on OS X 10.6

In terms of internal development, Google’s ultimate mission is to serve as a superior search function for people. So due to the saturation of the market in web search and consistency with company culture, I believe Google should leverage core tech to expand into niche search markets and strengthen additional platforms. More specifically, google should expand into niche search markets or industries where information needs to be more open and organized, for instance, the arts industry, the fashion industry, etc. In additionally, I believe small mobile devices will continue to grow in terms of user base, especially in emerging economies where more people could afford such devices. Therefore, creating applications that ties in with its platform should also be a part of Google’s platform development.

Externally, Google, by becoming or adopting the image of Microsoft has brought negative attention to many other high-growth companies, increasing hostility and competition from companies including Microsoft, Ebay, etc. To avoid multiple organizations joining hands to go up against the giant and hence, increasing costs like it has been in the past few years. Google needs to learn to adopt new market in a subtler manner. Instead of creating all functionalities explicitly under Google’s name, acquire small enterprises that serve similar functions and avoid too much publicity during the acquisition.

Item number 8 of Google's philosophy highlights the importance of going across borders. Neighboring Asian countries such as Japan (38.20% of market share), and South Korea (3% of market share) fancy locally flavored search engines such as Yahoo Japan over Google, seeing it as a form of “cultural imperialism”. In the end of the day, Google is user-based and a service product. Creating fear among users, in addition to competitors, weakens the potential growth of all other platform products it is developing. The solution to this ties in with the discrete acquisition suggestion- to create products that are culturally sensitive.

So instead of attempting to produce additional breakthrough products, I believe Google should keep in mind its core philosophies and focus in, with cultural sensitivity in mind, strengthening additional platforms and expanding into niche search market.