What will be the next Google?

Posted by: Stephen Baker on November 30

John Battelle asks if Google has reached the point where the worm turns—where the public and the marketplace turn on a company that appears to be growing too strong. (Thanks Dave Winer)

My question: If Google is the Microsoft of this (nameless) decade, what will be the Google of the next one? Will it be a company, or a movement? Will it be American, other than American, or global? I’m betting that the next giant to confront in technology will be a non-American non-company. And this global force will grow out of what we’re doing together at this very minute.

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Reader Comments

Dimitar Vesselinov

November 30, 2005 10:43 PM

Wired: mobile
Tired: Google
Expired: Microsoft

Jonathan

November 30, 2005 11:05 PM

Go Google...we need as many powerful company's in the US as possible.

Synith

December 1, 2005 04:48 AM

As information seems to be spreading faster and faster thru the Internet, pretty soon I think that we will see the media fade out. Most people get their information from the net anyway. However, if this arises we might start seeing large companies formed that just broadcast everything thru their site.
Information might be spreading faster than we want - is this a good thing, or bad. Who knows...
Google and Wikipedia are hit with billions of users every day. I think the outcome might turn into Google merging with Wikipedia, but we can never be sure...

scott shaffer

December 1, 2005 07:31 AM

The next Google is an application that allows the physical world to connect to the electronic one.

The billions of sites Google has in their database will be dwarfed by the number of physical objects that will have their own physical world hyperlink

When you combine information retrieval from a physical object and advertising, "the next Google" will be created.

Jay R

December 1, 2005 02:28 PM

Scott,

Would you be so kind as to share with us your source of mind-altering substances?

Prepaid Wireless Direct

December 1, 2005 06:32 PM

Think about it. This is all about how to increase traffic by deploying innovative strategies to make retailers more competitive with greater option innovations in technology, that hold the promise of generating additional capital to allow retailers to compete more effectively and allow merchants to be more effective pursuing the detail of retail. The new technologies involves no upfront cost, monthly fees or inventory costs.

It' s not how SMART your business are, It's how & the way your businesses are SMART!.

What will be the next Google?: It will depend on the above. www.prepaidwireless.2ya.com


JB

December 4, 2005 08:22 PM

Probably one that hasn't born yet...
Google is still growing (remember: it is still the geeks that are governing it; Microsoft is run by the Marketeer guy, and was before by the Sales guy).

JB

industry model and talent, industry models and talent

December 5, 2005 08:15 PM

Would you be so kind as to share with us your source of mind-altering substances?

phil

December 16, 2005 07:22 AM

No matter what, Google will endure. However, finding no results on Google and when you do having to read read and read some more apparently prompted this hot little site. www.Locateya.com They are here and like em or not visual advertising and directories are here to stay. But, finally a professional site with a fabulous little search engine. When this is recognised by advertisers and customers alike...See it, Search it then click it... move over Google!!

Jim Dermitt

December 16, 2005 11:17 AM

I just picked this up from Google.
http://www.google.com/tools/firefox/safebrowsing/
It looks like a good idea with all of the security threats and phishing activity happening. The next Google? That's a good question. "No matter what, Google will endure." Any company can go into a decline and a web based company can do it faster than most. Google has some big challenges ahead of it. The weak link is that so much of their revenues come from advertising and it's getting easier to advertise with almost no cost at all. Google helped invent cheap effective advertising and that could help do it in. They need to break into print to continue to grow and print is locked up tight by more established players.

Luv Sayal

December 16, 2005 02:34 PM

Stephen, I understand that what you really want to ask is: “what is the next big thing?” Whether it’s a company like Google that changes the name of the game or whether it’s a movement – something that involves the masses rather than just a few brilliant minds.

I agree with your bet – the next big revolution will be a non-company and not necessarily American. One of the big reasons for the success of America in the 20th century has been the concentration of the best brains in any industry. That, combined with the best universities in the world, made America the breeding grounds of research and innovation.

Globalization and the arrival of the internet is changing that scenario. Nowadays, people have access to all the information they need through the internet, and the power equation is shifting back from companies to consumers, from institutions to people. The next revolution will be essentially social in nature. And as you said, this global force is growing out of what we are doing together at this very minute – collaborating and sharing knowledge. The power of us will change this world!

Tim Van Antwerp

May 26, 2007 05:08 PM

I believe that this is the next Google! A technology that connects people and changes lives. Years ago at Stamford University they were calling this "vapor technology" because we knew the theory but did not know how to make it materialize. check out www.vmdirect.com/soldorlando. If you email me I will respond to you and show you how it works! Happy Memorial Day all!

lakme

October 2, 2007 09:44 AM

No matter what, Google will endure. However, finding no results on Google and when you do having to read read and read some more apparently prompted this hot little site. www.hyebye.com They are here and like em or not visual advertising and directories are here to stay. But, finally a professional site with a fabulous little search engine. When this is recognised by advertisers and customers alike...See it, Search it then click it... move over Google!!

George

March 13, 2008 03:31 AM

"Would you be so kind as to share with us your source of mind-altering substances?"

LOL!!! Omg man..that comment just got me.

Because here I was pondering what Scott was trying to communicate. Then I read your comment, and I just burst out laughing.

You are a genius.

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In Blogspotting Senior Writer Stephen Baker and Associate Editor Heather Green take a look at how cutting-edge technologies are changing business and society. Whether its blogs or wikis, data crunching or data targeting, technology’s advances are reshaping the world that we live in.

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