Google Response

I'm taking a Web research class in which we have to regularly read articles about the media industry. It seems that at least 1/5th of the articles that pop up are related to Google.

I don't really even remember a time when I didn't 'google' information. It has always been a part of my web experience. Some of the contributions that Google has given, including Google Maps, Gmail and better, faster search capabilities, impact my life daily.

Google has similarly impacted the general Web culture by leading the industry to Web ads and to more online videos, to more online based news. Today's media world is totally different than it was 10 years ago. The Web is now the media medium of choice.

It does seem that when companies get too large they loose their edge and initial focus. Google is definitely working on more projects than it did when it was young and had a narrower focus. Their online book program, for example, is on the Web, but doesn't have a lot to do with search engines. I believe that Google can profitably use it's core capabilities (search, information capturing, etc.) in any number of online ventures, but that doesn't mean that it will continue to grow and impact change in the industry like it did before. I think they will at least continue to use their infrastructure to continue supporting other businesses and, in turn to create a large profit.

I'm not sure that Google has created a monopoly yet. It seems like it is headed that way. Because they are so big and have so many resources it is easier for them to start new web projects. However, the bigger and older they get, the harder it may become innovating and creating industry-changing tools.