I’ve been following Google’s releases one after another and I’m quit impressed by their choise and logical move of becoming a full web 2.0 company. However, it seems a lot of people dislike the idea (like Dave Winer, to name just one) of Google getting themselves into other things than search. The diversification is indeed a big step beyond search, although one way or the other they’re all search related, I think. I disagree on what Winer says, and tend to follow the view Philipp has on this situation. The fact that Google is diversifying isn’t a bad thing. What I do wonder about is when I get to use all of these new features myself, because a lot of them are US -oriented only.
Although Google has made it a point to have a search page up in every language, by far not all features are translated or made available to users of any country. I have to agree what Philipp says : “that they’re not focusing enough on every new product in terms of quality standards they have with web search.”
“But I want Google Maps with the same level of detail in Europe as the US can see it. I want Google Local here as well. [...] free WiFi in San Francisco, Gmail SMS invitations for just the US” – I’m pretty bored of blogging about new features that don’t ’serve’ my country. I want Google WiFi in Belgium too, I want to zoom into my house and see what Nathan sees over in NY, instead of an overview that’s way to ‘general’ to even point out in which street I live.
I’m not dissapointed, I just think they should ‘equalize’ their service and make it available to all Google users.
Other thing is : I have to go the google.com in English to find relevant information. I do get other results if I rely on the .be, but most of the time those results don’t display what I was looking for, whereas the .com in English does.