Palantir Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Do not mistake googles success for infallible intelligence. A lot of stars have to align for a great business like GOOG to emerge. The way I see it, GOOG hit the jackpot with search advertising, and as long as that is doing well, they can blow cash on vanity projects and no one will mind, but if that tide ever changes, well, look north to Redmond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Do not mistake googles success for infallible intelligence. A lot of stars have to align for a great business like GOOG to emerge. The way I see it, GOOG hit the jackpot with search advertising, and as long as that is doing well, they can blow cash on vanity projects and no one will mind, but if that tide ever changes, well, look north to Redmond. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Reading way too many of my posts, Palantir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 The Chinese search market: http://venturebeat.com/2014/01/14/chinese-search-revenues-grew-40-in-2013/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 The backlash continues to build: http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/14/5307530/why-is-everyone-disappointed-by-google-buying-nest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303465004579322422379377920 http://www.marketwatch.com/story/google-accused-of-violating-canadian-privacy-law-2014-01-15?siteid=yhoof2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Boy, the irony: http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/15/foundation-nests-tony-fadell-on-the-power-of-focus/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 The fun part about watching Google is seeing how far people can behind over backwards to rationalize Google's actions. Fundamentally, you have to believe that these guys are making decisions for a good reason. The strategy may not work out, but deep down you can't consider these guys, who built a $380bn business in 15 years, to be stupid. They're not going to tell me the strategy, so I have to figure it out. Feel free to mock me for trying. There can be a heavy price to pay for assuming that people who had a certain result in the past will continue to do so in the future. RIM's management is not stupid either. Neither is Michael Dell. Nor Eddie Lampert. And I can point to many others. One thing I have learnt is that the more people succeed, the harder it is to keep in touch with reality. I have seen it in every company I have worked for. If you don't know Google's strategy, say it. Don't assume a strategy. BTW, world domination is not a strategy. It is a goal. This: http://mobileopportunity.blogspot.com/2014/01/google-conglomerate-after-nest-no.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txlaw Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 So I've been thinking a bit about the Nest acquisition. To me, this is a very smart deal that fits in very well with Google's stated goal to organize all of the world's information. The valuation seems high, but I think this needs to be viewed as up-front R&D. If GOOG even makes back half of that amount in free cash (discounted to the present) from Nest ops over the course of its existence, I think it will have been money that was well spent because I believe this acquisition will jumpstart GOOG's presence in IoT -- which I believe is a huge market. Fadell himself is a big believer in IoT, though he thinks that ubiquity is at least a decade away: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57556955-76/nest-ceo-fadell-internet-of-things-is-a-decade-away/ They will likely defray some of their costs by making profits on devices and appliances created by Nest. But more importantly, to the extent that there is very useful data being collected, that obviously helps their goal towards becoming the premier AI/AR company in the world, which increases their moat. And being a key entity in the home could be pretty lucrative as well. For example, if GOOG could offer services to optimize energy consumption and cost, thus lowering one's energy bills (and usage) substantially, that would be a lot of value add to society from which they could extract a profit. Anyways, we don't what interesting stuff they're up to behind the scenes that Nest will play a part in, but IMO Google is a lot like the GE's and IBM's of the last century. I think there is likely a method behind the madness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 So I've been thinking a bit about the Nest acquisition. To me, this is a very smart deal that fits in very well with Google's stated goal to organize all of the world's information. The valuation seems high, but I think this needs to be viewed as up-front R&D. If GOOG even makes back half of that amount in free cash (discounted to the present) from Nest ops over the course of its existence, I think it will have been money that was well spent because I believe this acquisition will jumpstart GOOG's presence in IoT -- which I believe is a huge market. Fadell himself is a big believer in IoT, though he thinks that ubiquity is at least a decade away: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57556955-76/nest-ceo-fadell-internet-of-things-is-a-decade-away/ They will likely defray some of their costs by making profits on devices and appliances created by Nest. But more importantly, to the extent that there is very useful data being collected, that obviously helps their goal towards becoming the premier AI/AR company in the world, which increases their moat. And being a key entity in the home could be pretty lucrative as well. For example, if GOOG could offer services to optimize energy consumption and cost, thus lowering one's energy bills (and usage) substantially, that would be a lot of value add to society from which they could extract a profit. Anyways, we don't what interesting stuff they're up to behind the scenes that Nest will play a part in, but IMO Google is a lot like the GE's and IBM's of the last century. I think there is likely a method behind the madness. And what does this do to RIMs IoT business? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wellmont Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 there seems to be at least one large company in the valley that is truly innovating. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/01/16/google-testing-smart-contact-lens-with-chip-as-diabetes-aid/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 there seems to be at least one large company in the valley that is truly innovating. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/01/16/google-testing-smart-contact-lens-with-chip-as-diabetes-aid/ Oh, that explains why Kitkat had barely anything new to offer while Apple made a massive leap on iOS 7 and iPhone 5S. Google's engineers were busy building contact lens, which will probably be released after about 5 years of trials to get FDA approval? That would be about say $500 M to address a niche market. But hey, Google has money to burn. It is soooo amazing to see Google to be the only company thinking ahead: http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/googles-new-smart-contact-is-old-news-for-microsoft/ Well, Google has to at least try innovating while others succeed in innovation: http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/shopkick-starts-100-store-ibeacon-trial-for-american-eagle-outfitters-the-biggest-apparel-rollout-yet/ Otherwise, all they will have left is a lighter balance sheet and a bunch of PR from their marketing team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAL9000 Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 there seems to be at least one large company in the valley that is truly innovating. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/01/16/google-testing-smart-contact-lens-with-chip-as-diabetes-aid/ Oh, that explains why Kitkat had barely anything new to offer while Apple made a massive leap on iOS 7 and iPhone 5S. Google's engineers were busy building contact lens, which will probably be released after about 5 years of trials to get FDA approval? That would be about say $500 M to address a niche market. But hey, Google has money to burn. It is soooo amazing to see Google to be the only company thinking ahead: http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/googles-new-smart-contact-is-old-news-for-microsoft/ Well, Google has to at least try innovating while others succeed in innovation: http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/shopkick-starts-100-store-ibeacon-trial-for-american-eagle-outfitters-the-biggest-apparel-rollout-yet/ Otherwise, all they will have left is a lighter balance sheet and a bunch of PR from their marketing team. Right, we know. Nobody can have continued, reliable, long-term success (except Apple). Google is fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 there seems to be at least one large company in the valley that is truly innovating. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/01/16/google-testing-smart-contact-lens-with-chip-as-diabetes-aid/ Oh, that explains why Kitkat had barely anything new to offer while Apple made a massive leap on iOS 7 and iPhone 5S. Google's engineers were busy building contact lens, which will probably be released after about 5 years of trials to get FDA approval? That would be about say $500 M to address a niche market. But hey, Google has money to burn. It is soooo amazing to see Google to be the only company thinking ahead: http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/googles-new-smart-contact-is-old-news-for-microsoft/ Well, Google has to at least try innovating while others succeed in innovation: http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/shopkick-starts-100-store-ibeacon-trial-for-american-eagle-outfitters-the-biggest-apparel-rollout-yet/ Otherwise, all they will have left is a lighter balance sheet and a bunch of PR from their marketing team. Right, we know. Nobody can have continued, reliable, long-term success (except Apple). Google is fail. This is what I mean: http://gigaom.com/2014/01/17/one-diabetics-take-on-googles-smart-contact-lenses/ Innovation is about improving people's lives, not about building something because you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 He sums it up well: http://thetechblock.com/why-does-google-keep-making-products-for-nobody/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardGibbons Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 This is fairly obvious to anyone who follows the two companies, coming as it does at a time when iOS 7 -- a pretty mediocre update -- is considered to be the biggest innovation out of Apple for years. But this opinion that Google is more innovative than Apple is interesting because it comes from Jobs' biographer. http://news.yahoo.com/author-steve-jobs-biography-says-google-more-innovative-183011861.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 This is fairly obvious to anyone who follows the two companies, coming as it does at a time when iOS 7 -- a pretty mediocre update -- is considered to be the biggest innovation out of Apple for years. But this opinion that Google is more innovative than Apple is interesting because it comes from Jobs' biographer. http://news.yahoo.com/author-steve-jobs-biography-says-google-more-innovative-183011861.html Seriously? What was mediocre about iOS7? Was it the worlds first mobile 64 bit ? iBeacon? IOS in the car? The complete redesign? Or was it the fingerprint sensor? Or maybe it was the game controller API? Or the enterprise security features? No? And what was it that Kitkat delivered that was so groundbreaking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 So the project that Google is using to generate PR buzz was actually incubated at Microsoft: http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/19/as-google-shoots-for-the-moon-microsoft-praises-the-virtues-of-open-research/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 He sums it up well: http://thetechblock.com/why-does-google-keep-making-products-for-nobody/ So what is a more innovative glucose monitoring product - a contact lens, a patch or a watch? What is likely to succeed more in the marketplace? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palantir Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Neither is more innovative than the other. But a watch would sell better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 But a watch would sell better. There you have your answer. A new product that fails in the marketplace is not an innovation, it is a failed experiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 So Google gives away Android for free and subsidizes devices to make money on advertising, right? http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/01/21/apples-ios-edges-out-android-in-mobile-ad-traffic-dominates-in-revenue Yeah, smart strategy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkbabang Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Google doesn't seem to be having a good day. I haven't been able to use GMail for about a half hour and just checked the status page, it seems it is more than just GMail that they are having problems with. http://www.google.com/appsstatus#hl=en&v=status&ts=1390590653533 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Apart from Facebook, this is the second biggest threat to Google: http://pando.com/2014/01/27/google-and-encryption-why-true-user-privacy-is-googles-biggest-enemy/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Whats another billion to Google? http://venturebeat.com/2014/01/29/google-ordered-to-pay-as-much-as-1-billion-to-patent-troll-vringo/ Peanuts ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valueInv Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Seriously? http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/29/lenovo-to-buy-motorola-mobility-from-google/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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