Is Google Buying Companies to Add to Google Pack?
Tuesday, May 29th, 2007;
-- Andy Beal |
I always thought it a little strange that Google launched Google Pack, a selection of software for enhancing your web experience. Well, let me clarify. Google Pack itself is a great idea for Google, but I always wondered why it would launch a suite of software that included products from third-party companies. Now I think I have the answer.
Mashable is reporting Google has acquired GreenBorder, a virus protection software maker which provides a secure browser that prevents anything nasty from infecting your computer.
…the software creates a kind of sandbox for your web browsing, so that any viruses, spyware and trojans you pick up during your session are deleted as soon as the browser is closed. The name comes from the green border applied to your browser window when the service is active, letting you know that the whole session is being contained and no changes will be made to your PC by websites (even downloads are opened in a virtual environment).
See how that fits perfectly into Google Pack? Now Google can replace Norton Antivirus with a product offering of its own. No doubt the company will remove the $29.95 price tag and figure out how to integrate it with other GOOG products.
So, my point? Google Pack was just the start, a first glimpse of Google’s master plan to take over all of your internet applications. If my theory is true, expect to see future acquisitions in the spyware protection, VoIP, media player and PDF space. 
Who wants to be the first to disagree?
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May 29th, 2007 at 11:33 am
I’d love to disagree but I think you’re right. I think Google will continue buying up companies until they have a product to offer for just about everything you would want to do on the internet. Of course all the while they’ll be gathering more and more data to “improve the user experience.”
May 29th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
As SEOrefugee said we will be giving up more data and information about ourselves with new free products to “improve the user experience”. Which most know that people will voluntary give up privacy and confidentiality for convenience. The free products are some of the best out there and if I used a PC (I’m a mac guy) I know I would need something to protect me and who else can I trust but the biggest out there to recommend and provide me with a great program?
May 29th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Hi Andy. If you’re interested in receiving this sort of news 4 days sooner, check out my blog where(to my knowledge), I was the first blogger to post this:
http://socialstrategist.com/2007/05/25/facebook-platform-and-google-se curity-update-edition
Every blog since then, until Mashable, has either linked to me:
http://googlified.com/2007google-acquired-a-security-company/
Or linked to someone who linked to me:
http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2007/05/google-buys-greenborder-secur ity.html
Pete Cashmore at Mashable apparently doesn’t feel the need to give anyone credit. Ah, well, that’s “journalism”.
I can’t promise breaking news all the time, but I do try to at provide great content.
Best,
Jay Neely, Social Strategist
http://socialstrategist.com
May 29th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
[...] The software from the Mountain View, California based company works to isolate internet sessions from the rest of a user’s PC. I’ve seen speculation that this software might be offered to Google users as part of the free Google Pack software download. The software might also be used by the search engine to crawl sites using client software to locate malware. [...]
May 31st, 2007 at 2:07 pm
[...] Andy Beal asks a good question over at Marketing Pilgrim: “Is Google Buying Companies to Add to Google Pack?” Beal, in response to Google’s acquisition of GreenBorder, is dead on with his post. [...]
June 11th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
[...] Marketing Pilgrim Is Google Buying Companies to Add to Google Pack? — Andy Beal offers the kind of insight into Google’s recent acquisition craze that actually lends some of those conspiracy theories out there some currency. As far as I’m concerned, though, he’s preaching to the choir. [...]
September 15th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
I love anything about google.. Keep writing on this niche:)