Category: Technology

Google-Sun Alliance

I think the Google-Sun coziness is a great move for both companies. Those with common enemies automatically become friends. Though the specifics of this alliance are few at this juncture, I personally think this is great move. Though everyone on the planet (including Sun employees) appear to have given up on Sun, I think the company is not over yet. For starters the StarOffice product which has been languishing for years might at last gain some momentum (with help from Google) as a re-furbished web-based solution.

As for Google, this is just an extension of the their grand scheme of taking over the world (and of course doing no evil!).

Skype-Ebay, Oracle-Siebel

I think eBay is completely nuts to pay $4B for Skype. Its cool stuff no doubt and eBay needs a new trick. But $4B!! Gimme a break.

As for Oracle-Siebel marriage, I think it was a good match. Oracle wants to grow and Siebel was going no where. Tom Siebel wants to go into politics (I believe) and is probably no longer interested in fighting Larry Ellison. He kicked Larry’s butt by starting and growing Siebel, but now its time to kiss and make up.

Google blog search

Google released its blog search facility the other day. Now the Technoratis and Feedsters of the world are probably likely to be swallowed or perish? I have never been able to figure out how these guys expect to make money!

One of the common questions that investors think about and throw at entrepreneurs these days is “How long does it take Google to offer that?” This line of thinking just got a further boost with this announcement from Google.

More annoying pop-ups

Can someone tell me how to get rid of pop-ups from the Times of India website? This is a recent development. Earlier I never had this problem in Firefox. Now I see the message saying “Firefox prevented the site from opening a pop-up….” but I still get the stupid pop-up. Btw, I don’t have this problem on any other website (barring http://www.chennaionline.com)

Google Talk

Ok, now Google is in the IM/internet voice chat business as well. Its starting to get a little boring. After all the cool search stuff, they seem to be just looking around, seeing what’s there and come up with cool variations. Its about time they came up with something drastically new and game changing. I love Gmail, Google Maps, Add Content, Google Video, Google Custom Home page and other old wine in new bottles from Google.

Frankly, I am starting to get a little bored with Google’s new stuff. No wonder people are starting to refer to Google as the new evil empire. Does the world need one more IM? One more free email? One more MyYahoo? One more Blogger? One more social networking site? One more Yahoo finance? Oh well…

Thunderbird is cool

I switched to using Thunderbird (I have been using MS Outlook Express for many years now) a few months back. Its look and feel is very much “Outlook Express like” with lots of cool features as a bonus. So if you are an Outlook Express user, the switch is painless.

The Junk handling capability is especially welcome and powerful in this day and age of relentless junk mail. Search capability is excellent. Since the move to Thunderbird I have been exploring new features more than I ever did in Outlook Express. So this is not necessarily a Thunderbird vs Outlook Express report. Instead its just a re-assurance for anyone contemplating a switch.

Google’s Add Content

Check out Google’s Add Content feature on the Google customizable home page. Pretty neat stuff. Slowly but surely Google’s customizable home page is heading towards becoming an improved more hip My Yahoo clone. Its funny how Google started of with search and is slowly incorporating all the generic portal features but with their own clever spin: free email, customizable home page, maps etc. etc.