u l t r a m o o k i e

Perception is everything right? Yes, call me a Yahoo! zealot (Paul already did), but I am forming a new perception of Google. Ahem, let me step into my flame-retardant suit and get ready for a possible flaming:

Google is not leading the industry with innovation anymore. They have become followers and catch-up kids.

Evidence:

• Gmail (following Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail, and other free mail providers)
• Sidebar (following Konfabulator, Dashboard, and old school DAs)
• Google Maps (following Yahoo! Maps, MapQuest, and MapBlast)
• Google RSS/Atom News feeds (following Yahoo! News)
• Personalized Google page (following My Yahoo!, MSN, and a slew of other portals)
• Froogle (following MySimon and Shopping.com)
• Google Local (following CitySearch and Yahoo! Local)
• Google Talk with (possible) VoIP (following Yahoo! Messenger with Voice, AOL Instant Messenger, and MSN Messenger)

Yes, each and every product that has been released to catch-up has something unique about it (2GB mail, satellite photos, etc), but still it is all building up to a new perception of a kid that is trying to catch up with the rest of the big boys. Maybe I am wrong. What’s next? Google Personals, Google Weather, Google Jobs, Google ISP, Google Auctions, Google Payments, Google Music, Google Autos, Google Sports, Google Games, or Google Music?