The deal Google has cut with Dell to put Google software on all Dell PCs may sound groundbreaking — but it’s all sound and no fury.
Google will pay Dell an unspecified amount to include the Google Desktop, and the Google Toolbar on up to 100 million new PCs. Google will also power a Dell home page for those PCs.
The pundits say that Microsoft should be quaking over this one. But the truth is, Microsoft has nothing to worry about. Google isn’t going after Office (not yet, anyway), and certainly not after Windows with this deal.
Microsoft doesn’t lose anything here. Google’s search technology is so far superior to Microsoft’s that people find their way to Google on their own. Microsoft wouldn’t be able to buy them.
So while the deal may extend Google’s reach, it certainly doesn’t threaten Microsoft — at least until Google goes after Office.
What do you think about the Google-Dell deal?
you use what you payed for
The pundits may be wrong in that people will not replace the Office that they bought for the office that you can download for free. That is not what this deal is about. This deal is about having Google software as the default. Something like 80% of the people do not change the software on their computer and use whatever it comes with.
Google is amazing in its ability to add value to their existing products. The extention to GMAIL with the chat functionality is awesome. The progress that they make with their products is not Microsoft's "I have a dream" but more of a "Can do" aproach.
It is rich that while Microsoft is getting ready to roll out Vista after so many years of constant advertising for its future product, much of its thunder is stolen by Google.
Thanks,
GerardM