Sunday, December 27, 2009

Jack Shafer reviews 'Googled' by Ken Auletta - washingtonpost.com

Excerpt from a Googled review 

But should Google itself be trusted? Yes, trusted to produce terrific search results, reliable e-mail service, videos aplenty on its YouTube site and economical venues for advertising. But no further. As Auletta probes the sophistry behind the Google slogan "Don't be evil" with his well placed sources in media and technology, the portrait he draws is of a rapacious, opportunistic company that seeks to disrupt -- in classic capitalist fashion -- whole industries. Its Android operating system -- and now a cell phone of its own design -- have targeted the mobile phone business. Google Voice has been assigned to conquer the telephony industry. The Chrome browser and the Chrome operating system are aimed at toppling Microsoft's grip on the computer desktop. The Google Books service is a cannon pointed at the heart of publishers. One of Auletta's top sources regards the company as a veritable "Googzilla" that intends to become a digital Wal-Mart for shoppers.

Jack Shafer reviews 'Googled' by Ken Auletta - washingtonpost.com

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