The Google browser, why it won't matter.

No, there is no Google browser....yet. But you would think that it's one of the most important pieces of software to come along in a decade if you read all the news stories. Don't get me wrong, I think it's fine that Google is coming out with a browser sometime soon. It's just that all the speculation doesn't say anything about what they're doing or whether it's a good idea in the first place. I think that most people look at this as a good thing for Google and people in general. After all, Google has been dabbling with Gmail, now the GBrowser and potentially a desktop personalized search. It makes sense that as they put these components together, they might have a complete package to offer and solidify their position in the marketplace. But what makes sense may not be a good move for Google.

Take a look at the competition, they've been doing the all-in-one portal pretty well for some time. MSN, Yahoo, both have what I consider to be a somewhat outdated model. I truly believe people don't want all this garbage, just good search results. So by becoming like everyone else, Google is making themselves vulnerable to the competition. They already do it better, they already have it in place. Google doesn't. Instead of being like everyone else in the web portal world, they should just concentrate on delivering the best results possible and be known for that. By entering into the same arena with Microsoft and Yahoo, they risk becoming another Netscape speedbump for these giants.

I believe that Google is making the classic mistake of line extension, that is doing things in which you have no great experience, but offering them anyway. Because the thought is, when you're successful in one place, you should be successful in any place. It doesn't work that way. Google has been identified with search, not e-mail, not browsers, and in people's minds, that's who they are. The public usually pushes back on this kind of strategy.

As much as I like Google, I think that this compelling need to go head-to-head with Microsoft is a loser for them. If I'm like a lot of people, and I think I am, I prefer to have just a good, excellent search which helps me find what I need without all the garbage thrown in. And what about the Google browser? No matter what geewhiz aspects of it their might be, the main thing is people want a browser to do web surfing pure and simple. It's just a browser among many browsers you can use.

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