Google Launches Skype Rival
August 24, 2005
"We are going to be the first in the world to connect everyone to everyone". So said Georges Harik of Google as they announced the launch of a new service to rival Skype. (Imagine having that as your corporate mission! I'm struggling with 'double sales and profit in 12 months'!)
Google Talk will offer voice over internet telephone services to users and marks another step by Google to build a cluster of programmes on the net that act like an operating system. Google wants to turn its collection of services and add-on programs such as the Desktop Search sidebar into a helper that users can turn to no matter what they want to do.
If that last paragraph read very well and came across as being written by a well informed person, that's because it was lifted off the BBC News item on this story!
The Ovum telecoms consultancy says that if the story is accurate, Google search results could be linked to its Net phone service, enabling customers to call anyone or any company connected to it direct from their PC.
Whatever!
I will stick with skype because they make my life and my phone bills much easier. I feel very loyal to them because they offer all this to me for free. Now I know they're going to start looking for revenue real soon, but until they do, I'll remain a skyper. Find out more about Brightspark's views on skype.
Anyway, I love the sound of Skype as it rolls of the tongue - say it with a country accent and you'll see what I mean.