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Google Pushing Its Mac Software?

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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A Google-sponsored blog concerning the company's Mac development efforts appeared yesterday. In it, the writers (including Google's Mac project manager) express their mission objectives for creating Google's Mac software:

We're pretty serious about [our] mission, including the "universally accessible" part. It means making products that everyone can use – including Mac users. We want to provide great products and services to the tens of millions of Mac users around the world, because it's the right thing to do, and because Mac users inside and outside Google demand it. That's why we've recruited some of the best, most passionate Mac people out there for a Mac Engineering team.
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The post directs readers to a Google download page, where users can freely download 5 applications/add-ins or a set of Dashboard widgets.

Google's Mac-centric push comes as news and rumors of Apple collaboration are at an all-time high. Yesterday, Google made headlines when it announced it would be acquiring YouTube.com for $1.65 Billion in stock. Previous to that announcement, there was a rumor that Google was in talks with Apple to supply videos for Apple's upcoming "iTV" device.

Furthermore, last week it was discovered by website MacTelChat that iPhoto 6.0.5 had hidden Google Maps integration, possibly for future GPS-enabled features.

In late August, Google's CEO Eric Schmidt was named to Apple's board of directors, furthering the tie between the two companies.


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Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2006/10/10/google-pushing-its-mac-software/
Let the speculation begin :)

Hmm. Is Google thinking of aquiring Apple? If so, what will it mean? Google/Apple as a strong partnership against Microsoft on the one hand, the risk of the 'unique macness' disappearing on the other?
 
Hertog said:
Hmm. Is Google thinking of aquiring Apple? If so, what will it mean? Google/Apple as a strong partnership against Microsoft on the one hand, the risk of the 'unique macness' disappearing on the other?
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I don't think that Google has the resources to acquire Apple (IIRC). Closer partnerships may very well be on the horizon, though.
 
Hertog said:
Hmm. Is Google thinking of aquiring Apple? If so, what will it mean? Google/Apple as a strong partnership against Microsoft on the one hand, the risk of the 'unique macness' disappearing on the other?
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hehe I can't see any Apple share holders agreeing to a buyout on stock swapping. "Here you go Mr. Apple Shareholder. You get 1 share of Google for every 6 shares of Apple that you have".

I forgot where I saw it earlier yesterday, or today, but I agree. Web Bubble Burst 2.0 is on the horizon.
 
I thought about this today, and came to the same conclusion.

Apple's iTV is going t monetize YouTube, with the help of Google.

Could Steve have helped to purseude Google to purchase YouTube?
 
be interesting to see if a real 'partnership' is on the horizon. sure we can speculate all we want, but as of right now there is nothing. if they do team up it will be a huge force to be reckoned with. at least for Microsoft. only time will tell where this will go.
 
Hertog said:
Hmm. Is Google thinking of aquiring Apple? If so, what will it mean? Google/Apple as a strong partnership against Microsoft on the one hand, the risk of the 'unique macness' disappearing on the other?
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Even when Apple was at its lowest point, and there were all sorts of rumors about Sun or Sony acquiring them, they were considered to be just too expensive to reasonably acquire. With Apple's stock at its current levels, an acquisition of Apple would require insane amounts of money.
 
Picasa is not only an online photo sharing service (Web Albums), there's also a software component which is a fairly powerful desktop photo editing and storage application (currently windows and Linux only). It would be nice to have another option besides iPhoto, and it could provide some motivation for Apple to improve iPhoto.
 
hhmmmm

i used picasa on pc and to me it seemed just like an iphoto straight copy, other than 1 thing, it finds photos in other folders (which i wouldnt like, i keep my photoshop seperate). so what would be the point.
 
gauchogolfer said:
There is an iPhoto plug-in for Picasa uploading already, is this what you mean? I don't use the service, personally.
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Picasa is an actual program, much like Google Earth.

speakerwizard said:
i used picasa on pc and to me it seemed just like an iphoto straight copy, other than 1 thing, it finds photos in other folders (which i wouldnt like, i keep my photoshop seperate). so what would be the point.
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Simply to have the option. I know alot of people who have Macs now and still prefer it over iPhoto. Hey, if they'll bring over Google Toolbar (does anyone actually use the thing anymore??), why not Picasa too.
 
bad news for redmond

T-Mobile and Cingular both want to be Apple's "friends". Google allready is Apple's "friend", with Schmidt inside Apple. Google has "friends" in YouTube, MySpace, eBay..


....I think its bad time for Microsoft :)
 
Zadillo said:
Even when Apple was at its lowest point, and there were all sorts of rumors about Sun or Sony acquiring them, they were considered to be just too expensive to reasonably acquire. With Apple's stock at its current levels, an acquisition of Apple would require insane amounts of money.
Click to expand...

Surprisingly enough Google does have an insane amount of money :p
 
Speaking of Picasa, it has its shortcomings, but iPhoto could learn a lot from it too. Why isn't Apple kicking Picasa's butt in the real-time effect department? The smoothly faded effect when you rotate and edit pictures in Picasa is more Apple than Apple.
 
i dont see a takeover or merger of apple with google.

it is very nice to see apple making excellent strategic alliances. This is a great thing.
 
I think what's missing is a Mac version of Google Talk. Sure you can interoperate with any Jabber client, but that's text only.

Of course, who knows if 10.5 will add some interoperability features into iChat - that would be nice.

I don't see Google porting Picasa over - it just doesn't make sense for them to spend a lot of time/money when most Mac users will be using iPhoto. They do provide that plugin (already mentioned) to allow iPhoto users to access Picasa web albums.

And to range far and wide... regarding the "Web 2.0 bubble bursting" - you are aware that Google turns a profit, aren't you? I simply don't see any broad parallels with the dot-com bust. There are companies out there that have poorly thought out business plans, and they will certainly fail - but that's been happening since time immemorial. Those sorts of companies don't seem to be the norm, which was the case before that debacle.
 
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