Google's gambit wins corporate chess match

Iria · Dec 18, 2005, 01:26 PM

NEW YORK - By agreeing to change its business practices as part of its $1 billion deal with Time Warner and AOL, Google has fended off what could have been a significant challenge from a combination of AOL and Microsoft and cemented its position as far and away the largest seller of search advertising.

Google has given AOL ads special placement on its site, something it has not done before. Until now, Google prided itself on its auction system for ads, which treated small businesses on an equal footing with its largest customers.

"This is Google's first test as a chess player in a major corporate battle," said John Battelle, the author of "The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture."

"They are saying, 'We will take some of our pawns and block the move to our queen by Microsoft,"' he said. "Until now, Google has said: 'We don't think about our competitors. We spend all our time building better products for our users."'

Time Warner rebuffed aggressive overtures from Microsoft in agreeing Friday to sell a 5 percent stake in America Online to Google as part of an expanded partnership between AOL, once the dominant company on the Internet, and Google, the current online king.
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Read More / Source: International Herald Tribune

pr0digal jenius · Dec 18, 2005, 03:23 PM

Google's gunna just pay for AOL in cash and just rename it with a 'G' theme...and that will eb that.

Dec 18, 2005, 01:26 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 74	Google's gambit wins corporate chess match NEW YORK - By agreeing to change its business practices as part of its $1 billion deal with Time Warner and AOL, Google has fended off what could have been a significant challenge from a combination of AOL and Microsoft and cemented its position as far and away the largest seller of search advertising. Google has given AOL ads special placement on its site, something it has not done before. Until now, Google prided itself on its auction system for ads, which treated small businesses on an equal footing with its largest customers. "This is Google's first test as a chess player in a major corporate battle," said John Battelle, the author of "The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture." "They are saying, 'We will take some of our pawns and block the move to our queen by Microsoft,"' he said. "Until now, Google has said: 'We don't think about our competitors. We spend all our time building better products for our users."' Time Warner rebuffed aggressive overtures from Microsoft in agreeing Friday to sell a 5 percent stake in America Online to Google as part of an expanded partnership between AOL, once the dominant company on the Internet, and Google, the current online king. ____________ Read More / Source: International Herald Tribune

Dec 18, 2005, 03:23 PM	#2
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,672 Rep Power: 0	Google's gunna just pay for AOL in cash and just rename it with a 'G' theme...and that will eb that.