The Enigma of Being Google

‘It takes a long time to bring excellence to maturity’ said Titus Livy. The breed of Steve Jobs and Larry Page seems to have perfected the excellence to maturity path. Apple is one enigma which delivers excellence and then disappears to create another masterpiece. Google has the same gene. Perfection, excellence and masterpiece are metaphors for Google. Like the thoroughly bred topper the enigma of Google lives on. This time there are rumors of a Google Phone.

The Google Phone

Google operating system maybe a little far off but Google phone could be more than just a rumor. According to an article in Observer by David Smith Google has held talks with Orange, the mobile phone operator, about a multi-billion-dollar partnership to create a 'Google phone' which makes it easy to search the web wherever you are. The collaboration between two of the most powerful brands in technology is seen as a potential catalyst for making internet use of mobile phones as natural as on desktop computers and laptops.

Earlier this week The Wall Street Journal reported that speculation is growing that Google may introduce its own mobile phone. Blogs and tech journals followed. In a world of information overfeed rumors spread like fire. But in the case of Google Phone there does seem some truth.

The Google Say

There hasn’t really been any official word from Google on this. Google has so far only said “mobile applications are important to the company” and declined further comment on the speculation.

The head of its operations in Spain and Portugal, Isabel Aguilera, reportedly told the Spanish news site Noticias.com last week that Google has been exploring the idea of a phone and that some of its engineers have spent time working on one.

Experimental Truth

The heart of Google is innovation and creativity. To put in better words experimental creativity. If it works well and good. If it doesn’t no harm nothing much is lost.

Sounds typical of a university laboratory. Well Google is an extension of a university lab. When a university professors son creates the most wonderful application in the world and goes to become a rival to the biggest company under the sun, it speaks volumes of the kind of brains at work. The “thought network”. The Stanford University Network and the Google connection is well known. In fact each Google application is absolutely superb. Right from design to development to usability, Google applications are absolute stunners. This simply isn't possible without the right brains at work.

Why haven't the other companies, some bigger giants than Google managed to get even half the kudos? The answer is the thought network Google has. Absolutely awesome. One very good example is Google scholar. I covered it a few years ago when it was launched. Google has written beautifully about the academia in the true guru-dasksina tradition (paying back your mentors and teachers). They still have it on their site today. Google Scholar says “We recognize the debt we owe to all those in academia whose work has made Google itself a reality and we hope to make Google Scholar as useful to this community as possible. We believe everyone should have a chance to stand on the shoulders of giants.”

Interesting co-incidences

I have a feeling the Google Phone is for real. Interesting Pcworld.com has an interesting tidbit. Google recently posted a job advertisement recently, saying it was "experimenting with a few wireless communications systems.” There is another reason to believe Google is experimenting with mobility. In August 2004 Google bought a company called Android Inc. According to Businessweek.com the 22-month-old startup, based in Palo Alto, Calif, also brought to Google a wealth of talent, including co-founder Andy Rubin, who previously started mobile-device maker Danger Inc. Andy is said be with Google working on “some” project.

So many coincidences cannot be false. There must be some truth in them. Whatever the truth, the Google Phone has created euphoria and excitement. Like millions of others I am looking forward to holding my Google Phone. Whether in hard or soft form, only time will tell.

Puneet Mehrotra is a columnist for HindustanTimes.com Write to him on puneet@tbe.in