Google Pack - Where's the value for the consumer<< Most overheard phrase at CES | Main | Google Video - How do I watch it on my TV? >> Michael Gartenberg | January 06, 2006, 07:20 PM Google announced the long rumored Google Pack. While it's true that it's harder to get consumers to install applications one at a time, it's hard to see where the overall value of this collection is. It includes the Google toolbar, Google desktop (which includes the Sidebar and the deskbar), the Picasa photo management and sharing service, Google Alert, Google as well as Firefox, Acrobat Reader 7.0, LavaSoft Adaware, Norton Antivirus, RealPlayer, and Trillium, (which is interesting since the pack includes GoogleTalk). I'm not suggesting there's no value here but it reminds me of the days when PC vendors offered things like alternative Office apps as a "value add". Aggregation is good but I just don't see where the integration is. One thing is for sure, this is shot across Microsoft's bow. A media player? web broser? anti spyware and virus?. It's not an OS (and certainly not a PC) but it is a further attempt to co-opt the Windows desktop, this time with partners. |
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