Why I’ve gone Google

I’ve gone Google.

Going Google is for individuals too.
I’m sure by now you have noticed Google’s campaign about “going Google”. It’s primarily targeted at businesses, schools, and governments to use the Google suite of productivity applications. That target list covers groups of people well. But what about individuals? Have you stopped and thought about how much of your life is run by Google these days?

There is a reason for it, and it’s not because for the free price tag.
OK. I admit it. The hook for me to try many of Google’s products and services is because most of them are free of charge. I don’t mind the ads displayed on some of the Google services, they don’t detract from the functional use of the product. I also don’t mind that they collect information about my usage habits. Just about every interaction I have in life is tracked by marketers. Google is not alone in this practice. As a business professional, I marvel at how Google has created a business model to give much of it’s software away for free while making revenue by serving ads.

But there’s more to product usage than a free price tag. Free products are great to try. But if they don’t solve problems and add value for people then nobody will continue to use them. As I look at all the Google products that I use each week, it’s amazing to think about the breadth of value they bring to my life. They are solving problems.

A list of how I’ve gone Google and why.

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Google services on my radar.
Google announced Chromebook with Chrome OS this week. Chromebook encompasses much of where computing has evolved in the past several years with availability of cloud computing. What I like most about it, is that it’s simple. The traditional PC model to computing is now complex. Maintaining operating system software and local installations of productivity software is expensive in both money and time. Chromebook promises to take that hassle out of consumer’s lives so they can focus on creating and consuming content rather than worrying about the uderlying machine.

Google TV is another service I would like to try. I haven’t purchased a device yet because I’m waiting for it to mature a little as well as gain greater adoption with content providers. The model of connecting the internet with video consumption is already here (YouTube, Hulu, etc.) and traditional media content providers must solve for that. Google is making it’s play with Google TV but I think they are after more.

Can Google stay relevant and liked by consumers?
I think about Microsoft and what that company has done for the advancement of technology and our culture. Despite what you many think about them, the Office suite is a powerful set of products that allows people to solve problems. Yet the company is often maligned in technology circles because their products are expensive and can sometimes fail. Will Google become like Microsoft? Or does the fact that consumers don’t pay for many of the products and services offered by Google change their proclivity to complain about it? Does Google fall into the “you get what you pay for” mode of thinking or will it thrive because it’s products continue to be relevant and solve consumer problems?

What do you think?