Google Places Bets, Yahoo Goes Hollywood And MSN Catches Up

Predictions

from the search-company-roundup dept

The NY Times is running three different articles that separately talk about three different initiatives at the three leading contenders for the search crown: Google, Yahoo and MSN. However, taken together, it seems like the three do a pretty good job of showing how each company views what they’re doing. Google, more or less for fun, has set up an internal predictions market, for questions about when certain products are going to be released and when new offices will open. While it’s not entirely clear how useful this is, it could give some within Google a more accurate view on where things are going. Meanwhile, Yahoo under Terry Semel and Lloyd Braun, has decided (once again) that the internet is a broadcast content medium, and are working on “original video programming” for the web — as if it were a TV network. About their only admission that it’s different is that the new video programming will be shorter. Meanwhile, MSN has finally gotten around to launching its own ad system. So what can we make of this? Google likes to geek out, Yahoo thinks it’s a media company and Microsoft is still trying to catch up. Seems like a pretty good summary, doesn’t it? Anyone want to take bets on which strategy seems most sound?