Free Software Package Offers Users One Stop to Discover, Install and Maintain a Wide Range of Essential PC Programs
Although Google’s upcoming video store got most of the press, Google co-founder Larry Page made another important announcement during his CES keynote address. He also introduced the Google Pack, a suite of software applications that can be installed with one simple download.
Google Inc. announced Google Pack beta, a free collection of safe, useful software from Google and other companies that improves the user experience online and on the desktop. In just a few clicks, users can easily discover, install and maintain software to surf the web faster and safer, communicate better, and effectively manage information.
And that is bad news for Microsoft, says one Google watcher!
While the announcement scheduled by Google at CES is not particularly new, the mode of delivery–a single installer for the entire package–is viewed as fundamental to the company’s vision.
We have heard from countless new computer owners that it can take days or weeks to install all the software they need to make their computer useful, said Marissa Mayer, VP of search products and user experience at Google.
The inspiration behind Google Pack, according to Google vice president Marissa Mayer, came from Page himself who "bought a computer, set it up himself and it took him about 3 hours to click through dozens of license agreements and more than 50 clicks on wizards."
We developed Google Pack to give users a way to painlessly install all the essential software they need — pre-configured in a sensible way — in a matter of minutes. Better yet, users do not have to keep track of software updates or new programs — we maintain and update all the software for them.
Noting that Google seems to be avoiding popular office software functions such as word processing, technology analyst Steve Arnold, of Arnold IT, said Google is targeting utility software first, in a move that complements its plans for its Googleplex, a server-based interconnected massive network.
By doing utility functions first, if it works, we will all be doing everything off of Google, Arnold said in an interview. We are seeing the shift from Microsoft to Google. Just look–Bill Gates is talking about Vista coming in a few months. The Google announcement is for stuff today.
Last month, John Kish, Wyse’s chief executive, told the New York Times: Google is on a path to developing a stack of software in competition with the Microsoft desktop, and one that is much more network-centric, more an Internet service.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the search firm plans to unveil its Google Pack of software that will include Adobe Reader, Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware, RealNetworks’ RealPlayer, Symantec anti-virus software and instant messaging software from Trillian. The package will likely include Google’s search software and its Picasa image management application, Google Talk IM, and Google mapping software.
Google Pack also includes Google Updater, a new tool that intelligently downloads, installs and maintains all the software in the Google Pack. Google Updater alerts users when updates and new programs become available and ensures each program is always up-to-date. Google Updater can also be used to monitor the status of installation, run software that’s been installed, or easily uninstall software.
Users can easily select which programs they want to install. For programs already installed on a computer, Google Updater checks whether the latest version is running. If not, Google Updater will install the latest version.
Every program included in the Google Pack is free, has earned a reputation for excellence, and was evaluated to ensure it meets Google’s Software Principles. Google respects users’ rights to control their own computers and does not include software that is spyware, generates pop-ups, or that is difficult to uninstall. Additional information on Google’s Software Principles is available at http://www.google.com/intl/en/corporate/software_principles.html.
The heavy media coverage of Google has not gone unnoticed by Microsoft chairman Bill Gates. At CES, Gates was asked whether Google represented Microsoft’s most formidable threat in 30 years, "No," said Gates, according to the Reuters news service.
The biggest company in the computer industry by far is IBM. They have four times the employees that I have, way more revenues that I have. IBM has always been our biggest competitor. The press just does not like to write about IBM.
That is not to say that Microsoft should not worry. Google certainly has the capacity to challenge the software behemoth’s cash cow products but that, if it ever happens, is for another day. Also, there is nothing in the Google Pack that you cannot get for free elsewhere on the Internet. Still, it does add value because of the way it installs and updates the programs it comes with.
Arnold, who has authored a book on Google entitled "The Google Legacy," said the Google Pack concept fits neatly into Google’s idea of the Googleplex. You would not need a CD for your software, he said. You will just need a little bit of software on your machine and a lot on the Googleplex.
The analyst said Google’s approach gives it a price advantage over Microsoft. He added that financial scenarios range from a 40-percent to a four- times advantage. "Google is doing to Microsoft what Microsoft did to IBM 20 years ago," Arnold said.
Google Pack beta is available in English, runs on Windows XP, supports Firefox 1.0 and higher and Internet Explorer 6.0 and higher.
More info on Google Pack is available at http://pack.google.com.