Organisation: Google

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Analysis and commentary by Echo Research.

Another week and the Google powerhouse was still unable to keep itself out of the headlines . "They are clearly riding a rocket ship right now,"commented analyst Derek Brown (Pacific Growth Equities, Observer, 30/10). Last week the company 'secretly' unveiled to the world a new project called Google Base, which sent the media and bloggers "speculation-o-meter … [into] overdrive"(digital-lifestyles.info, 27/10).

While Google officially down-played the discovery of Base, innocently remarking that, "We are testing a new way for content owners to submit their content to Google"(Computer Business Review, 27/10), the rumour mill predicted the death knoll for online auction house eBay, virtual listings service Craigslist, and even a body blow to traditional media advertising outlets. "When Google turns to a new area, rivals quake"(Lex, 26/10). There was even talk of the creation of a "global hard drive"(Times, 26/10), a worldwide developer "database"(Gartner, vnunet.com, 27/10) and an attempt to "index the world!"(techsmec.com, 26/10).

The downside of Google's current success and urge to diversify, however, was an undercurrent of fear. "Google is being viewed with growing alarm and the kind of suspicion once reserved for Bill Gates and Microsoft"commented the Observer (30/10). Blogger Rodney Kuhn was more succinct: "Google vs. The World!"(The Business, 30/10).