Google Global : Open Source, API, Mission – CNET Japan
Angela Lee, Google’s International Product Manager, followed the Blog Search Session here at CNET Japan’s Fall Innovation Conference with a overview of Google’s global mission, and growth in Japan’s search market. Angela introduced herself to the crowd a bit and then described Google’s mission to organize the world’s information.
Lee’s presentation covered Google’s innovative services including Video Search, Google Desktop and Sidebar, Google Maps, Google Local, Google Mobile, Blogger and GMail.
Google’s paid search marketing is very strong in Japan, with partnerships with almost every Japanese search portal except for MSN and Yahoo. Such portals and search engines Google enjoys AdWords partnerships with include Goo, Technorati, BigGlobe, and Ask.
Lee went on to describe how Google is looking for feedback from users on its current testing of GMail and other applications. Additionally, Lee described the work that Google is doing with the Open Source Community, the Google Code initiatives, selection of Google Languages and API’s available for developers. Examples were given of Japanese sites which are currently using Google API, one being Maplog.jp.
Following the overall ‘Web 2.0’ theme of the conference, Lee also described Google’s RSS Reader and the Google Japan personalized homepage. Addressing local and small business, Lee reviewed the Google Local Business Center where business owners world wide can register their information with Google to help with Google Local indexing. Google Japan made improvements to its Google Local offering yesterday, bringing in more informational feeds from multiple partners.
Google Base, which launched yesterday, was also covered in the demonstration ad its role in user generated content, user reviews, classifieds and indexing of such content.
NOTE : After her session was finished, Google’s Angela Lee received 4 or 5 questions from the crowd, stemming from AdWords to Google Applications to rumors and future Google plans. Most other presenters received one or two questions at the most.
