Official Google Blog: About the AOL announcement

Google VP of Search products writes:

"There will be no banner ads on the Google homepage or web search results pages. There will not be crazy, flashy, graphical doodads flying and popping up all over the Google site. Ever."

She shouldn't say this. Ebay once said something like this related to ads. At some point Google might be in a position where putting banner ads on its homepage is in its or its customers' best interest. Don't close doors when no one is forcing you to.

The real battle: will the developing world go Microsoft or Google

As much as we US bloggers concern ourselves with the immediate, local battle between Google and Microsoft, far more critical to these companies' futures are the outcome of this competition in the developing world. Will India and China adopt a Google-centric, Internet-app model, or a Windows desktop view?

Pay attention.