After conquering the web search engine niche, the big G is now gearing up to conquer its users’ lives even when they are offline. Introducing Google Gears, a web browser extension that will let users work with Google’s various apps offline. And to carry out this plan, Google is even giving third party developers free access to the Google Gear API to enable these developers make their products available online through Google Gear.
For starters, Google is testing its Gears with obviously the right product, Google Reader. To access Google Reader offline, install Google Gear first. Then access your Google Reader and select that green arrow button just beside your gmail account. Google Gear will then start “synchronizing” your Google Reader feeds and prompts you that you can now disconnect from the net and read your Google Reader feeds offline. Ain’t that cool?
Imagine the possibilities if third party developers start making their web applications available offline through Google Gear? If reading feeds offline is not your thing, how about reading your mails?
Of course we can’t discount the fact that Google is moving towards the desktop setup and perhaps give Microsoft’s long time domination of the offline arena a little shake up. But Google’s success would depend on the open source developers’ participation on this open source project. Google could easily make its various apps available through Google Gear. But those apps wouldn’t be enough to sustain users’ interests towards this tool.
Google Gear currently has 3 modules waiting for open source developers to explore them:
 |
LocalServer
Cache and serve application resources (HTML, JavaScript, images, etc.) locally |
|
Database Store data locally in a fully-searchable relational database |
|
WorkerPool Make your web applications more responsive by performing resource-intensive operations asynchronously |
@aczafra
Latest posts by Arnold Zafra (see all)
- An Intro to the Google Chrome Web Store - December 9, 2010
- Has Wikileaks Begun a Cyberwar? - December 9, 2010
- Google Chrome OS Netbook Released for Free in Pilot Program - December 8, 2010
Hmmm. Maybe Google will not buy Technorati next. Maybe it’ll be a browser, say Opera? Not sure if Firefox/ Mozilla is up for grabs.
Opera? Hmmm…. Google is a hardcore Opera partner :)
And being that it’s somewhat ad supported, by AdSense, fits into the Google equation.
Hoo boy, here we go again. However, as much I like Opera, would it be as big a score for Google? I gather more people use Firefox than Opera, especially developers. And without some huge incentive, would they switch?
Hmmm… what if users received part of the ad revenue?
Yes, very bad concept and open to click fraud, but what if that share was based upon a CPM revenue scale?
Plus I could see a very ad friendly video player being added to the Opera browser for YouTube & Goog Video.
And let’s not forget the popularity of Opera Mini and Opera Mobile which Google could take full advantage of, should it decide to buy the whole Opera suite.
Especially since Google Checkout has now introduced their service for the mobile.
And don’t forget the Opera Browser for the Nintendo Wii :)
Could you imagine a Google/Nintendo deal which would trump what MSN adCenter is doing with the XBox?
Yes, that’s true. To be honest, I like Opera Mobile, which I believe I tried out to test Google Maps Mobile (GMM) and Google Mail Mobile. Mail Mobile was actually not bad on my Palm Treo 650, but I’m not a big fan of complex apps on small screens.
However, considering what I said in Who’ll take on Google, the mobile space is going to likely be the next “it” space.
So…. watch out for the Goopera browser. Or is that Oogle? How’s that for a viewing application? Have you been Oogled today?