Google Launches Google Print?
Reuters is reporting that Google is quietly launching today a new service, Google Print. Problem is, "longtime" (relative term) readers of this page have known about Google Print for a while. I've mentioned it here, here, and here. So, just what is Google launching today? This:

Because Google Print 2.0 doesn't have the same buzzworthiness, Google is treating the service like it's brand new, and in beta. They have revamped it, of course, in order to compete with Amazon (regardless of what they tell you, that is the intent). The new Google Print works just like the old one. You search in Google, and a book or magazine appears in the search results with the [BOOK] or [MAGAZINE] tags. Google doesn't have a Google Print search page, although you can search Google Print thanks to this Research Buzz creation.

The new results for a Google Print search are much more informative. The sample page Google provides has a "Search within this book" box, a picture of the publication, a table of content and index, and is just plain prettier. I don't know when old content will be upgraded to the new inteface, so for now you can still see the old one by clicking here.

The purpose behind Google Print is threefold. The small reason is to sell AdWords ads, which are now less obtrusive and on the bottom of the screen. The more significant reason is to sell books. Each page has several links to online booksellers to buy that book, and you can assume Google will get a cut. The final, and possibly most significant purpose, is that Google now has a search engine for materials not available online. Google is arranging with publishers to bring content that has never been on the internet to Google Print. It is possible now to search scientific journals through Google Print, making Google an even better tool for research. Google is trying to add magazines, possibly even commercial magazines. Who knows, maybe one day you'll be able to search the entire archives of Sports Illustrated through Google Print. This further solidifies Google's place at the top of information search. It's not a GBrowser, but it'll have to do for now.

- posted by Nathan Weinberg @ 10/06/2004 08:19:00 AM