News
Google Expands Office Software
Google Inc. plans to launch software similar to Microsoft Corp.'s popular PowerPoint program.
(San Francisco) Google Inc. plans to launch software similar to Microsoft
Corp.'s popular PowerPoint program as the two companies vie to dominate
the online experience.
Google Chairman and Chief Executive Eric Schmidt described the software
Tuesday at a conference for Internet entrepreneurs. He also blasted Microsoft
and AT&T Inc., whose executives complained over the weekend that Google
may soon have an illegal monopoly in online advertising.
Google announced Friday it would pay $3.1 billion to acquire ad-management
technology company DoubleClick Inc. Almost as soon as Google announced
the cash acquisition, Microsoft and AT&T executives said the deal
could violate antitrust legislation -- and result in a dangerous concentration
of Internet users' personal data at Mountain View-based Google.
But Schmidt, noting that Microsoft and AT&T have had their share
of antitrust skirmishes, retorted, "Give me a break."
"They're wrong," Schmidt said. "It's false."
The verbal volleys come as Microsoft and Google escalate the rivalry
to control how people use the Internet. Microsoft has long dominated the
computer desktop with its Windows operating system. But people are increasingly
using home pages, bookmarks, search engines and other Web-based programs
to determine where they shop, how they communicate and how they play videos,
music and movies.
The two companies already offer e-mail, word processing and spreadsheet
programs, and other tools. Google's new presentation software will compete
against Microsoft's ubiquitous PowerPoint software that's part of its
popular Office suite.
"This completes what most users of PCs consider the Office suite,"
said John Battelle, who leads Federated Media Publishing and grilled Schmidt
about the product at the conference.
Microsoft spokeswoman Lisa Koetz said competition is good for customers,
and Microsoft is listening to the 450 million people who use Microsoft
Office to ensure it is meeting their needs.
"The success we are seeing with the 2007 release of Microsoft Office
tells us we are heading in the right direction," Koetz said.
People use Google's software over the Internet and can simply log in
from any computer through a Web browser, while Microsoft Office must be
installed on an individual computer.
Google would not release more details about the presentation software,
though product manager Rajen Sheth said users would be able to store documents
online and let anyone with a free Google account view the slides, spreadsheets
or documents online.
Google will give away two versions of the presentation software starting
this summer, and it will sell a "Premier" version with extra
storage for $50 per year. The presentation program is part of Google Docs
& Spreadsheets, which the company has been unveiling piecemeal for
nearly a year.
Schmidt, who used a beta version to flash slides at the conference, downplayed
the Microsoft rivalry.
"It does not have all the functionality nor is it intended to have
all functionality of Microsoft Office," he said, but quickly added,
"It seems to be a better fit to how people use the Web."
Google announced the acquisition Tuesday of Tonic Systems Inc., a startup
based in San Francisco and Melbourne, Australia. The company specializes
in collaborative presentation software and is expected to contribute to
future versions to Google's productivity suite. Financial terms were not
disclosed.
Google shares fell $1.47 to close Tuesday at $472.80 on the Nasdaq Stock
Market, where Microsoft shares gained 12 cents to $28.85.