Blog of Leonid Mamchenkov

Some time ago Google acquired JotSpot - a wiki-like web service. There weren’t much news about it since then though. It was obvious that JotSpot will join Google’s office applications in one form or another. But details and time lines weren’t clear. Slashdot runs a follow-up post, saying that JotSpot will replace Google Pages tool. It will be called Google Sites. Here is a relevant quote:

Based on JotSpot collaboration tools, Sites will allow business to set up intranets, project management tracking, customer extranets, and any number of custom sites based on multi-user collaboration.

Obviously, this is something to wait for. There is a demand for a tool like this among small companies, and existing solutions could use a little competitive push.

Update: More details about Google Apps plans for 2008 at this Techcrunch post.

Yesterday I read the Slashdot post discussing the power of TinyUrl web service to affect accessibility of web resources.  Most of today, the TinyURL web service is down. (Switching to conspiracy voice):  Coincidence?  I think not!

Well, nobody knows for sure yet, but Slashdot (yes, again Slashdot) links to this article which has a few quotes from Sun officials.  Interestingly enough, it’s hard to say if Sun will support the open source platform

Jonathan Schwartz, president and CEO of Sun, wrote a blog post congratulating Google on the day of Android’s launch.

or if it will insist on keeping mobile market defragmented

Sun also shared statements that Rich Green, executive vice president of software at Sun, made during Oracle Open World this week about Android. “We’re reaching out to Google and are anticipating they will be reaching out to us to ensure the software and APIs will be compatible–so deployment on a wide variety of platforms will be possible,” he said.

Green also said that Sun wants to work with Google to prevent creating a fractured mobile development environment.

In the last two years, the well-known fact of Google offering free WiFi Internet access in Mountain View, California has almost been forgotten (except, of course, by people living in Mountain View and Googlers themselves).  At the time of news many were wondering about why Google is doing such a thing.  Not it all suddenly became obvious…

Slashdot reports that Google is preparing for a bid in the upcoming auction set up by FCC for a 700 Mhz radio frequency.  There are a few interesting twists about the offer - “open access” and “nation-wide”.  With these news, it’s hard to see the Mountain View setup as something else rather than a test platform.  With the recently released Android open mobile platform, the connections seem obvious.

The stakes for the band are high, and Google is planning to bid at least $4.6 billion USD dollars.  And they are paying this all out of their own pocket (not sharing with another company, etc).   Wh?  Because there are quiet a few things on Google’s agenda.

If you are like me, and need more information on this whole thing, here are a few pointers:

• Wikipedia : 700 Mhz wireless spectrum auction
• Engadget Mobile : posts tagged with 700mhz
• GigaOm : 700 Mhz explained in 10 steps
• GigaOm : Inside the 700 MHz spectrum land grab
• Daily Wireless : 700MHZ Goes Live
• Daily Wireless : Consumers to FCC: 700MHz Democracy Now!

P.S. : Now those Indian telecoms have to re-think their position.

P.P.S. : In the completely unrelated news,  Ubiquiti Networks announced world’s first 700 MHz WiFi radio.  Here is the official press release.

Slashdot is well-known for the quality of discussions.  Minus, of course, trolling anonymous cowards.  Here is a quote from the comment to give you the sense of how clear some Slashdot users can express themselves:

Did you actually try to develop anything for Symbian?
Well, I did. And let me tell you this: Windows APIs, complete with their haphazard organization and historical baggage, lunatic bugs and arcane undocumented extensions are an example of Reason and Logic, when compared to this positive 10 day old vomit which is Symbian. Any ole Linux API is like an Extatic Symphony of Cosimic Joy, Eternal Purity and All-Encompassing Sanity, next to this 10 day old vomit which is Symbian.

I would have a lot of hard times, if somebody asked me to translate this to another language…