Scarpe strette per Google?

Il 2006 per Google comincia con la pubblicità nella home page nel sito localizzato per la Bielorussia. Un test alla periferia del mondo, per verificare le potenzialità dei nuovi spazi adsense abbandonando per la prima volta la caratteristica interfaccia spartana del motore...

Aggiornamento del 4/1: Giovy mi informa che anche il celebre John Battelle è caduto nel tranello, google.by non appartiene a Google!

E se invece Google si preparasse a lanciare il Google PC?

Bear Stearns analysts speculated in a research report last month that consumers would soon see something called "Google Cubes" — a small hardware box that could allow users to move songs, videos and other digital files between their computers and TV sets. Larry Page, Google's co-founder and president of products, will give a keynote address Friday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Analysts suspect that Page will use the opportunity either to show off a Google computing device or announce a partnership with a big retailer to sell such a machine.

CES analysis: Why I know Google will do an office suite and a desktop OS in 2006 (by Jason McCabe Calacanis)
I think Google will:
a. launch calendar and office suite in the next six months.
b. by the end of the year they will come out with a Linux-based OS and offer it for free to PC makers. Those PC makers will love Google for giving them a free OS and Google will love extending the reach of their money maker: google Adsense.

The big win: Google can offer PC makers something they have never had: reoccurring revenue. Not only can Google give a free OS and office suite, they could offer them 10% of the Google Adsense revenue of that computer/user--FOR LIFE!
Can you imagine if Dell or Compaq could not only sell a computer for $500 with $50 in profit, but also make another $25-50 a year in Adsense revenue? The person keeps the computer for another two years and Dell makes more from the Adsense than the computer.