Google versus Competition

Google is no more just an internet search company. One reason why its market cap at $138 billion (Rs 6,21,000 crore) is more than double that of Yahoo (but less than half of Microsoft).

Google Search: Clearly the leader as of now: Half of the world uses Google search; logging 250 million queries a day
Email: Still under beta, but is a hit with users with its features like search, 2.6 GB space, free POP3 account. Has only 4 per cent market share currently, as it's only on invitation as of now
VoIP: It has Google Talk, a VoIP service, which is still under beta. Google is rumoured to be testing a pay-per-call feature in ads appearing on its search engine
AdWords: Google's popular text-based pay-per-click advertising service is the leader in this space. It contributes more than 90 per cent of Google's revenues
AdSense: Its advertising programme for website publishers is the most popular one
Toolbar: If you use Google more than other sites for search, then it's more likely you will download Google Toolbar. So, it has an edge
Blog: After Google bought Pyra Labs, developer of the widely-used Blogger and Blogspot web self-publishing system, it has emerged leader in the blogging space
Desktop search: Launched in 2004, Google's desktop search allows people to scan their computers for information in the same way they use Google to search the web
Photosharing: Google entered digital photosharing service by acquiring Picasa in July 2004
Mapping: Besides simple mapping and directory service, Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google Search to bring geographic information on the desktop
Book search: Though controversial, Google's project to digitise the world's books is the most ambitious of all