Because "giving away" one of the most powerful analytic applications away isn't enough, Google is now out to take on Exchange (well, in a way). Google Base is potentially rather revolutionary. Not that an online, freeform database is something that hasn't been attempted before but this is, after all, Google Base.

Google creating a free system to help catalog any type of data should rattle a few cages; if you think that the Google Maps API was exciting just think what a global, crowd maintained super database will let people do (especially with a more-than-certain accompanying API). So when the rattling stops, and the animals have settled down again we can start forgetting how the world was like when we didn't feed every bit of information we had into Google.

Let's take a step back and see what Google is handling right now: the web (Google Search); our personal browsing habits (Toolbar, Analytics); zeitgeist/press (News, Groups, Blogsearch, Blogger); our shopping habbits (Froogle); where we go/are (Maps, Earth, Local); our entertainment (Video, Images, Picassa); our files (Desktop); our communication (Gmail, Talk); and now everything else (Google Base). All that and we'd still rather pinch its rosy cheeks, and coo at its adorable little thematic logos than start boarding the windows and wrap tin foil around our heads.

I wonder how people would react if say Microsoft got there first. To be honest, I'm still surprised they consistently get in 2nd or 3rd but seeing that people would most definitely, well, freak out maybe it's actually a brilliant way to go about it. See, you can let Google do all this "world domination" stuff under their warm & fuzzy, carebear, "they do it because they love us" image; then, when nobody's looking do the same thing without getting too much heat.

Google ends the "will they, won't they" debate and now offers Urchin statistics for free under the name Google Analytics (thanks, Howard); track up to 5 million pageviews for free (more if you're an active AdWord subscriber).  More here.

I’ve been raving about Urchin to clients for quite a while at only $199/mo and now Google has decided to change Urchin over to Google Analytics and offer it for free. Wow.

From pricey to free, I wonder what that means for all the other smaller analytics providers. I'm guessing that this could wipe out the entire analytics market over night. I will be testing it on this blog over the next few days.

I keep hearing that expression "Bubble 2.0"; you know the one that arises everytime you mention any new cool web 2.0 app. While I hate the whole 2.0-speak and agree that in many ways this era smells a bit too much like the .com days I don't think we're facing a bubble and here's why:

The ideology that is fueling the development of new, simple, cheap online apps is somehow drilling down to the way the investment is handled. Little, fun-size, investments that mean the people with the cash can spread their risk while still investing in the (gasp) internet.

Much of the new stuff coming out can be run, built, marketed on peanuts. If one company goes down, it's not a huge blow to investors or the market (unlike say, Webvan). It's a bit like bubblewrap; sure, a few of these concepts are a bit over-rated and many are starting to look and feel a bit too samey but if a little bubble bursts here and there the overall structure doesn't collapse. Well, hopefully.

But let's face it, this is all about little shrimps with big potential. Technorati closing down wouldn't make the cover of Business Week but it could turn a profit for investors (note: I haven't done any research on this specific case so it could be losing cash like an optimist in Vegas). The funding for even the top web 2.0 businesses is usually a fraction of the cost of one of those silly (yet fun if you're there) .com launch parties. So people, keep cool, don't go spending that cash on hookers and Ferraris, we could actually make things work this time.

On a less positive note, everything is starting to look the same. Looking at the latest hot-new-thing feels a bit like watching the subway zoom by: a big blurry streak, with the odd clear face. We need to focus on stuff that can help people in business and life. There are now twenty billion systems for organising & searching RSS feeds and I still use Bloglines...

I've been relatively impressed with Yahoo's new map service (more on TechCrunch). Sure, it looks and feels very similar to Google's system (and the subsequent MSN effort) but smart use of Flash and Flex has allowed them to create an experience which bests Google's in many areas. Yes, I did say Flash.

Some of you may know that I generally found Google Maps a bit "clunky" and while Yahoo! isn't 100% succesful, the overall manipulation of the maps feels considerably smoother.

Yahoo's relationship with Flash predates that toolbar episode and I understand that they are Macromedia's largest license purchaser. Maps is most certainly one of the "very exciting things" Macromedia and Yahoo! were expected to come up with. Certainly, having the world's most visited site backing some Flash-based technologies can only be a good thing for Macromedia and the release of the new Y! Maps API examples has gotten the community buzzing.

Justin’s Rich Media Blog has a couple of very neat examples (here & here) that show of just how far you can take Yahoo! Maps. Great stuff. Too bad there's still no coverage whatsoever for where I live... Peh.

Some people spend a couple of hours in Photoshop applying layer upon layer of effects, curves and gradients. Some toss their camera in the air. For some beautiful "I don't care much about my camera" photography see Flickr's collection (from K10k). Lovely stuff.

How the hell did they do that? Cartoon band Gorillaz performing live at the MTV Europe Music Awards in front of a real crowd is one of the most impressive things I've seen in a while. It's just too cool for words so here's the video...

Update: Kind of dissapointed that the Gorillaz aren't ushering the start of the holographic era (thanks, Darran) but not really surprised. End result looked amazing so who cares if the technology isn't quite Star Trek yet...

“Our Gorillaz aren’t holograms because holographic technology isn’t quite up to what we need. It is digital animation projected on special transparent foil in a way that appears holographic.”

More on that here.

Looks like Microsoft's eagerness to get the Xbox 360 out early is costing them some of the initial momentum they had gathered over the last few months. X05 (Microsoft's yearly press-schmoozing extravaganza) wasn't the resounding success Allard and co were hoping for with much of the press reporting varying degrees of dissapointment with the reality of what "next-gen" will actually look like this Christmas. The first wave of titles is bound to be less impressive than those 6 months down the line but it doesn't look like they've got a Halo to help them this time. In fact, it is safe to say that not many of the announced launch games (which may or may not make it) are getting much love. Even the next Project Gotham Racing got slated for bad framerates.

According to Edge Magazine, many of the 360-bound updates of famous franchises seem to be simple upgrades (better textures, higher polygon counts) while previously seen footage of, fan favourite, Ghost Recon ended up appearing hugely misleading when compared to playable code (medium quality PC game quality, apparently).

I was going to pre-order my Xbox 360 this week, I knew that there would be few games at first and that later games would be better but I just wanted to be part of the first adopters because I believed in the machine (and wanted the street cred). I'm not so sure anymore... All this rushing scares me, the fact that they completely hid the gigantic power adapter from the public annoys the fuck out of me and the general line-up doesn't impress me.

Next-gen is going to happen over the next year, just maybe not this Christmas. I'd love to be wrong. I'd love for Microsoft to have an ace up its very expensive Italian-cut sleeve: Halo 3, running in HD at 60 frame a second. I'd love this stuff to blow everyone away but I doubt it will in the very near future.

All the while Sony continues pumping the PS3 hype machine full of heavy fuel, check this out. Impressive and exactly what you need to get your machine into the mainstream psyche. Microsoft, you watching this?