Google No Longer A Quiet Giant

Seemingly gone is the company that did one thing and did it well, and tried in earnest not to talk about that one thing done well. Google is dipping into many wells these days, but the biggest change is perhaps how forthcoming Google has been recently.

There was a time when one had to lurk about the search forums and bloggers-familiar-with-the-matter to pick up tidbits about algorithmic changes, policy changes, and future (seemingly grandiose) movements. The Google obsessed are still hard at it – many of them landing new, higher profile gigs or advertising deals – digging through domain registrations, robot droppings, and (sometimes faked) photo evidence. It was this trademark standoffishness that, ironically, seemed to propel the company to juggernaut status.

Alas, much of the mystery just isn't there anymore. Google has numerous blogs devoted to everything from public policy to research. Google's PR people actually answer questions (usually only the PR people, though), the founders are more outspoken about future plans, and the very public battle with AT&T and Verizon shows a more mature, confident, and transparent multinational corporation.

It wasn't long ago that Google wouldn't comment on rumor and speculation (they still won't) surrounding the rumored Google phone. It wasn't too tough to guess at their plans after they acquired Android. Still, they were pretty tight-lipped. These days, they're proud to say Android-powered phones a doorway page (hint: it's less techie, more felt). Meanwhile, Google's Maile Ohye has posted a video detailing eventual commoditization of web content—an idea that means you'll be paying to read news again one day—the company demonstrates its own skill at getting around pesky subscription obstacles by allowing a few Google Finance.

Is this the end, then, of the search giant's shyness? We should be careful what we wish for; there may come a day when we wish they'd shut up already.