When Facebook had just started out, you would never think of it as a search engine. When Google was peaking during the Internet Bubble Burst, you would never think of it as social. But how about now? With Facebook you a lot more queries than you are probably aware of. You want to buy something? You post on your status for friends to give you advice. You look for fan pages concerning the brand you want to acquire, the movement you want to join or the artist you want to follow. With Google, you get Buzz, a service similar to Twitter, you can chat, use email, upload videos (YouTube) etc. Somewhere along the way, they just simply got caught up in competition.
There are rumors and the great speculation that Facebook is the only one that has been able to at least bend Google’s hand in this head to head web wrestling match. Facebook now has @facebook accounts so you can check your email. And behold… rumors of Google launching a social network called “Circles” is now whispering at us. However denying comments from Google’s part are coming along (http://networkeffect.allthingsd.com/20110313/new-google-circles-would-have-more-nuanced-sharing-but-google-says-no-launch-imminent/?mod=ATD_rss ) Haven’t both giants kind of lost eye on the game?
They perhaps have been pulled so badly by the sense of competition, of beating each other to the finish line, they forgot perhaps that they would be better off being kings in their own categories instead of shedding some wires. But oh well, boys will be boys. Let’s see how Schmidt and Zuckerberg try to beat each other to be teacher’s pet.