Amazon to Take on Google? 196
KRck writes "Looks like Amazon is going to jump into the search engine business and try and compete directly with Google, by building a new company A9 which they hope to launch in October."
The Tao is like a glob pattern: used but never used up. It is like the extern void: filled with infinite possibilities.
Didn't happen. (Score:5, Informative)
Amazon to compete with Google? BULLSHIT. (Score:2, Informative)
I know that nobody reads the articles, but... (Score:3, Informative)
Unlike Google, A9 isn't trying to develop an all-purpose search engine that indexes billions of Web pages. The startup instead is zeroing on a one of search engines' sweet spots -- e-commerce.
Re:Competition is always a welcoming news (Score:1, Informative)
what e-commerce search? (Score:2, Informative)
I mean, realistically, Froogle.com aside, Google can really search very simple static content. Put a CGI form on your website and Google will stop there. Put anything on your website that ties into a complex request and Google won't touch it.
Therefore, I don't think that the spin "A9 is going to compete with Google - the leader in this space" makes much sense, since Google is (yet) not the leader in this space - it's the leader in the static page/document search space. Seem like two different things.
RTFA (Score:3, Informative)
Amazon is *not* trying to index the web.
froogle.google.com?? (Score:2, Informative)
As more consumers have become comfortable with the Internet, a growing number are using search engines to review products and compare prices."
Why not just use froogle.google.com? It's excellent for comparing prices if you know the model of what you're looking for.
Re:Froogle: Best way to find the best price (Score:4, Informative)
Re:What's next? (Score:3, Informative)
But they already do, and have been for quite a while. (If you actually used Amazon, or really knew anything about it, you'd know this.)
It's not really that unusual to have the "available used or new from [price]" line be lower than Amazon's new price. One of the great things about Amazon's business model is that it encourages this kind of openness. They took quite a bit of heat forthis not long ago, when some authors strenuously objected to Amazon offering used copies of thier books listed on the same page as new ones. (And Amazon itself doesn't even sell used books, although they do get a small cut of used sales through partners.)
It's hard to imagine a more fair, balanced, and open business model than Amazon's, regardless of the popularity of Slashdot Amazon-bashing...