What is Google?
Google is one of the world’s leading companies in the technology industry. It offers a variety of services, such as web-based email, search engine, and software. Some of its products include Android, Chrome OS, Google Maps, and Gmail.
Since its inception, Google has branched out into a number of other technologies and products, such as web-based operating system Chrome, mobile operating system Android, and the largest video sharing platform, YouTube. However, its original search tool remains the heart of its success. In addition, it has built a suite of services that includes a mobile app, online marketplace, cloud storage, and digital assistant.
The name “Google” is a mathematical term meaning googol, which refers to the quantity “one followed by one hundred zeroes.” Brin and Page, the founders of the company, were inspired by the word to come up with a name. They believed it to be a meaningful acronym that accurately reflected their mission.
At first, Google was simply a website that allowed people to search the Internet. A beta version of its e-mail service was also available, though it was discontinued in 2009. As of 2012, it has 29 offices in the United States, and 5 in Canada.
Google’s search engine remains its most popular product, and it is used by about 70 percent of Internet users around the world. Google also offers the Google Maps, Google Video, and Google Earth. These services have been criticized for privacy issues, as well as other traditional business concerns. For example, users have been concerned that the data of users, businesses, and third parties has been collected by Google.
Google’s stated mission is to organize the world’s information. This is accomplished through a combination of technology and human expertise. Specifically, it uses its proprietary algorithm to rank webpages based on the links that lead to them.
Other Google products include the Google Cloud, which provides a range of services for businesses. These include cloud computing, backup, and disaster recovery. With a Premium 2 TB plan, customers can get access to a virtual private network (VPN), which encrypts internet activity. There are also Google One plans, which offer users more space, exclusive offers, and special features.
In 2004, Google launched its first IPO, raising more than $1.66 billion in an auction. This was a rare move, as most companies at that time were private ventures. Alphabet, the new parent company, then reorganized the company into several divisions, including its core search business, apps, hardware, and advertising. Alphabet’s executive chairman was former Apple CEO Eric Schmidt. He was replaced by Sundar Pichai, who is currently the chief executive officer of the company.
Google has also branched out into the hardware market, introducing its own mobile phone, the Pixel. The company is also expanding into cloud computing, which involves placing advertisements on websites.
Among the numerous services that Google has created are a digital assistant, a blog, a mobile app, and a calendar. While the Google logo does not appear on the products that it has created, the company has hidden Easter eggs in the various services it offers.
