The NYTimes reports today on Google's new platform, called OpenSocial. I believe that this is the effort scheduled to debut on November 5 (which I previously blogged about).
Essentially, what OpenSocial will do is allow the authoring of individual applications that will work on a variety of different social platforms. Currently, developers have to write an application for each platform they're interested in using (i.e., Facebook, iGoogle etc...) OpenSocial sounds like a terrific thing, but, of course, it excludes Facebook. (How very strategic of Google.)
Can Google out-app Facebook? We'll see. In the meantime, more information on OpenSocial is available on Google Operating System and at the Google OpenSocial Facebook group.
Have you heard about the Google phone? Chris and Brad told us a little about it today: http://www.google-phone.com
Sometimes it gets borderline scary that they are going to take over the world soon...but then the stuff is so good!
I did hear about it---I know this will be the norm in a few years, but it seems weird now--a web service providing a phone service. Makes me think the phone should be all white, with red and blue accents--just like their interface.
--E