Google Launches Personalized Home Page

Google has introduced a personalized home page which includes integrated features such as its e-mail service Gmail, news, weather, stocks, driving directions, movie listings and more:

While Google has long said it had no interest in becoming a portal to lure users to spend much of their Internet time on the Google site, its move on Thursday puts it in even more direct competition with Yahoo and Microsoft, among others, as the paid search industry becomes more competitive and ad dollars spent on Internet advertising continue to soar. Virtually all of Google’s revenue comes from search related advertising.

“We really hope to have this not necessarily be a platform … but rather to help users navigate the Web better,” said Marissa Mayer, director of consumer Web products for Google, referring to the notion of portals being “sticky” and retaining Internet users for extended periods.

“Our philosophy is we want to get people off the Google site” and onto sites that give users the information they’re seeking, Mayer said, noting that news content in the test version of the home page is aimed at that philosophy

Reuters