Google celebrates its 10th years of existance

1998: Garage days

Photo: William Mercer McLeod

Larry Page and Sergey Brin accept a $100,000 check from Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim and incorporate Google Inc. on Sept. 7. The Stanford University graduate students work from a suburban garage (pictured right) in Menlo Park, Calif., for six months.

Did you know? Google hosted its first data center in a rented 7' x 8' room.

Employees: Less than 10

1999: VCs feel lucky

AltaVista, Excite, Lycos, and Yahoo dominate Internet search, but Google scores $25 million in its first round of venture capital funding, which values the startup at $100 million. Google moves out of its garage to an office building in nearby downtown Palo Alto.

Did you know? Google's original logo ended with an exclamation point.

Employees: Less than 50

2000: The word is AdWords

Google indexes more than a billion Web pages to become the world's largest search engine. In June, Yahoo inks a deal for Google to supply its search results for four years - a fateful move for Yahoo, which waits until 2002 before investing big on its own search technology. In October, Google launches AdWords, which sells text-based ads next to search results.

Did you know? Google makes its first foray into mobile by putting its search engine on Palm handhelds.

Employees: Less than 150

2001: Adult supervision

Eric Schmidt replaces co-founder Larry Page as chief executive in August. Schmidt spent four years as CEO of software maker Novell before joining Google; before that he was the chief technology officer at Sun Microsystems. The company turns a profit for the first time.

Did you know? Google launches its 'Did you mean?' spell-checker.

Annual revenue: $86.4 million

Profits: $6.99 million

Employees: About 250

2002: AOL chooses "the champ of search"

Google thrives even as the bursting of the dotcom bubble devastates scores of Internet companies. AOL Time Warner COO Bob Pittman (right) calls Google "the reigning champ of online search" as AOL abandons Overture search technology for Google's. A new version of AdWords, which will prove to be a multibillion-dollar jackpot, lets advertisers bid on keywords to determine where their ads appear on search result pages.

Did you know? Yahoo drops the Google search logo from its homepage.

Annual revenue: $439 million

Profits: $99 million

Revenue growth: 409%

Employees: About 500

2003: Start making AdSense

Capitalizing on the success of AdWords, Google introduces AdSense in June to deliver ads to third-party sites. While Googlers celebrate AdSense (right), rumors of an IPO heat up and analysts estimate that Google is worth up to $25 billion.

Did you know? Microsoft, desperate to get in the search game, briefly considers an offer to buy Google.

Annual revenue: $1.47 billion

Profits: $106 million ;

Revenue growth: 234% ;

Employees: About 1,300

2004: The IPO of the decade

In the most hotly-anticipated tech IPO since Netscape, Google goes public on Aug. 19 at $85 a share. By the end of the year, Google's stock spikes to $195. The company launches its hugely popular Gmail message service. Orkut, a social-networking site, also debuts but fails to gain much traction, much like the Froogle comparison shopping site before it.

Did you know? CEO Eric Schmidt mandates that meetings start seven minutes after the hour because that's the way some college classes are run.

Annual revenue: $3.19 billion;

Profits: $399 million;

Revenue growth: 118%;

Employees: 3,021

2005: Power player

As Google grows, so does its rivalry with Microsoft and Yahoo. Google introduces personalized homepages that compete directly with Yahoo and MSN. Google also spars with the software giant in court over the hiring of a former Microsoft executive, Kai-Fu Lee (right), to run Google's China operations (the case settled and Lee stayed at Google).

Did you know? One quarter of Googlers work outside the United States.

Annual revenue: $6.14 billion

Profits: $1.47 billion

Revenue growth: 92.5%

Employees: 5,680

2006: The Google of video

Looking to expand its search-advertising platform, Google shells out $1.65 billion for its largest acquisition to date: YouTube, an 18-month old video-sharing site founded by Steven Chen (near right) and Chad Hurley (far right). The search king also strikes a three-year, $900 million deal to run text-based ads on MySpace, a social networking site owned by News Corp.

Did you know? Google is added as a verb in the Oxford English and Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Annual revenue: $10.6 billion;

Profits: $3.08 billion;

Revenue growth:: 72.8%

Employees: 10,674

2007: A tale of two workplaces

Google tops Fortune's Best Company to Work For rankings, thanks to fabulous perks and a stock that hits an all-time high of $741 in November. Even so, an exodus of top Googlers picks up as Gokul Rajaram, one of two senior AdSense execs, leaves to start his own company. Several star Googlers have since decamped to Facebook, including former AdWords sales chief Sheryl Sandberg.

Did you know? Google changes its privacy policy to make users' search data anonymous after 18 months.

Annual revenue: $16.6 billion

Profits: $4.2 billion

Revenue growth: 56.5%;

Employees: 16,805

2008: Taking on Microsoft

Google goes after Microsoft on multiple fronts. The search giant completes its $3.1 billion acquisition of ad server DoubleClick, a company that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer (right) wanted. Google also strikes a search partnership with Yahoo, which Microsoft also wanted. In September, Google, its shares down 40% from their all-time high in 2007, takes on Microsoft's Internet Explorer with its own Web browser, Chrome. Google also prepares to launch its Android mobile operating system to compete with the Apple iPhone and Microsoft's Mobile OS.

Did you know? Google's 2008 international revenues are on track to exceed domestic sales for the first time.

Revenue: $10.6 billion (first half of 2008)

Profits: $2.56 billion (first half of 2008) ;

Revenue growth: 39% (full-year estimate by Thomson Financial) ;

Employees: 19,604 (as of June 30)

Is your partner cheating on you?

Do you often ponder that your relationship is losing its original charm? Is your partner spending late nights in his/her office or he is making excuses for not spending enough quality time with you? Is he temperamental and distant? Is he losing interest in sex?

If the answer to any of these questions is 'yes', there is a possibility that your partner is cheating on you.
Top ten reasons why you shouldn't trust him...
Whether you are married or in a steady relationship, being betrayed is the most sore pain that can happen to you. Here are the top ten warning signs to watch out for...
1) He is reluctant to introduce you to his friends/parents. This is a sure shot sign that your partner is scared of long term commitment. If your relationship is new, the apprehension is very normal as he may want to spend more time with you before he is convinced that you right for him. However, if he has been avoiding or postponing the idea, it's very likely that he is not sure of his intentions.
2) Observing his body language is an excellent way to find out what's playing on his mind. If he avoids making eye contact while talking to you, it's possible that he's not very confident about what he says, he's distracted and doesn't seem to be interested in the conversation.
3) He is hesitant to hold your hand in public view. While you may believe there may be other reasons for doing so, but often, it means that he's not sure of his feelings or may not be interested in a long-term relationship. So, find a guy who wants to show you off to the world, even when you are in your worst outfit!
4) He doesn't call back if you have an argument and you hang up on him. Needless to say, he doesn't think you are 'important' enough and can easily do without you. Megha Agarwal says, "I often get into heated arguments with my boyfriend. At times, I get really irritated when he doesn't even listen to what I have to say and I just hang up on him. I expect him to at least call me back, if not immediately, then perhaps a while later. But he doesn't call me up unless I take the initiative. This really hurts me and makes me feel as if I am not at all important for him."
5) He argues with you on petty issues and doesn't respect your point of view. He's constantly reminding you of what he does for you, while never acknowledging your efforts.
6) Whenever you plan to go out for a hot date, he always insists on meeting up at his place. He doesn't really care whether you're in the mood to be cosy or not and literally forces his opinion on you. Gal, it's time for you to sit back and think 'really' hard whether it's love or lust.
7) If he is very careless in remembering your birthday or your wedding anniversary and always keeps saying he's too busy and doesn't have the time to remember/celebrate such occasions, it means he's making excuses or doesn't attach too much importance to 'togetherness'. Nishtha Mehta, who works in a telecom company says, "When I got married, my husband really pampered me on my birthday and made me feel extra special. But with time, it seems he's just lost interest and even forgets our anniversary these days. These small gestures really matter to me and I feel very disheartened when he doesn't even care to apologise for his absent mindedness, simply stating that he was pre-occupied with work."
8) If he's too possessive about his cell phone, his E-mails, letters or his cupboard for instance, chances are he might be hiding something from you. Richa Singh (name changed on request) , a housewife says, "My husband never lets me take his phone calls or read his messages, he gets really offended if I ever do so. He never lets me use his laptop which makes me even slightly suspicious. Even the thought that he's hiding something from me makes me feel insecure and helpless."
9) He often looks for reasons 'not' to meet up with you. He makes lame excuses and doesn't give a valid explanation. He says he will call you and then forgets. While such incidents may happen occasionally, if you have been observing these traits very frequently, it's likely that he's deliberately avoiding you.
10) He keeps comparing you to his colleague or a friend's girlfriend or doesn't let you speak to your guy pals, while he has a great time with his female friends, chances are that he is attracted to someone else or is not very convinced about having you as a life partner.
While finding out that your partner is cheating on you may be very painful, it's always better to know the harsh truth rather than regretting being fool hardy later. As they say, "If you love someone, set them free, if he comes back, he was yours, if he does not, he never was..."

Using mobile while pregnant? Beware!

Mothers who use mobiles during pregnancy are more likely to have kids with behavioural problems, according to a new study.

The findings are based on a review of 15 years of research into mobile phone health danger.
It also showed that mothers who use handsets around their toddlers would cause the same difficulties.
The study has claimed that using a mobile phone regularly for more than ten years can also increase the risk of brain tumours. Experts have warned that heavy usage can seriously affect male fertility. According to the study, kids exposed to phones pre-natally and in early childhood show an 80 per cent rise in behaviour problems. The study found that kids’ brains absorb a greater proportion of radiation emitted by mobiles due to skull formation.
“We strongly recommend the Government actively discourages mobile phone use by children, including making public advice leaflets readily available in NHS waiting rooms,” the Sun quoted Graham Philips, co-author of the study, as saying. The study will be unveiled at the Radiation Research Trust Conference, in London

Czech nationals convicted for theft of butterflies

An Indian court convicted two Czech nationals, in custody since June 22, of illegally collecting butterflies in West Bengal's Singhalila National Park in violation of wildlife protection laws.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Darjeeling Monday pronounced the two guilty of violating the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as well as the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, according to a statement issued here by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), an NGO helping the prosecution.
Czech nationals Petr Svacha and Emil Kucera were arrested June 22 from a hotel in Srikhola by forest officials. Hundreds of preserved and live insects as well as equipment were seized from them.
Although similar cases involving foreign nationals have been reported from India in the past, this is the first well-documented case where authorities have successfully tracked and arrested the accused, the statement said.
Investigating officer Arbinden Lepcha said: "We asked them to show the legal ownership certificate for the insects in their possession. As they did not have any permits, they were arrested and the insects seized under section 50 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act."
The insects have been sent to the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) for identification.
Kucera, a forester, has a website offering to sell insects, while Svacha is a senior scientist at the Institute of Entomology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (ASCR) and managing editor of the European Journal of Entomology.
Both said the insects were for research purpose. They had failed to register at the Foreigners' Registration Office, entered India on a tourist visa and did not possess permission for research, the statement said.
One of the witnesses, P. Mukhopadhyay, a ZSI scientist, had testified that a beetle species, Cucujus bicolor, that falls under the Schedule II Part II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, has been identified. Identification of the remaining specimens was on.

iPhone and 3G problem

A New Jersey man has sued Apple Inc. over charges that its iPhone 3G drops calls and doesn't consistently connect to AT&T Inc.'s data network -- the second such federal lawsuit filed in the past two weeks.

Eulardi Tanseco, who submitted his lawsuit to U.S. District Court in New Jersey last Friday, accused both Apple and AT&T of breaking that state's consumer antifraud law, as well as violating other warranty, breach-of-contract and fraud statutes. Like the lawsuit filed Aug. 19 against Apple by Jessica Smith of Birmingham, Ala., Tanseco's suit asked the court to grant the case class-action status.

"Apple has wrongfully and unfairly deceived its customers by advertising and selling the alleged newer and improved iPhone 3G with the express and implied promise that this consumer product was a reliable and efficient mobile phone," the lawsuit said.

Tanseco, who said he bought an iPhone 3G the first day it went on sale, was unhappy with the phone's performance. "Almost immediately after purchasing the iPhone 3G, Plaintiff became aware of problems connecting and/or maintaining a connection via the 3G protocol with his new iPhone 3G," the suit continued.

Most of the time, Tanseco said, his iPhone 3G would connect only to AT&T's older, and slower, EDGE data network. And during the few instances when he initially had a 3G connection, the iPhone would often shift to EDGE. "Even when Plaintiff was able to connect via the 3G protocol, on many occasions, even while remaining comparatively still in the same physical location, Plaintiff's data transmission was dropped from the 3G protocol to the much slower EDGE protocol," the filing stated.

According to the lawsuit, AT&T was included as a defendant because it "failed to advise its customers that the iPhone 3G was not capable of connecting and/or maintaining a connection with AT&T's 3G network to complete data transmission."

Tanseco also accused Apple of duping customers with the App Store, the company's online mart for third-party applications that users can install on their phones. The apps, said Tanseco, "consistently crash."

Prior to Tanseco and Smith suing Apple, iPhone 3G owners had flooded Apple's support forums with complaints about their phones and AT&T's 3G network. The gripes included difficulty making calls from areas supposedly covered by a 3G network, weak signals, dropped calls and slower-than-promised data download speeds.

Tanseco made mention of the last in his lawsuit, echoing similar charges by Smith. "Apple specifically represented and continues to represent that the iPhone 3G is 'Twice as fast. Half the price' as its predecessor, the iPhone," said the lawsuit.

Although Apple has released two software updates since the July 11 launch of the iPhone 3G, including one on Aug. 18 that the company claimed improved 3G communication, Tanseco's suit dismissed both updates for not correcting the problems he cited.

The newest lawsuit seeks both compensatory and punitive damages, as well as an injunction that would force Apple to stop selling the iPhone unless it fixes the flaws or modifies its advertising.

Apple must respond to the lawsuit by the end of September, according to other documents filed with the federal court