Google: The Next Generation

'Google X' lab envisions future of technology

(NEWSER) - To Google is to search, but in the future it could mean much more. Google operates a secret lab in the Bay Area devoted to projects far beyond the cutting-edge: ideas like robots that go to the office for you and dinner plates that communicate with your social network, the New York Times reports. Google X, as the lab is known, employs some of the country’s top engineers and has a list of 100 projects in the works, including elevators that would travel from Earth to space. More»

Co-founder Larry Page will take over in April

(NEWSER) - Google made a surprise shuffle at the top today when announcing its quarterly results: Eric Schmidt is stepping down as CEO and will be replaced by co-founder Larry Page, reports MarketWatch . Schmidt will remain with the company as executive chairman, while Page's co-founder, Sergey Brin, will take a bigger role with a focus on "strategic projects." Schmidt plans to sell some of his Google shares, a move that would see him clear $334 million at today's prices, notes Fortune . See Google's official blog on the shuffle here . More»

Facebook founder tops Steve Jobs, Rupert Murdoch

(NEWSER) - Frighteningly enough, Mark Zuckerberg tops Vanity Fair 's list of this year's most influential people of the Information Age. The top 5 of its 100:

1. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook: His company is valued at around $25 billion, has more than 500 million members, runs 176 billion banner ads a month, and is looking at $2 billion in revenue this year.
2. Steve Jobs, Apple: He's already saved the music business, now he's looking to do the same for the publishing industry with the iPad. And sales of his market-dominating iPhone will likely top $20 billion this year.

Its shares off 40% since November, 'the shine is off' search behemoth

(NEWSER) - After a hitting record high in November, Google shares have fallen 40%, reports the Los Angeles Times. Investors are concerned that a downturn in consumer spending could slow Google's growth—previously thought to be recession-proof. "Now the shine is off Google, whether deservedly or not," one media analyst said of the pioneering search giant. More»

Move keeps co-founders in control

(NEWSER) - Google has unveiled a stock split that will double the number of shares while keeping co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin firmly in control. The company is creating a new class of nonvoting shares that will be distributed to existing shareholders in a 2 for 1 split. The move will allow the company to make long-term investments using its shares without the co-founders' power being diluted, Bloomberg notes. The split also allows Google to hang on to its $49 billion cash pile instead of paying a dividend to shareholders. More»