Beyond Google

Google Inc.'s success has left the Internet search leader sitting on a pile of cash — $22 billion at the end of September. Executives say they are ready to spend more money to take advantage of what they believe will be even better days ahead. That will include buying other companies, although perhaps not on the scale of Google's $1.76 billion acquisition of YouTube in 2006 or $3.2 billion purchase of DoubleClick last year. Google CEO Eric Schmidt provided some insights into his thinking Thursday in a third-quarter earnings conference call with investors. QUESTION: Will Google be doing a large transformative acquisition or will ... Read Full Story

Back in March, Google CEO Eric Schmidt caused a little controversy when he was quoted as thinking of Twitter (and the other micro-messaging services like it) as a “sort of poor man’s email systems.” He later clarified his remarks a bit. Tonight, he has joined the service. Current Googlers such as Hunter Walk (YouTube) and former Googlers such as Chris Sacca welcomed Schmidt to the service tonight, pointing to his account, eschmidt0 . Yes, you’d think he could have gotten a better name (for example, ericschmidt is currently suspended, and presumably available). But maybe he’s continuing Google’s love affair with 1s and 0s. So ... Read Full Story

Back in March, Google CEO Eric Schmidt caused a little controversy when he was quoted as thinking of Twitter (and the other micro-messaging services like it) as a “sort of poor man’s email systems.” He later clarified his remarks a bit. Tonight, he has joined the service. Current Googlers such as Hunter Walk (YouTube) and former Googlers such as Chris Sacca welcomed Schmidt to the service tonight, pointing to his account, eschmidt0 . Yes, you’d think he could have gotten a better name (for example, ericschmidt is currently suspended, and presumably available), but maybe he’s continuing Google’s love affair with 1s and 0s. So ... Read Full Story

Google Inc. says a board member who is also a director of computer maker Apple Inc. is stepping down, removing a potential conflict of interest as the two companies look to compete more directly. Arthur Levinson, chairman of the biotech company Genentech Inc. and a Google board member since April 2004, is stepping down effective immediately. Google CEO Eric Schmidt said Levinson has been "a key part of Google's success these past five years" but offered no specific reason for the departure. Still, the announcement Monday follows Schmidt's own decision this summer to leave Apple's board. That move came shortly after Google unveiled plans ... Read Full Story

ERIC SCHMIDT ON WHERE GOOGLE IS HEADED The news on Aug. 3 that Google CEO Eric Schmidt was resigning from the board of Apple took many by surprise. For others in Silicon Valley and on Wall Street, the question wasn't why--but why it took so long. The Federal Trade Commission has been casting a quizzical eye on Schmidt's role as an Apple director, and the two companies seem to be on a competitive collision course. Schmidt was unavailable to talk about his decision, but extensive and previously unpublished discussions we had last month illuminate where Google is going and why it is headed in ... Read Full Story

In a brief interview with FOX Business Network, Google CEO Eric Schmidt talked about his views on the talking points of Obama’s Jobs Summit at The White House, which he attended. The full clip is embedded below, but here are some of the highlights of what Schmidt said: - small and medium sized businesses do much of the hiring in the U.S., so they should be running into less problems getting loans - banks should be forced by the government to provide SMBs with more loans, by means of regulatory changes - Google wants media companies to ‘make it’ because they depend critically on ... Read Full Story

Google CEO Eric Schmidt got on the Twitter bandwagon over the weekend, but he got the rather unfortunate handle of ‘Eschmidt0′ rather than his full name. Twitter has now just moved Schmidt to a proper verified account (so yes, he’s real!) and the old one has been taken over by a squatter named Felipe Barreto. What’s his taste in Twitter accounts? Well, lots of official Google ones for starters. And then there’s Bob Saget, Heidi Montag and 50 Cent. Go figure. Read Full Story