Some People Just Like to Watch the World Burn: How Google Is Getting in (Little) Trouble

Everyone loves to root for the underdog. If you’re me, you REALLY like to root for the underdog. I mean, I know a thing or two about underdogs-- it’s almost like a set out in my life to be the underdoggiest of the underdogs (note to self: don’t use the term “underdoggiest” again. It sounds dirty in a not-good way.). Some people came from divorced families? Single parents? I came from a divorced family and didn’t grow up with either of my parents. Boom. Some kids struggle to pay for college? I struggled to pay for high school and then got a scholarship to college. Asthma, high blood pressure and high cholesterol all run in my family. But I grab my inhaler (sports-induced, the most gangster of all asthma types) and go play whatever sports I want. I went to Notre Dame (enough said). And when I graduated and moved to Chicago, I started rooting for the Cubs. There’s just something gratifying knowing that-- hoping against hope-- maybe one day, the impossible (improbable) might happen. Similar to birthday cake, the happiness associated it with it is strongly tied to its rarity. 

There are other people that are the antithesis of people like me. Their love of underdog is more generalistic-- they generally just hate to see the big guy win. It’s a more negative take on the rooting for the underdog. Those people will be very happy to hear, it seems like all phasers at set to Google. 

I’ve long been a Google-lover. I like the convenience of my gmail and all that space of my drive!! I mean, I could upload homework docs for days (yes, this is my life now that I’m in business school). Their Hangout leaves much to be desired, simply because its so glitchy and inconsistent, but I’m sure it will improve over time. That being said though, my reaction in the current news is really more like this:

So what's happened? 

1. Facebook decided to eat Google's lunch by building a user interface that essentially sits on top of all the hard work that Google put into creating their operating system. Google is in a tough spot here because they can't close off their developer capabilities (they've long stated that they are the open-sourced system) but at the same time, if they don't do anything, Facebook is essentially going to take away all of those eyes from Google's normal system/hard work and then where will the ad dollars go if all the data is diverted?
2. It also appeared on my radar recently that Google has a thing called Project Loon, which is their attempt to beam internet access down to earth from (not kidding) plastic balloons floating 11 miles into the atmosphere. Despite their best intentions of providing internet access to everyone (including developing countries), they've come under scrutiny and critique from people claiming that maybe they aren't in it to help people but maybe just trying to get more people to look at their ads. As Bill Gates (who is heavily investing in medical care for developing countries) said, "When a kid gets diarrhea, no, there’s no Web site that relieves that"
3. Google's prime hardware manufacturers are also coming out with new devices, but where there were once held breaths and excited whispers, new announcements have people wondering, is that a smart phone or a tablet? Take Samsung's new jumbo phone called the Galaxy Mega. At over 6 inches, it can't fit in my pocket but it's too small to use for productivity...Compensation purposes I guess?

I feel bad to watch the darling of Silicon Valley being dinged on relatively small things in the bigger scope of their tech lives, but it's still interesting to see how quickly public opinion can turn (even in little ways). Keep on keepin' on Google! Now you know how Apple, Cisco, Microsoft and Oracle feel I guess.