No, the Google boys aren’t rolling through the Valley in a 7-series BMW with some 20’s on it, though they may just be.  I’’ve never seem them.  The bling I am referring to is the new Web browser they unveiled earlier this month called Chrome.  

The Mac user in me hasn’’t had a chance to really explore it because Google hasn’’t released a version for us Windows defectors.  However, since I use Windows at work, I’ve had a chance to use it and all I can say is Bill Gates should send over a bouquet of flowers thanking them for this new browser.

Why?  Chrome will not be a threat to Microsoft for some time but will pose a more immediate threat to Firefox.  Chrome is faster, has better security options in my opinion and the tab function allows you to end a frozen tab without killing the entire window.  But the biggest threat to Firefox is the fact that it’’s an open source application, meaning developers that might have worked on Firefox to make it better may now choose Chrome.  With the stacks of money Google has, Chrome can only get better.

If the Web browsing wars are truly back all I can say is Firefox get ready because you’’re at the OK Corral gunfight and Google’’s being represented by Wyatt Earp, Morgan Earp, Virgil Earp and Doc Holiday.

Every day billions of internet users employ Google as their primary search engine. Whether it is for work, play, or somewhere in between, we rely on Google as a pathway into the vast internet expanse. And we don’t solely use the search engine, do we? No way. We use Google’s many other services like Gmail, Google News, Google Reader, Google Scholar, Google Calendar, and the list goes on.

Most of Google’s apps require that we enter information so that Google can get appropriate search results or store that information for our later access (e.g. Gmail, Google Calendar). Google can then use this information to specifically tailor advertisements on our screen according to what we have entered. For example, I recently g-mailed some friends about going to see the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight. I titled the message “Dark Knight tonight?” and received advertisements on the side of the screen for movie times, Batman t-shirts, Batman watches, and the soundtrack from the movie.

Social networking websites like Facebook do similar things. Enter a sports team under interests and you will get advertisements from sports gambling websites. You’re from Massachusetts? Be prepared for advertisements for apartments in Boston.

And it gets more advanced. Last year, a deal fell through that would have had Google and Earthlink providing the city of San Francisco free wireless internet in exchange for the location of users. This would have enabled Google to sell advertisements based on the users’ location in the city. Pass a movie theater and the trailer for the newest action flick flashes on your screen. Sitting at a coffee shop? Sip on the new and delicious caramel peanut butter chocolate latte supreme, venti sized!

On the one hand, this can be quite scary. Does Google know everything about me? My interests, my schedule, my personal e-mails, and soon, even my location?

The question is this: Is Google and other networks’ ability to compile huge amounts of data about internet users, and therefore consumers, a good thing or a bad thing? Like I said, this can be quite scary. On the other hand, I would much rather see advertisements for my favorite band’s new concert tour than advertisements for something I have no interest in. So, yes, internet data mining may be frightening, but, until new laws are passed on internet privacy (and who knows if that will ever happen), we must get used to it, embrace it, and perhaps use this the new age in marketing and advertising to our own advantage.