By DAVID WOODBURN
Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has always been one of those rare companies that would never post advertising on its homepage. The page was always clean and straightforward – with an occasional Google Doodle for color and entertainment – inviting visitors to type in search keywords. But finally, Tuesday morning, Google had placed an ad right under its iconic search bar.
At least it wasn’t for some other company’s product. It was for its own – Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) is selling up is Nexus 7 tablet, which it is planning to sell for $199. It is the first time that Google has posted an advertisement on its home page, except for the occasional link to the company’s proprietary Chrome browser. Considering that Google has resisted the temptation to place advertising in the past and now is doing so for its own product, it seems pretty apparent that Google is determined to make some inroads in the burgeoning – nee, exploding – tablet market, of which the Nexus tablet has yet to really take hold. The market has been dominated by the iPad from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) , and several manufacturers are trying to get into the market – including Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) with its proprietary Surface tablet.
Nexus 7 is actually manufactured by Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) partner Asus, but it is the first tablet to run the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system. The Nexus 7 is now in a wider market, as the company launched its tablet into the marketplace in France, Spain and Germany, joining the roster of countries alongside the U.S. and United Kingdom. While the Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has gotten some acclaim, it hasn’t yet gotten a foothold. And it has had some stiff competition, with more coming.
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