Get Ready For The Google Wave (The Other One)

I like Google but they scare the daylights out of me.

They pretty much run my computer, my phone, and seemingly the future of technology as a whole. Want to find something on the internet? Google it. Buy it? Google Checkout. Run your business? Google Apps. Want to consolidate phone numbers? Google Voice. Go somewhere? Google Maps.

Arguably this type of command of my virtual life should be reason enough to be afraid but something happened the other day that is far more terrifying. Just take a peek at the stock prices of Garmin (GRMN) and TomTom (TOM2.NX) after October 28th, the same day Google announced Google Maps Navigation.

Now, I have nothing particularly profound to say about the nature of business or, even more, about how this is a wonderful example of a free market based economy and how it helps consumers or how this is some cautionary tale of a big company unfairly flexing its muscles that should be government regulated.

What I will say is that today's business, especially technology based ones, should be aware of where Google is going. And the short answer is everywhere. Businesses that are still hoping to thrive as this happens need to figure out where value is defined outside of the technology itself.

Either that or don't be surprised if the next Google Wave wipes you out.