2007年7月31日 星期二

Google Mashup Editor 等等

我今天讀WSJ的報導,才知道所謂MASHUP。然後找到NP66日的報導,更清楚Google公司的服務

'Mashups' Sew Data Together

Mashup technology is making inroads at more companies, providing an inexpensive and simple way to combine existing applications.





【日經BP社報導】

圖1:谷歌公司傑夫·胡伯
圖2:參加胡伯主題演講的開發人員
圖3:Google Mashup Editor的使用畫面。正在輸入的是在Google Maps上顯示“Hello World”字樣的程式
圖4:測試開發中的網路應用軟體
圖5:Google Mapplets範例。左下為GasBuddies.com的gadget。該gadget提供的資訊以粉紅標記的形式顯示在Google Map上
  “我們最初只想在總部舉辦一個小型活動。沒想到到場人數遠遠超出預計,所以我們只好趕緊更換會場”。

  2007年5月31日在美國聖諾塞市San Jose McEnery Convention Center舉辦的“谷歌開發者日2007(GDD07)”上約有1500人到場參加。在主題演講中,美國谷歌工程副總裁傑夫·胡伯(Jeff Huber)詼諧地向參會者講了文章開頭那段話。谷歌開發者日已是第2次舉辦。與上次舉辦時約200人到谷歌總部參加不同,此次除美國外,谷歌還在全球設 置了巴黎、東京、北京等10個會場,各地的開幕時間幾乎相同。全球共有約5000人到場參加。

  谷歌在GDD07上發表了“Google Gears”、“Google Mashup Editor”、“Google Mapplets”等三項新技術。此外還介紹了能夠實現通過外部網站服務利用谷歌旗下的視訊共用服務“YouTube”的API(application programming interface)開發情況。

Google Gears是能夠在離線狀態下利用谷歌網路服務的軟體(英文發佈資料)。

  Google Mashup Editor是利用谷歌的網路服務開發新的網路服務的“Mashup”在線支援軟體;配合GDD07的召開,谷歌發佈了“測試版”()。

  Google Mashup Editor按照不同的功能,分別準備了不同模版,配備自動訂正有輸入錯誤的程式代碼的功能——“auto-complete”。並且具備測試網路應用軟 體的環境,可將其保存為能在網路應用軟體及瀏覽器環境下運行的Google gadget。完成的網路應用軟體可以在谷歌的伺服器上運行。

將YouTube合併到Google Data API中

  Google Mapplets是谷歌的地圖資訊服務“Google Maps”的專用界面工具集(該公司稱其為“gadget”)。可在Google Maps的畫面內增加第三方開發的其他功能,這是通過擴充Google Maps的API製作而成的。在GDD07召開前,已經在2007年5月29日~30日于在美國聖何塞市舉辦的地理資訊服務相關展會“Where 2.0 Conference 2007”上正式發佈過(英文發佈資料,面向開發人員的功能介紹專用網頁)。

  作為Google Mapplets的利用範例之一,谷歌在GDD07上利用提供美國加油站價格資訊的GasBuddy.com製作的gadget進行了演示。演示內容是, 在用戶指定地區的Google Maps地圖上顯示加油站的位置,並在點擊地圖上的加油站圖標後顯示汽油價格。該公司介紹說,Google Mapplets的特點是能夠在保證安全的同時,利用gadget通過Google Maps的API進行資訊交換。

  谷歌在GDD07上設置了介紹通過外部網站來利用YouTube數據的API分會。谷歌表示,通過利用API和YouTube的RSS Feed,可以從第三方網站搜索YouTube的視訊內容的元數據標簽,讀取播放列表中的視訊。谷歌在該會議上介紹了將YouTube的外部API與 “Google Data API”進行合併的預定計劃。(記者:Phil Keys)

■日文原文
Google Developer Day2007を開催,マッシュアップ支援ツールなどを発表

■相關報導
Google中國與全球同步推出谷歌離線應用開發工具Google Gears

【NAB2007】谷歌CEO:正在開發可自動刪除YouTube上非法投稿的軟體

谷歌收購Youtube的目的:為客戶提供更優質的服務

2007年7月28日 星期六

Can Google do a switcheroo?

這篇Google可能威脅AT&T的競爭評論
或許可以提供參考
兩字眼說明:switcheroo and headlock

Can Google do a switcheroo?
Commentary: Duo of Google and Sprint could put AT&T in a headlock

BERKELEY, Calif. (MarketWatch) -- Make no mistake, at this point in the history of technology, Google Inc. is the tail that wags the dog.

Despite the failure of the company to make predicted numbers, most would agree that the blip was fully accounted for by a minor, one-time write-off. See story on Google earnings.
A friend of mine and others have pointed out that if Google (GOOG :
google inc cl a
Last: 511.89+3.89+0.77%
4:00pm 07/27/2007
Delayed quote data
Sponsored by:
GOOG
511.89, +3.89, +0.8% )
had not changed some procedures it would have beaten the numbers easily, and we can assume that that will continue to be the case.
But more interesting is the deal brewing between Google and Sprint Nextel Corp, along with the 700-MHz spectrum grab that may occur. What do you get if you combine the spectrum with Google and Sprint?
What you get is AT&T Inc. put in a headlock. Hear me out on this one; it's a gem of a strategy.
Early last year, the chief executive of AT&T, Edward Whitacre, shot off his mouth about how Google was getting a "free ride" on "his" network, and perhaps how a company like that should be nicked for higher fees. Ever since then, Google has been stewing in its own juices over the notion.

Whitacre almost made it sound as if Google somehow had free access, and was sponging off the AT&T network for nothing.

In fact, Google pays millions of dollars to be on the Internet. That said, the company must have realized right then that it was indeed at the mercy of AT&T, if Whitacre actually did want to mess things up.

AT&T could develop its own search engine, for example, and degrade the Google connections while enhancing connections to its own service. Phone companies have a history of such shenanigans.
If Google maintains dominance in search, it could turn the tables on AT&T and demand that the company pay Google for carriage of its services.
It was at that point where Google had to begin to think about a defense, and suddenly we were hearing about Google getting involved in municipal Wi-Fi networks.
More recently, Google puts a down payment on the soon-to-emerge 700-MHz spectrum now occupied by analog broadcast television. This spectrum could be extremely valuable once released in 2009. See related story.

The 700-MHz spectrum is valuable because it can penetrate walls with ease, making it perfect for wireless Internet connectivity within a home. Within days, we then hear about Google teaming up with Sprint with some vague WiMax plans.

Sprint already has been in the wireless Internet business when it was test-marketing its Wireless Broadband Connect, which was a point-to-point line of sight system that I myself used in the late 1990s.

Sprint discontinued the service, thinking that it could make an effortless transition to WiMax or any number of other wireless designs that were not line-of-sight, but could penetrate trees and walls and other impediments. Apparently, no satisfactory substitute emerged.
Part of the problem was the spectrum itself. This might be solved by the 700-MHz spectrum and newer technologies.

If the duo can roll out national service, it could protect Google from any onerous action by Ma Bell. And if the service was popular enough, Google could actually limit what it offers AT&T customers -- making its most premium search services only available to the Sprint-Google network.

If Google maintains dominance in search (as appears to be the case), it could turn the tables on AT&T and demand that the company pay Google for carriage of its services.

This would make the original AT&T threat an ironic reality, with diminished services on the AT&T network. Wouldn't that be funny?

This sort of thing is not unprecedented; the cable TV business has seen similar turnabouts regarding who pays who.

Imagine a world of three Internet service providers such as AT&T, Comcast Corp. and Sprint-Google. Let's say two of the services, Comcast and Sprint-Google, have Google search and all the Google applications while AT&T has nothing.
How long would AT&T last as an ISP with this sort of handicap? Not long is my guess.
Google is indeed in the tech driver's seat. End of Story

2007年7月26日 星期四

UK surfers still rooting for Google

這篇我原要當"英文人行道" blog的教材
現在英國-美國的英文混雜使用
譬如說 "root for"是美國說法 英國用"support" (正如英國用 supports) 而美國用 fans...
marketer 是市場行銷 通有無的人:market (MAKE AVAILABLE)

goodwill
noun [U]
friendly and helpful feelings:
The school has to rely on the goodwill of the parents to help it raise money.
Releasing the hostages has been seen as a gesture of goodwill/a goodwill gesture.

gobble sth up phrasal verb INFORMAL
to use a lot of your supply of something, usually money:
The mounting legal costs quickly gobbled up their savings.

(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)

UK surfers still rooting for Google

Majority still want Google to lead in five years despite privacy issues

The majority of UK internet users want Google to maintain its position as the leading search engine in five years' time, despite the recent controversy surrounding its privacy practices.

"This data shows how confident searchers are of Google and how much goodwill the search [company] has won," said Andrew Girdwood, head of search at digital marketing agency Bigmouthmedia.

"Marketers using Google should treat this goodwill with care but also look to harness it effectively for their own campaigns."

A Bigmouthmedia survey asked participants two similar, but quite different questions: whether they thought Google would still be the leading search engine in five years; and whether they wanted Google to be leading search engine in five years.

In the first instance 61 per cent of respondents indicated that Google would retain its dominance. Only eight per cent said 'no' and the remaining 32 per cent were 'unsure'.

However, when asked whether they wanted Google to be the leading search engine in five years, only 53 per cent responded 'yes' and 40 per cent were 'unsure'.

"Google faces a huge challenge in not being seen as trying to gobble up the world," said Danny Sullivan, editor-in-chief of Search Engine Land.

"I suspect the best way to counter concerns is to be open in advance of any moves, hear feedback and be shown as actually responsive by making some changes.

"I think recent moves with the cookies and log data retention is an example of this, although it is sadly countered by StreetView being rolled out without any heads-up that it was coming to warn the public."

The survey results suggest that, despite public relations issues surrounding the negative reactions to its policy in China, its methods of selling ads and the DoubleClick acquisition, Google still enjoys the support of the general public and will do for the foreseeable future.

(Ian Williams, vnunet.com 26 Jul 2007)







2007年7月25日 星期三

Google Analytics 和 threat to privacy

我前天將"Google"簡訊(alert)的頻率
從"每周一次"改成"每日一次"
現在列出兩則或許你也有興趣
譬如說 2005年發行的網站流量資訊分析Google Analytics 已進入第2版--我還沒用過呢



Microsoft Preps Web Analytics to Combat Google
InternetNews.com - USA
Code-named Gatineau, the product aims to compete with , which is already on version 2. So Microsoft has some catching up to do with Google ...



另外關於個人上網資訊的"隱私"之保護的討論
這是基本的問題: 我們能相信Google公司真正不做惡事嗎??


Newly asked questions

How big a threat to privacy is Google really?



Wendy M Grossman
Thursday July 26, 2007
The Guardian


Probably not as big as is made out. Last month, Privacy International released a survey called A Race to the Bottom (privacyinternational.org) in which Google came last among a selection of large internet companies and was dubbed "hostile to privacy". Meanwhile, the US Federal Trade Commission continues to investigate Google's proposed acquisition of DoubleClick, an online advertising agency that tracks user's browsing habits in order to serve up targeted ads.

Last week, Google announced it will shorten the lifetime of the cookies it leaves on users' systems to two years (formerly expiring in 2038) and will anonymise user logs after 18 months. However, these initiatives are essentially meaningless. The cookies will be renewed any time a user uses a Google service: Gmail, Blogger, Google Earth, Google Checkout, YouTube, Orkut.

Google has claimed it needs to retain user data under the EU's data retention rules, but it's not clear that this is actually correct. There is no doubt that Google's size and market position, its reliance on advertising for revenues and the breadth of its very popular services means that it is in a position to amass large quantities of user data. There is also no doubt that all that data can be assembled into comprehensive datagrams of specific individuals. There are many things Google could do that would improve users' control over their privacy. It could offer the option to view and delete Google cookies and logs. It could offer anonymous browsing, an option it has ruled out. It could change the way it saves user preferences.

On the other hand, as far as anyone knows, Google has yet to do anything bad with those masses of data. And shouldn't the company actually commit the crime before we punish it?

2007年7月24日 星期二

All hail, Google!

All hail, Google! 這是Google上市三整年前的股價評論

融合Postini 和谷歌的技術

這是上周的故事 我還是將它放到這資料庫


【日經BP社報導】 美國谷歌(Google)宣佈,該公司已經就收購從事網際網路安全及數據加密的美國Postini,與該公司達成了最終協議(英文發佈資料)。收購額為6億2500萬美元,谷歌將以現金的形式支付。通過此次收購,Postini將成為谷歌的全資子公司。收購預定於2007年第三季度末結束。

Postini從事的業務是為企業電子郵件、即時通信以及其他網際網路通信提供安全服務。谷歌目前正在提供能夠在線使用郵箱"Gmail"、即時消息"Google Talk"、日程表管理軟體"Google Calendar" 等應用的服務組合"Google Apps"。谷歌計劃通過此次收購,強化Google Apps的安全性。

谷歌表示,Google Apps目前雖然已經得到了10萬家以上企業的採用,但是出於安全性及法律遵守等問題,大企業對改用Google Apps這類寄存式服務較為慎重。該公司企業部門副總裁兼總經理大衛•吉羅拉德(Dave Girouard)說:"通過融合Postini和谷歌的技術,Google Apps將能夠提供大企業需要的安全性"。(記者:迦納 徵子)


"Postini's founding vision is to bring to market technology solutions that address enterprise messaging problems in a different way. Our on-demand offering liberates businesses from the burdens associated with traditional on-premise solutions. We are proud of what we have
done to achieve our vision on behalf of our customers, and combining Google and Postini is a powerful next step in this creative journey," said Scott Petry, Founder, Chief Technical Officer, and Executive Vice President of Product Development at Postini.

on-premise software
On-premise software refers to the use of a executable computer program (software) installed on the premises (in the building) of the person or organisation using such software.

This approach to deploying and using business software was the preferred approach for most firms until around 2005 when alternative models became widely available and adopted. These alternative models typically used the internet to remove the need for the user to install
any software on-premise and had other accompanying benefits (see Saas, on-demand and saasu).

Since the advent of these alternative more efficient models, on-premise software has also been more commonly referred to as 'old-style' software although some industries still consider it the
preferred model for specific purposes such as banking, finance and defense which prefer the ability to supervise and secure their data on-premises they own or control.

2007年7月23日 星期一

Q&A: Google finds R&D opportunities, pitfalls abroad

在新加坡Google 公司新增一處研發中心(過去3年世界增設 17 R&D centers worldwide )
主管接受訪問 Q&A: Google finds R&D opportunities, pitfalls abroad
談如何將工作安排
開國際協調會議
如何技術與做事過程並進
找人的文化領域之要求.....

2007年7月21日 星期六

德國的對抗Google 搜索引擎的計畫Theseus


德國之音的這篇報導告訴我們:法國-德國的對抗Google 搜索引擎的計畫,已經一分為二,各顯神通。


Internet | 20.07.2007

Germany to Fund Rival to Google Search Engine

Germany got the go-ahead from the European Union on Thursday to spend 120 million euros ($167 million) on research into Theseus, an Internet search engine designed to compete against US-based Google.

The EU approved a subsidy from Germany's ministry of economics and technology to develop the Theseus research project, which will develop and test new search technologies for the Internet.

The project, which lists 22 partner organizations, companies and universities on its Web site, aims to create a multimedia search engine, a set of tools for translating text and identifying and indexing images, sound and text.

"Theseus will make it possible for all Internet users to have easy access to global knowledge," Siemens' Vice President of Corporate Technology Hartmut Raffler said in a statement. "The technology Theseus will develop will generate new knowledge from knowledge."

Subsidies flow to large corporations
Germany wants Theseus to be with Google among the world's top Internet technologiesBildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Germany wants Theseus to be with Google among the world's top Internet technologies
The companies and institutes involved in the research will also provide an additional 90 million euros. The government aid will be initially paid to large companies, including SAP, Siemens and Deutsche Thompson, as "icebreakers" to later allow smaller businesses to expand on early ideas.

"New forms of acquiring, searching for and evaluating Internet-based information have are of strategic importance for the German government," Economics Minister Michael Glos said in a statement. "With Theseus we want to improve Germany and Europe's ability to compete and reach a top position in IT and communications technology."

Named after a character in Greek mythology who uses thread to navigate King Minos' maze, the Theseus project was born out of Quaero, a joint French-German Internet search initiative that then French President Jacques Chirac once called "the answer to the global competitors of Google and Yahoo."

But after seeing that Quaero's German and French researchers were working in different directions, the project split in December 2006, with the French continuing to work on Quaero and the Germans focused on Theseus. Managers from both projects have, however, said they will meet regularly to form synergies when possible.

DW staff (sms)

2007年7月20日 星期五

開宗明義: Google 公司上華盛頓叫買 and F.C.C. Hands Google a Partial Victory

開宗明義

2007/7/21晨先讀WSJ 關於 Google 公司 上書FCC談無線頻道拍賣的要求,開始走向華盛頓爭取商機和同情。因為牽涉到政治、經濟、科技,算是很重要的一役。

我想,或許該記一下這公司的「所見所聞」。當然,我是外行,所以取名「管窺 Google 公司」。中文公司簡介請參考Wikipedia 的(最好再看英文版,資料較新)。



WSJ的摘譯:
"谷歌有可能競拍無線通訊業經營牌照
2007年07月23日11:57
谷歌(Google Inc.)表示﹐如果美國聯邦通訊委員會(FCC)拍賣無線通訊業經營牌照的規則能方便用戶的使用以及無線轉售商的經營﹐它準備斥資至少46億美元競拍這一牌照。

該 公司稱﹐如果FCC要求在此次無線頻譜競拍中拍得大頭的競標者須允許用戶使用任何便攜式無線設備和軟件登入它的網絡﹐並向無線轉售商及其他服務提供商開放 其網絡﹐那麼它將參加競拍。FCC為此次拍賣制定的規則草案要求﹐競標中的獲勝者須使自己的網絡向各種不同的設備和軟件以及服務敞開大門﹐但谷歌依然擔心 這一規定的強制性和明確性不夠。

此外﹐谷歌還希望那些拍得無線頻譜使用權的公司至少能在一定程度上實行批發式經營﹐將自己的無線網絡向希望提供無線服務的其他公司開放﹐而FCC目前公佈的拍賣規則草案並不包括這一內容。

現 在還不清楚谷歌參與競拍的這些先決條件能否得到滿足﹐這些條件是谷歌首席執行長埃里克•施密特(Eric Schmidt)在上週五致FCC主席凱文•馬丁(Kevin Martin)的一封信中提出的。據知情人士說﹐如果谷歌在拍賣中獲勝﹐它不大可能自己建設一個無線通訊網絡﹐而會將拍得的無線頻譜提供給那些有意與它合 作建設無線通訊網絡的公司使用。

谷歌一直表示﹐無線互聯網服務和廣告業務屬於該公司首要的商業機會﹐並要求承載這些服務的無線互聯網業能加大競爭。"


Google Goes to Washington

Google is trying to reinvent corporate influence-peddling for the Internet Age. The company is embarking on a quiet march through Washington to explain how its products can help politicians get elected.

Google's chief executive's letter to the F.C.C. (google.com)


ULL STORY

Google Pledges to Spend
$4.6 Billion on FCC Auction

By COREY BOLES

WASHINGTON -- Google Inc. upped the ante in the high-stakes debate over how the rules should be structured for the upcoming spectrum auction.

The Internet company has pledged to "commit a minimum of $4.6 billion to bidding" in the spectrum auction if the Federal Communications Commission agrees to set the rules for the sale so that they are favorable to Google.

In a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that if the FCC agrees that whoever wins a large chunk of the spectrum in the auction must operate it on a wholesale basis, the company would participate in the auction.

Earlier this year, Google put forward a four-point plan, advocating what it called four open-access principles it wants attached to a section of 22 megahertz of the spectrum. The company argued that such conditions are necessary to give a new competitor a leg up in entering the broadband market, which is dominated by the large telephone and cable companies.

So far, Mr. Martin has come halfway, proposing that the spectrum have two of the four conditions attached. But crucially, he has not agreed to the wholesale condition, which Google views as being a deal breaker for it. There is nothing preventing any company from operating spectrum it controls on a wholesale basis.

Google and other hi-tech companies such as eBay Inc.'s Internet-based phone service Skype have argued that without such a condition, however, potential new entrants to the broadband market would be outbid for the spectrum by incumbents such as Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc.

In a post on Google's corporate blog, Chris Sacca, head of special initiatives at Google, wrote that "it takes more than just ideas and rhetoric if you want to help bring the Internet to everyone."

"So today, we're putting consumers' interests first, and putting our money where our principles are - to the tune of $4.6 billion," he wrote. In effect, Google is backing up its aggressive lobbying with a firm commitment to take part in the auction if it gets its way.

There has been considerable uncertainty among FCC commissioners that if they structured the auction to benefit a potential newcomer to the wireless broadband market, they wanted some evidence that such a player would enter the market.

In an interview last week, Mr. Martin said that he was opposed to mandating wholesale access as it might keep other potential bidders out of the auction. In order to get his rules in place, Mr. Martin needs a majority of the five commissioners to vote with him. He can almost certainly count on the vote of fellow Republican Deborah Taylor Tate, who rarely votes differently from him.

But both Democratic Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein are known to favor the wholesale concept, while the third Republican, Robert McDowell, is against open access altogether. Google's statement could potentially provide the Democrats with significantly more leverage in negotiations with Mr. Martin's office.

The $4.6 billion figure is the base price or reserve price that the FCC has placed on the 22 megahertz of spectrum in question. The final price tag could end up being higher if a number of bidders emerge.

In the blog, Mr. Sacca said that now that the company has said it would spend at least that on the spectrum, the "FCC can return its attention to adopting openness principles for the benefit of consumers."

Opponents of open access have argued that Google only wants the conditions so that companies that want to use the spectrum to build a traditional wireless network would be unlikely to participate in the auction, thereby driving the price down.

They point to the fact that Google, with its $160 billion market capitalization and more than $12 billion in cash, could afford to bid in an unfettered auction if it decided it wanted to enter the broadband market.

Google's share price has taken a hit over the last two days. Since Thursday's opening, the shares have fallen from $553 to around $514 in recent trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market, after the company reported lower earnings for the second quarter than the market had expected. (See related story.)

The two principles Mr. Martin has agreed to are that any handheld device could be attached to the broadband network built on the spectrum and no limits could be placed on the software applications used over the network. Currently, wireless network owners like Verizon and AT&T tightly control both the devices and software that can be used over their networks.

Thursday, AT&T issued a statement in which it endorsed Mr. Martin's plan, saying it struck a decent compromise between what Google wanted and what it, ideally, would have wanted.

In total, 60 megahertz of spectrum will be sold off as television broadcasters move to a digital from an analog signal. It is widely seen as being the best spectrum to ever come available for commercial purposes given its strong propagation characteristics.

The FCC will likely set the final auction rules in the next month.

A spokeswoman for Mr. Martin's office said she had no comment on the Google letter, while no one was immediately available to comment from AT&T or Verizon.


Write to Corey Boles at corey.boles@dowjones.com



紐約時報也有一篇


July 21, 2007

Google Pushes for Rules to Aid Wireless Plans

F.C.C. Hands Google a Partial Victory


Published: August 1, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO, July 31 — The Federal Communications Commission moved cautiously Tuesday toward creating a more open national wireless broadband network, handing a partial victory to Google, which was pushing for more competition in cellphone services.


The agency approved rules for an auction of broadcast spectrum that its chairman, Kevin J. Martin, said would promote new consumer services. The rules will let customers use any phone and software they want on networks using about one-third of the spectrum to be auctioned.

The F.C.C. did not approve a provision that would have required the winner of the auction to sell access to its network on a wholesale basis to other companies. Google favored the rule as a way to hasten competition and innovation in the cellphone industry, a market it is considering.

While the language of the ruling has not been made public, it appears that any company that buys the new spectrum will have to leave it open to devices it does not approve or control. If, for instance, Verizon were to buy spectrum, consumers would have to pay Verizon for access to its network but they could use devices of their own choosing on it.

At present, the carriers decide what devices are used on their networks and therefore control many of the services and software available to consumers. The carriers contend this lets them control the quality of the customer’s experience.

The ruling does not affect the existing spectrum, controlled by major companies like Verizon Wireless. But it appears to signal a shift in how policy makers and, in turn, companies, will approach access to and control of future wireless networks.

The ruling did not go far enough for some consumer activist groups, but even those groups applauded parts of it.

In recent weeks, Google and other technology interests pressed the commission to create an open-access wireless network — in contrast to today’s closed cellular networks — and to permit owners of the spectrum to sell portions of it wholesale to other companies. That would loosen the carriers’ grip on service offerings and might also open the door to new entrants like Google.

The 700-megahertz wireless band has been referred to as the “last beachfront property” in the radio spectrum. It is being made available for new digital wireless services, including emergency communications, by television broadcasters moving to digital television transmission in February 2009. By law, the auction must start no later than Jan. 28, 2008. It is expected to raise $15 billion or more for the federal government.

Google called the decision an indication of progress at the F.C.C. The agency adopted two of the four openness standards that Google proposed this year, including open access to software applications and devices.

“The Federal Communications Commission made real, if incomplete, progress for consumers this afternoon,” said Richard Whitt, Google’s Washington telecommunications and media counsel.

In trying to influence the commission debate, Google had said it would bid at least $4.6 billion if the F.C.C. approved all its proposed rules. However, Mr. Whitt said a Google bid was still not out of the question.

Google’s efforts also drew attention to the debate over the pace of innovation in the wireless market.

Speaking before the F.C.C. on Tuesday, Jason Devitt, co-founder and chief executive of Skydeck, a Silicon Valley wireless content firm, said the cellular phone industry had failed to innovate. “Ten years and we have ring tones,” he said.

The F.C.C. tried to strike a balance between the interest groups, Mr. Martin said in a telephone interview: “The commission needs to decide what is in the public interest, not what one company advocates.”

Public interest groups and Silicon Valley technologists said they were disappointed with the ruling. Public interest groups said the $4.6 billion minimum auction price set by the F.C.C. might discourage bidders. The rules say that if the reserve auction price is not met, the open-access provisions adopted by the F.C.C. will be dropped in later bidding.

The meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., was delayed into the afternoon because of last-minute negotiations over the open-access provision, an industry executive said. The limited open-access agreement resulted from a compromise between Mr. Martin, a Republican, and two Democratic commissioners, Michael J. Copps and Jonathan S. Adelstein, who favored the wholesale rule that Google proposed.

Congressional leaders applauded the action.“This gives Google a chance to step up to the plate and it can create a revolution in the telecommunications market,” said Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the House Telecommunications and Internet subcommittee.

The nation’s largest telecommunications carriers were not that vocal in response to Tuesday’s decision. “We don’t really have anything to say about this,” said Jeffrey Nelson, a spokesman for Verizon Wireless.

AT&T’s wireless unit said the FCC “appears to have struck a reasonable balance between the competing interests debating the Google Plan.”

AT&T also said the ruling appears to force Google or other would-be competitors to bid on spectrum, rather than to have the opportunity to lease it from other carriers. “We commend the FCC for adopting this approach rather than stacking the deck in Google’s favor, which would limit competing bids and effectively force wireless carriers to alter their competitive business models to Google’s liking,” AT&T said.

The major carriers have not committed to bid at the auction, which means they may express any discontent by refusing to participate.

Other potential new entrants said they were disappointed by some of the rules and by the minimum price set by the F.C.C.

“As a practical matter, the F.C.C. has laid down the gauntlet to the technology industry and said the following: ‘If you want a wireless market that serves your purposes, you’re going to have to pay for it, and you’re going to have to pay a lot,” said Reed Hundt, a former F.C.C. chairman who has founded Frontline Wireless, a national digital wireless network.

Mr. Hundt said he would continue to look for ways to bid in the auctions.

Public interest groups were also qualified in their endorsement of the commission decision. “Consumers should be pleased with part of the F.C.C.’s decision today,” said Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge, an advocacy and education organization that focuses on intellectual property issues.


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