Google turns blogs into free advertising for “Nexus One” Android device

Google is now worlds biggest flasher

What else is there to talk about this morning? The fog of confusion that exists around the “will they/won’t they” release of the rumoured Google Phone seems to have cleared somewhat as Google itself confirms that a test phone exists. And elsewhere, the mysterious device has seemingly been given a name – the Nexus One. But as the device itself is being drooled over extensively in other location, there’s a different aspect of this that I want to focus on. One thing is clear to me: Google has very cleverly transformed an entire branch of web users into a massive, volunteer advertising agency.

Haven’t I heard this before?

Oh yes indeed. Michael Arrington of TechCrunch attracted an ocean of attention in November by claiming that not only was Google definitely working on a mobile device, but that it would be released early next year. Some agreed with him, some went for cautious optimism (myself included), and others poured a river of hateful vitriol onto the web. Given the events of this weekend, I imagine that both words and hats are being eaten in a large number of places.

So what’s the story?

Essentially, this weekend Google put itself in the position of having to confirm the existence of a Google Phone. I say “put itself in the position” because it was most definitely Googles actions that caused the information leak about the phone – and I’d be of the opinion that information doesn’t leak from Google unless Google damn well wants it to.

As a Christmas present from Google last week, Google employees were presented with a mobile device. Many of them immediately got on Twitter, exclaiming joyfully about how cool their new Google Phones were. The very next day, Google had this to say:

“At Google, we… often ask employees to test [products] for quick feedback and suggestions for improvements in a process we call dogfooding (from “eating your own dogfood”)… We recently came up with the concept of a mobile lab, which is a device that combines innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android… we shared this device with Google employees across the globe….

Unfortunately, because dogfooding is a process exclusively for Google employees, we cannot share specific product details. We hope to share more after our dogfood diet.”

If you’re interested in specs for the device, I’d advise having a look at Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/13/the-google-phone-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont/

What we think?

If that’s honestly meant to be a smoke-screen, then it’s extremely weak. But I don’t think there’s anything honest going on here. Google openly admits it has given a mobile device to its employees, many of whom are already Twittering excitedly about their new Google Phone. This does not say “accidental leak” to me. It says that this is the way in which Google has chosen to first spread the word about their new device. And I say good show! Google has launched the phone through mobile and social channels, to those very people who are most likely to be watching out for it, and most likely to be enthused about it. This is a great way for Google to generate excitement and anticipation in all the right media channels before it goes public for its (supposed) January launch.

Which raises my last question – why wait until after Christmas? If Google found itself in the position where it simply could not get the phone launched in time for Christmas, then it really needed some way to convince tech-heads to save a little cash to buy the product in the New Year. And this seems like a good way to do that. After all, you can’t just spend a heap of money on a public advertising campaign during Christmas if you don’t have a product to sell for Christmas. But Google has taken advantage of the cheapest form of advertising there is: us. And TechCrunch in particular, as it was the first major on-line source to report those Tweets.