Google blocks Yahoo on Default Search Settings

Heard from the TWiT podcast that PC maker Dell made a deal with Google to load up all new Dell PCs with the Google Toolbar, PC Search and Web Search along with a co-branded homepage. Obviously, this co-branding is all about advertising and Dell and Google will share the profits from revenues taken from this.

Huge PC companies like Dell are able to sell PC are a more competitive prices because they allow pre-installed (more often trial) software in every PC they ship out. So basically, these software companies are subsidizing the cost of each PC just to get their products right off each desktop. The same can be said with this Google-Dell co-op. However, it looks like this set up is a bit scheming as it does not give the users an easy way to turn off the features. You can read more about that in OpenDNS blog entitled “Google turns the page… in a bad way.”

I thought I don’t have to deal with all that (or something similar) until just this afternoon:

Saw that pop-up of my task bar while installing the Yahoo Widget (formerly known as Konfabulator). Now, it might be nothing at all but if you think of it, Google has actually grab a tight clutch of as my default search, even able to block Yahoo to make the changes (despite me accidentally approving Yahoo Widget to do the switch).

Since we flew in from Lahore to Karachi the other night, I’ve had a bit of confusion with the time zones. I didn’t reset my watch to the local time so I rely on some quick math (just -3 hours) to track time. Also, due to the very hot weather in Lahore, I’ve made a point to check the temperature forecast. Imagine having temperatures of 44 degrees centigrade at noon and 37 degrees in the evening? Ok, I digress.

Does it really feel that Google is becoming such a behemoth that it won’t be impossible that the search giant will be all over us one of these days. I won’t be surprised if one day, when you send out text messages to an incomplete number, a Google search results page would pop up and ask “Did you mean to text +0918.######?“