Google to offer local search services

News.com is reporting on Google adding local searching capabilities that is designed for, in the words of the article, ". . .helping Web surfers find cafes, parks or even Wi-Fi hot spots in their area."

The Internet search market is big business, especially these days as search giants like Yahoo and Google race to capture the highest amount of advertising dollars while simultaneously trying to be the preferred user portal for Internet searching. Many people are thinking that local searching is the next big area in online searching, and based on the current maneuvering of Google and Yahoo, it seems that they believe this as well. Will we see these search monsters gobbling up yellow page companies? Hard to tell at this point.

Of particular concern to Google and Yahoo has to be the threat of new competitors. Microsoft certainly sees the market for web searching and one of the biggest technologies integrated into its next-generation operating system is comprehensive searching technology. Another sleeping giant that has not yet officially entered the search market is Amazon.com. Interestingly, on the local front, as I reported on earlier, Amazon.com is currently offering restaurant menus for select cities.

This is going to be an interesting race to watch. The nice part about it is that the end result will be more comprehensive and technically advanced "free" technologies for the end users . . . you and me.