Google's About to Go Through a Midlife Crisis

TechFlash reports: Has Google hit a midlife crisis? That's essentially the gist of a cover story in the August 16th issue of Fortune magazine, which provocatively asks the question: "Is Google Over?"

The story--reported by Michael V. Copeland and Seth Weintraub--discusses how Google has struggled to diversify its business beyond Internet search. And it even compares Google--whose stock is down 21 percent this year--to Microsoft which has encountered its own struggles in diversifying its revenues beyond the Office franchise.

The intro to the story notes:

Yes, the company is still growing at rates that would be the envy of the rest of the Fortune 500. But its core business is slowing, its stock is down, its Android mobile platform generates scant revenue, and competition (hello, Facebook) is fierce. Can Google find its footing in this brave new world?

A good read, which includes comments from Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff ["Google is not the hot company anymore"] and financial analyst Sameet Sinha ["There is no clear path toward what Google is doing, or wants to do."] The story also asks where Google will get its next $20 billion in revenue, with speculation that it might come in bits and pieces from Google Apps, YouTube, Android or new social networking tools that take on Facebook.