Google’s been the focus of most of this analysis (hell, I called Facebook an “ existential threat ” to Google on Bloomberg yesterday), but I’d like to pull back for a second. The “old” Internet is shrinking, and being replaced by walled gardens over which Google’s crawlers can’t climb. MORE >>

But in this prediction, I’m going to focus on one company that will have a pretty crazy year: Google. There’s hope in the Galaxy Nexus, but that phone is way ahead of the Android pack, and I’m not sure the ecosystem behind Android is going to follow Google’s lead here. Yikes. Predictions 2011. 2011: How I Did. MORE >>

Amongst those of us who considered Lessig our foremost voice on issues of Internet policy, his abrupt pivot to focus on government corruption was both disorienting and disheartening: here was our best Internet thinker, now tilting at government windmills. mean, fix government ? Take the money out of politics? Well, maybe. How about you? ####. MORE >>

Seen in the wild (well, OK, on this very site): The “Recommend this on Google” hover box at the bottom is new, I’ve never seen it before (then again, my ads are usually from FM ). This was always in their policies, but everyone was pretty much ignoring it – including most of the largest advertisers on the planet. MORE >>

Google's blog post is here. Details: Google will now allow advertisers to bid on trademark terms, even if they don't own the trademark, so, for example, a local hardware store can bid on "Buy Makita Saws here" or Best Buy could bid on "Best Prices for Sony Plasmas". Both moves mean more revenue for Google. MORE >>