Right on.. There are two points: 1. "Recode obtained an internal memo". If I were Google, I'd leak that on purpose. A polished internal memo that is leaked is

Right on.. There are two points: 1. "Recode obtained an internal memo". If I were Google, I'd leak that on purpose. A polished internal memo that is leaked is more powerful than explicit PR, because of its supposed "internal" nature. "They didn't write it thinking others may read it, so it's probably honest and pure." 2. As I read, I thought exactly the same thing as your first paragraph: Search, making themselves look weak. I also remembered something Peter Thiel said in a PandoMonthly.. That non monopolistic companies try to look big and monopolistic, and that truly huge monopolistic companies downplay it to the point you worry about their survival. He gave the example of Google, of course, and did the exact same thing as in the internal memo (talked about the other markets and how competition is so fierce, nothing is granted). That was one of the best interviews I've seen, by the way..