I am not sure that search is the reason for Google to be such a successful company. I actually stopped using Google search some months ago, and I’m still able to do my homework. On the other hand, I am convinced that challenging Google on the web search battlefield cannot be the right strategy to counter its dominance. This is why I think that the Japanese state-led initiative to develop search functionalities for mobile devices makes sense (while the European one is doomed): taking search to the devices where it is immediately useful can be a smart move, and I can see the value in "car navigation systems that are capable of searching for which bathrooms are equipped with baby-changing stations and other necessities".

Looks like the mythical MITI lives on…