I found out via MobileCrunch that Google has added some new features to Google Page Creator.
First, you can now create 5 different sites under the same account. That's no news, as far as most hosting providers are concerned.
Second, you can crop, rotate, lighten/darken and add special effects to images using just your browser. That's kind of cool.
But most importantly, Google automatically creates mobile editions of any sites you build. Your content is instantly optimized for any mobile browser your visitors might be using.
As GoDaddy points out, as of this May, there were already more web-enabled phones than PCs and TVs combined. Since trading up to a Blackberry Pearl a couple of months ago, I've ordered books on Amazon, bought movie tickets and make restaurant reservations using my phone. And more and more people I know seem to be doing the same. So I can see automatic mobile optimization becoming an increasing important feature for website owners.
This doesn't seem to be supported (yet) at 1&1, Hostway or iPowerWeb. While GoDaddy's Website Tonight site builder is mobile-compatible, its documentation appears to suggest mobile optimization is only possible if you "build .mobi pages" (ie register for a more expensive .mobi domain name)? Based on Google's announcement, maybe this doesn't have to be the case?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15700344/
The slightly disturbing thing is, according to Morgan Stanley's Mary Meeker, Google/Yahoo could triple the ad revenue they generate from each unique visitor (currently $10) within 5 years. That'd be more than some hosting providers receive for advertising to, closing the deal on, providing resources/answering tickets for and billing an actual customer. Her slides below are worth checking out:
http://www.morganstanley.com/institutional/techres...