Dopp Juice Archive

I was thinking, “Gee, I’d really like some good hot and sour soup today!” So I Googled my favorite Chinese restaurant for their details. Out of habit, I clicked the first link (I really should just be hitting “I’m feeling lucky” at this point with Google, but we all know how habits prevail). Then I saw where I was going, and became immediately concerned. Amazon.com?! Back button! Back! Go back! I don’t want to buy a book! I just want an address and phone number! Back!But my overexerted RAM didn’t hear my cry in time, and before I knew it, I was here:None other than Amazon White Pages. Surprise! Somehow they managed to move to the top of the Google results before I even knew they existed. And somehow, that part doesn’t surprise me. What does surprise me is how cool they are. They combine local photography (local photography?!) to show you the area you’re going to. (Or is it super-close-up satellite photography that’s also watching you take a shower?) They’ve also got mapquest maps (to be expected), and a place for you to enter your phone number so that the business will call you. Weird.My commentary? The good news is, the cool stuff on the web is evolving and exploding. The bad news is, it’s still being dominated by the same four companies: google, yahoo, amazon, and ebay.Tell me. Really. Why does Amazon need its own white pages?p.s. Thanks to grokfairy for the recent fascination with snowclones. White pages are the new black.