Google Automat?

Is this Google Base, or a side service of Google Base? It sure looks like it. Google filed a patent for a “System and method for providing on-line user-assisted Web-based advertising� and the accompanying screenshot shows “Google Automat.� The screenshot reads:

“Advertise your items for sale on Google in under 1 minute

It’s easy to get started – just type in the name, description and price of what you’re selling, and how you want buyers to contact you. We’ll automatically create a Google AdWord for you, and host a web page that provides the full listing information of your item.

Sell your stuff today!�

Thanks to Dirson for the alert. Dirson says:

“This patent application looks like the commercial side of ’Google Base’. They way to create an item with ’Google Automat’ is very similar to the screenshot taken of ’Google Base’. So users can sell their items directly on Google webpages, instead of developing their own website.�


blog.outer-court.com/archive/2005-11-09-n50.html