(WIRED) -- In less than a week, Google announced an operating system to compete with Windows, while Microsoft announced that Office 10 will include free, online versions of its four most popular software programs -- a shot at Google's suite of web-based office applications. The fight between Microsoft and Google is over who'll be seen as the world's most important tech company. And not more than a month and a half ago, Microsoft unveiled its new search engine Bing, which it hopes will steal market share from Google and finally make it real money online. From the news of it, it's a full-blown tech battle, complete with behind-the-scenes machinations to sic government regulators on each other.
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The escalating Google vs. Micosoft battle is mostly over who'll be King of Tech
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Top execs at each company dream of ways to steal the others' pots of gold
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Chrome OS will compete with Windows, while Office 10 will include free online versions
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Here's how the two tech giants stack up in four key areas of competition
Google
Google
Google
Google
Google
You might think that @placeholder is a really cool company to give away all this free technology, while never thinking about the persistent and silent data collection Google is undertaking to profile you in order to deliver you to advertisers for a premium.
Google
Google
Google
Google
Google
You might think that Google is a really cool company to give away all this free technology, while never thinking about the persistent and silent data collection @placeholder is undertaking to profile you in order to deliver you to advertisers for a premium.
Google
Google
Google
Google
Google
Online Search: @placeholder's name now means search to most users.
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
@placeholder's newest version, Windows 7, will be available in the fall.
Windows
Windows
Microsoft's newest version, @placeholder 7, will be available in the fall.
Windows
Windows
There are millions who are attached to games or the thousands of desktop apps that are only available on @placeholder.
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
And familiarity with @placeholder software is a requirement for a huge number of office jobs.
Google
Google
Google
Google
Google
@placeholder estimates that some 18 phone models will be running its system by the end of the year.