Google "Helpout" Launched; Targeting Counterfeiters
LAKE: Google has just launched an online tool called "Helpout" linking users with experts over live video chats. It is the latest innovation from the internet giant, which is also rumored to have its own SmartWatch in the works. Kristie Lu Stout recently spoke to Google's chairman about it.</s>ERIC SCHMIDT, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, GOOGLE: Well, the good news about Android, which is the operating system that is used on more than a billion devices, is there are a number of manufacturers that are either building or have announced Android SmartWatches. Samsung, for example, has already been shipping one. And there are others coming. So again, you'll have an IP address on your hand, you'll have a mobile phone, maybe you'll have something on your glasses.</s>KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's very exciting. Google just bought one of these Android SmartPhone -- or SmartWatch makers, WIMM. So, is something in the works here?</s>SCHMIDT: Well, let's not talk about Google's future products.</s>SCHMIDT: But I will tell you that the Android ecosystem, there's a lot of devices like that coming. We anticipate a sort of internet of everything model, which has been discussed pretty broadly. What will happen is -- computers will all self-assemble. You'll walk into your house and your watch will figure out that they're in your house and interesting things will happen that make your life more productive and fun.</s>STOUT: Let's talk about Google Android, OK? And in particular, Samsung's dominance in Google Android. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Because Google Android has enabled the success of Samsung. Your thoughts on that?</s>SCHMIDT: Well, Samsung -- and I met with them when I was in Korea --</s>STOUT: Yes.</s>SCHMIDT: -- very, very committed to Android. And indeed, they're bringing out a large number of other sort of Android-related products. Because of course, Samsung makes more than just phones and tablets. They make refrigerators and many, many other kinds of devices. So, they're part of our partnership to make Android and the internet of everything really happen. So, that partnership is very good for us. Samsung has really redefined the SmartPhone space. Today, they are the number one mobile phone manufacturer in the world, and they're number one ahead of Apple's iPhone.</s>STOUT: So, you're bullish about Samsung's continued success?</s>SCHMIDT: Not only am I bullish, Samsung itself is riding high on the success of their decision to standardize on Android and to use their technology. And they're really an innovator in terms of integrated hardware. They do a fantastic job.</s>STOUT: Let's talk about Moonshot Project. So much discussion about the driverless cars at Google, immortality project.</s>SCHMIDT: Right.</s>STOUT: Why does Google do this?</s>SCHMIDT: Because we can. Because we have the economic resources and the leadership, that we can take that that other companies can't. We fundamentally believe that technology can be a force for good, that investment with very, very sophisticated scientists can invent new products. And we're willing to fail. We're willing to build products that might not work or might not work in version one. But we know if we keep trying, eventually something really interesting was going to come out. And who doesn't want to be immortal?</s>STOUT: There are prices to that, right? There's --</s>SCHMIDT: Well, let's get the --</s>STOUT: It's going to be taxing on society for a number of reasons, but that's for another conversation.</s>SCHMIDT: Let's get the products built first.</s>STOUT: That's right. Then deal with the social impact.</s>SCHMIDT: That's right. Let's build the product before we regulate them.</s>LAKE: Now, I bet you're wondering what this is. Take a look at these chainsaws. The one on the left is from a leading German manufacturer. The one on the right is an imitation, a counterfeit. Now, can you find the fake in this next set? Take a look. If you guessed the one on the bottom, you'd be correct, but it's hard to tell, isn't it? When we hear about counterfeit goods, we tend to think of designer handbags, expensive watches, but that is not what worries European law enforcement. The head of Europe's police agency says that counterfeiters are moving their focus away from luxury goods and turning their criminal attention towards everyday items like medicines, food products, and car parts. I spoke with Europol's director, Rob Wainwright, earlier, and I started by asking him how consumers can spot the fake items from the real ones as this multibillion-dollar black market grows bigger.</s>ROB WAINWRIGHT, DIRECTOR, EUROPOL: Well, I think that's really difficult because counterfeiters are becoming better and more sophisticated in their product lines, not always some are clearly fake. So, consumers do need to be aware. My best advice to the consumers is stick to those tried and trusted outlets. Make sure if you need to buy cancer medication, and we've seen fake forms of that, you get it from the pharmacy or you get it from the doctor. You don't go online to try and save some money. The same when you're buying stuff online about the car or electrical goods, make sure that you're getting it from known retail outlets that you can trust. Don't take risks with your health and safety. Make sure that you know what you're getting into when you're buying this stuff.</s>LAKE: Rob, I think it's tough for consumers. We know what the unemployment rate is in some countries, it's a tough economy, consumers are really strapped. Some of these items we're seeing the growth in counterfeit are expensive items: medication, appliances. If the companies were to price them a little bit lower, would that help take away the market for counterfeits? If they took a little bit less profit margin, would that help the problem?</s>WAINWRIGHT: Well, I'm not a market economist. I'm not going to talk about that. I'm here to talk about the police action in this area to help protect our free market economy, protect our businesses, who are losing millions, billions of dollars in this area as well from the unscrupulous activities of organized crime groups who are distorting markets, who are lowering competition, who are changing and undermining our trademark and our design technologies for example. So as much as anything else, the victims are the businesses as well, and the law enforcement community, we need to protect them. In the end, the citizens have to make their own choice about which goods they buy. What I'm saying today is, this is no longer about a Gucci handbag. This is about fake medication, fake food. In some cases that we've seen, people have lost their lives from consuming fake goods and fake alcohol, for example. So, people really need to take care when they're choosing what to buy, especially online.</s>LAKE: Does law enforcement have the resources it needs? It seems that these criminals are able to stay one step ahead. We know they're very tech-savvy. Are you able to keep up with them?</s>WAINWRIGHT: We're investing as well in our new European cybercrimes center here at Europol. We're working with our US partners in this area as well. The police are pretty good at doing this work as well. And in a number of cases, we've managed to crack down on many of these organizations. We've already, working with ICE in the US, we've already closed over 500 domain -- internet domain names in this area, internet sites that are selling these fake stuffs. Last year, we worked with Interpol to recover 135 tons of fake and substandard food culminating in 100 arrests in 28 countries. So there are major international police efforts underway to protect our consumers from this, and we'll remain engaged to ensure, therefore, that the organized crime groups do not profit from this new trade in their activity.</s>LAKE: After 12 years, a change in New York City. Voters are choosing a new mayor to replace this man, Michael Bloomberg. Whoever wins has a tough act to follow when it comes to working with Wall Street.