• by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, September 1, 2005

As if Google hadn't stunned the industry enough in the last few weeks -- what with its decision to raise $4 billion and its entry into instant messaging and Internet phone service -- the company has now started brokering ads in print publications, including PC Magazine and Maximum PC.

The news has left even veteran Google-watchers scratching their heads, wondering what the Mountain View, Calif. company's up to this time.

Google itself shed very little light on the situation, issuing to virtually every media outlet the same uninformative canned statement: "Google is testing a program to place ads from our advertising network into U.S. print publications. This limited test is part of Google's continuing effort to develop new ways to provide effective and useful advertising to advertisers, publishers, and users."

Google declined to provide the media with more specifics -- and even refused to state whether it was going to branch out into brokering ads in mainstream consumer publications.

Of course, this secrecy is nothing new for Google. The information company is notoriously tight-lipped about itself. Which is too bad, because Google has some great ideas, but being kept in the dark is beginning to shake people's confidence.

If Google wants to maintain the goodwill it has built up through its search engine, not to mention live up to its mission of organizing the world's information, the company should learn to divulge a little more about itself.