Now there has been hints of Google Financial for a few days now. But when I learned about indication that a portal might be on the way, to say that I was stunned would be putting it mildly.

The finance section Google unveiled yesterday continues a philosophical shift that’s turning its once-pure Internet search engine into an all-purpose Web site that seems increasingly interested in getting people to stick around instead of sending them elsewhere.

The evolution has been unfolding over the past four years as Google has introduced free e-mail, news, photo sharing, instant messaging, shopping and mapping services that are staples of one-stop Web sites commonly known as “portals.” Source: SignOnSanDiego

[tags]shopping,news,free e-mail,instant messaging,photo sharing,google finance,mapping services[/tags]