Google bought what?

A SURE SIGN that someone has more money than sense is that they go out and buy shiny things that they don't need, just because they can.

That observation might apply to the news that Google just bought something called Jaiku.

What is Jaiku? It's apparently a Web 2.0 addressbook and text messaging application for PCs and cellphones, the essence of which seems to be that it lets users tag text messages to their friends with picture icons or - if they're pressed for time - enter just the icons alone.

As Farhad Manjoo noted over at Wired, this sort thing is really useful to keep all your close friends, co-workers and even casual acquaintances apprised, on a minute by minute basis, of all your varied activities in your extremely important life.

Google hasn't said what it plans to do with Jaiku and it seems like Jaiku has no idea, either. The service will remain up during the transition, but new subscriptions are closed for now.

It probably has something to do with a phone that Google is going to release soon.