Yesterday, we wrote about Larry Page’s Search-Plus-Your-World ultimatum and much of the buzz was around the “or work somewhere else” part. But our source emphasized another word he used. “Beautiful.”

According to sources, that word has been bandied about Google quite a bit lately, and is turning up again and again in the company’s recent public comments too.

Back in December, Page said, “All of us at Google want to create services that people in the world will use twice a day just like a toothbrush. And we strive to make those services beautiful, simple and easy to use. That way we can provide huge benefit to the world.”

Vic Gundotra, Google’s senior vice president of social, tied this explicitly to the social strategy, saying, “Four months ago when, when we opened [Google+] to the public, we were not sure what kind of reception we would receive. Expect us to deliver something truly beautiful. We’ve only just begun to work on that promise.”

I think we’d all consider “simple” and “easy to use” as hallmarks of Google’s product aesthetic, as is “clean,” “spartan,” “stark” and even “geeky,” given the multi-colored logo and large, whimsical sculptures that dot the campus.

But the emphasis on “beautiful” seems a departure. Particularly from Google’s more gritty throw-it-out-in-beta-and-see-what-sticks past.

Is it just me or does it seem like the Google brain trust all got copies of the Steve Jobs biography for Christmas?

If you watch Google’s recent Chrome commercials the link between what Apple has built in your mobile Web-world and where Google wants to take your computer-Web world is even clearer.

From Apple:

From Google:

No doubt, everyone wants to be the next Steve Jobs at this point– particularly after Apple’s insane quarter yesterday. Beauty sells. Beauty is sexy right now. Beauty is the story reporters want to write. Beauty is what investors want to buy. Beauty is poised to be the buzz word that “innovative” was a few years ago in business circles.

But for Apple’s customers, beauty was the trade-off we made. We got beauty, but we gave up control and openness. “There’s an app for that,” means, “You don’t need anything outside the Apple ecosystem.”

Google’s new tagline “The Web Is What you Make of It,” and its commercials showing all the touch points of Google in your day telegraph a similar message. All you need are Google’s “beautiful” integrated products to enjoy the Web.

That’s psychologically very different from the company Page, Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt built. Google disrupted the portal-based search market precisely because the company sent you away from their site– something that was unthinkable as a business strategy at the time. Google brilliantly saw value in being that trusted utility to navigate the Web. It was the router of eyeballs, not the company trying to monopolize them like Yahoo, AOL or MSN.

But the TV ads and recent messaging from Page show Google as something very different. It shows Google as the brand you never leave.

A beautiful walled garden– much like what Apple has built on mobile and what Facebook is increasingly trying to build through Facebook Connect. Given that’s what competitors are doing and that Google needs a new growth area, it’s not a shock. But it’s a clear psychological departure for the company, and it’s being championed by the top down.

Why does this matter? Because Google is the company that most of the world trusts to access the Web, and the Web used to be a static thing. If each of us searched for a term, we’d all get the same result. But social is inherently personalized. Each of us sees a different Facebook homepage and a different Twitter stream. The more the view of the world Google gives us is integrated into social, the less we’re seeing “the” Web and the more the Web is something fungible; it’s what “we’re making of it.”

Put another way, is Google moving from being a company that organizes the world’s information to one that organizes the information of “your” world?

As I said two days ago, either way, Google needs to come clean with users and communicate if the direction of the company has dramatically changed. And I plan on keep bringing it up until they do. Google’s search engine is too important to how we all get news and information to be so coy and quiet in the face of recent evidence that its values are changing.

I’m not the only one worried. Check out this post from this former Googler who wonders whether Google is having its “Microsoft 1995″ moment. From the post:

“In the early 1990s Microsoft didn’t understand the Internet. Windows didn’t even support TCP/IP, you had to download third party drivers like Trumpet Winsock to go online. And there was certainly no web browser, Netscape was going to sell that to users. Then in 1994–1995 Bill Gates executed an admirable turnaround at Microsoft with help from folks like Sinofsky and Allard. They quickly built a TCP/IP stack and a web browser and bundled it with Windows 95 and NT. Gates’ memo The Internet Tidal Wave was the visionary document that explained it all. That rapid embracing of the Internet saved Microsoft as a company; they would have been doomed otherwise.

In the late 2000s Google didn’t understand social media. They had some clumsy efforts like Orkut and Buzz but you had to go to MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or RenRen to get social. Then in 2011 Larry Page executed an admirable turnaround at Google, with help from folks like Gundotra and Horowitz. They quickly built Google+ and bundled it with the primary search engine. There’s no visionary memo about Google+ in public but you can bet they have a very clear and strong strategy internally. The rapid embracing of social media is unprecedented for Google; it’s commendable.”

I’m not trying to beat up on Google, but you can’t overemphasize how much this shift in strategy would change how users interact with the Web and how Web startups get users. Google is our gateway to the Web, because it’s never tried to control the Web, shape the Web or make it beautiful.

As someone who goes to Google more times a day than any other site, I hope I’m wrong about how deep this change in philosophy is among Google’s leadership. I already have two companies who make sense of my world for me: Twitter and Facebook. I don’t need a third. I need a clean, reliable search engine and email service I can trust.

When the world changes...

It's painful, expensive, time-consuming, stressful and ultimately pointless to work overtime to preserve your dying business model.

All the lobbying, the lawsuits, the ad campaigns and most of all, the hand-wringing, aren't going to change anything at all. In fact, instead of postponing the outcome you fear, they probably accelerate it.

The history of media and technology is an endless series of failed rearguard actions as industry leaders attempt to solidify their positions on a bed of quicksand.

Again and again the winners are individuals and organizations that spot opportunities in the next thing, as opposed to those that would demonize, marginalize or illegalize (is that a word?) it. Breaking systems that benefit your customers is dumb. Taking money from lobbyists to break those systems is dumber still.

He does not write much but speaks volumes.

This was a ridiculous night starting with a solid set from Glenn Morrison at 9pm until around 10:30 and ending with Swanky Tunes killing it with the sun rising ending with Hard Rock Sofa’s “Quasar” at around 6am and Swanky Tunes & Hard Rock Sofa’s “I Wanna Be Your Dog” as well as playing some new songs. Though these sets are not complete from start to finish, they give you a good picture of how good they were. Swanky Tunes and Arty stood out to me because there was not a dull moment in their sets with their energy and song selection and Arty had some incredible bootlegs such as Nero “Me & You” with Tiesto & Diplo “C’Mon”. Arty seemed to run out of steam at the end of his set because Avicii was late so he continued to play some songs that he probably did not intend to play, but overall his set was outstanding with a new song that is absolutely amazing. Avicii had an outstanding set with some quality mixes and he played of course a whole host of unreleased tracks including his collaboration with Nicky Romero, Silhouettes, Let Me Show You Love and his remix of Eric Turner’s “Dancing In My Head” got its first quality play on the radio. He had the crowd completely at his control with his uplifting melodies and did not stop playing until close to 5am. Cazzette delivered a great, high energy set with their heavy electro & dubstep style with a bunch of unreleased stuff including their single “Killmode” as well as some pretty ridiculous remixes of NWA’s “Straight Outta Compton” as well as Chris Brown & Busta Rhymes’ “Look At Me Now”. These sets are quality and will let you relive the memories a little better for those who were there and allow those who were not to enjoy some quality sets. Tracklists after the jump.

DOWNLOAD: Cazzette @ Pier 94, New York City – 31-12-2011

DOWNLOAD: Arty @ Pier 94, New York City – 01-01-2012

DOWNLOAD: Avicii @ Pier 94, New York City – 01-01-2012

DOWNLOAD: Swanky Tunes @ Pier 94, New York City – 01-01-2012

Cazzette Tracklist:
01. Norman Doray – Kalifornia (David Tort Remix) [Strictly Rhythm] w/ Sander van Doorn – Reach Out [Doorn] w/ Florence and The Machine – You’ve Got The Love (Acappella) [Universal]
02. Alexander Adstedt – We’re Still Here [TopDJ] w/ Steve Angello, Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso & Laidback Luke feat. Deborah Cox – Leave The World Behind (Acappella) [Axtone]
03. Avicii – Sweet Dreams (Cazzette ‘Meet At Night’ Remix) [Joia]
04. Dada Life – Rolling Stone T-Shirt (Cazzette ‘Approaching Starry Homes’ Mix) [White Label]
05. NWA – Straight Outta Compton (Cazzette Remix) [White Label] w/ Eric Turner feat. Lupe Fiasco – Angels And Stars (Cazzette ‘A Sick Halloween’ Remix) [White Label]
06. Cazzette vs. Chris Brown etc – Look At Me Now (CAZZETTE ‘Ode to the Congo’ Bootleg pt II) [White Label]
07. Wolfgang Gartner – The Champ [Ultra]
08. Nicky Romero – Toulouse [Spinnin]
09. Qulinez – Troll [Size]
10. Swedish House Mafia vs. Knife Party – Antidote [EMI]
11. Knife Party – Fire Hive [AEI]
12. Tiësto – Maximal Crazy (R3hab & Swanky Tunes Remix) [Musical Freedom]
13. R3hab & Swanky Tunes feat. Max C – Sending My Love (Cazzette ‘Already Super Human’ Remix) [Wall]
14. David Guetta feat. Sia – Titanium (Cazzette’s ‘Ant Seeking Hamster’ Remix) [F*** Me I'm Famous]
15. Lady Gaga – Judas (Thomas Gold Instrumental Remix) [Interscope] w/ Afrojack feat. Eva Simons – Take Over Control (Acappella) [Wall]
16. ID (1h11min25sec)
17. Cazzette – Make Some Room [White Label] w/ Daft Punk – Technologic (Acappella) [Virgin]
18. Cazzette – Killmode [White Label] w/ Fatboy Slim – Right Here, Right Now (Acappella) [Skint]

Arty Tracklist:
01. Arty, Matisse & Sadko – Trio [Axtone]
02. James Blunt – Dangerous (Deniz Koyu & Johan Wedel Remix) [Atlantic]
03. Coldplay vs. Swedish House Mafia – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall [Parlophone]
04. Arty – Around The World [Anjunabeats]
05. Dirty South & Those Usual Suspects feat. Erik Hecht – Walking Alone (Arty Remix) [Phazing]
06. Arty & Mat Zo – Mozart [Anjunabeats]
07. Bassjackers – Mush, Mush [Musical Freedom]
08. ID (33min)
09. Sander van Doorn feat. Carol Lee – Love Is Darkness [Doorn]
10. Coldplay – Fix You [EMI] w/ Nadia Ali, Alex Kenji & Starkillers – Pressure (Alesso Remix) [Spinnin]
11. Sander van Doorn – Koko [Doorn] w/ Afrojack & R3hab – Prutataaa [Wall]
12. Nero – Me And You [MTA] w/ Tiësto vs. Diplo – C’Mon [Musical Freedom]
13. Above & Beyond – Prelude [Anjunabeats] w/ Calvin Harris – You Used To Hold Me (Acappella) [Ultra]
1 hour out of 1½ set.

Avicii Tracklist:
01. Avicii – Levels [LE7ELS / Universal] (Vitzi’s Old School Intro Edit)
02. David Guetta & Avicii – Sunshine [EMI] w/ Florence and The Machine – Spectrum (Acappella) [Universal]
03. Avicii & Nicky Romero – ID [White Label] w/ Justice – D.A.N.C.E (Acappella) [Ed Banger]
04. Avicii – Fade Into Darkness [LE7ELS / Universal] w/ Florence and The Machine – You’ve Got The Love (Mark Knight Remix)
05. Avicii – Fade Into Darkness (Albin Myers Remix) [Ministry Of Sound]
06. Avicii – ID [White Label] w/ Tim Berg – Alcoholic (Acappella) [Joia]
07. John Dahlback feat. Erik Hassle – One Last Ride (Tommy Trash Remix) [Mutants / Big Beat]
08. Dada Life – Kick Out The Epic Motherfucker [So Much Dada]
09. Dirty South & Thomas Gold feat. Kate Elsworth – Alive (Tommy Trash Remix) [Phazing]
10. Eric Turner – Dancing In My Head (Avicii’s ‘Been Cursed’ Mix) [White Label]
11. Avicii – ID (Just Gotta Hold On) [White Label]
12. Avicii – ”ID2? [White Label]
13. David Guetta feat. Sia – Titanium (Alesso Remix) [F*** Me I'm Famous]
14. Tim Berg – Bromance (Avicii’s ‘Arena’ Mix) [PinkStar] w/ Axwell feat. Max C – I Found U (Acappella) [Axtone] w/ Tim Berg feat. Amanda Wilson – Bromance (Avicii’s Vocal Mix) [Ministry Of Sound]
15. Sebastian Ingrosso & Alesso – Calling (Instrumental Mix) [Refune]
16. Tom Hangs feat. Shermanology – Blessed (Avicii Edit) [Spinnin]
17. Michael Calfan – Resurrection (Axwell’s Recut Club Version) [Axtone] w/ Adele – Someone Like You (Acappella) [XL]
18. Avicii – Sweet Dreams (‘Swede Dreams’ Mix) [Joia]
19. Avicii – Levels [LE7ELS / Universal]
20. James Blunt – Dangerous (Deniz Koyu & Johan Wedel Remix) [Atlantic]
21. Yenson – My Feeling (Deniz Koyu Remix) [Scream & Shout]
22. Avicii & Sebastien Drums – My Feelings For You [Work Machine]
23. Avicii feat. Salem Al Fakir – Silhouettes [White Label]
24. Armin van Buuren feat. Laura V – Drowning (Avicii Remix) [Armada]
25. Robyn – Hang With Me (Avicii Remix) [Konichiwa]
26. Tiësto feat. C.C. Sheffield – Escape Me (Avicii ‘At Night’ Remix) [Musical Freedom]
27. Nadia Ali – Rapture (Avicii’s ‘New Generation’ Remix) [Smile In Bed]
28. Tim Berg – Abow [PinkStar] w/ Kings Of Leon – Sex On Fire (Acappella) [RCA]
29. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Otherside (Third Party Remix) [One More Tune]
30. Ash – Let Me Show You Love (Ash & Avicii ‘Hype Machine’ Mix) [White Label]
31. The Killers – Mr. Brightside (Jacques Lu Cont’s ‘Thin White Duke’ Mix) [The Island Def Jam] w/ The Wombats – Techno Fan (Afrojack Remix) [One More Tune]
32. Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin – Save The World (Alesso Remix vs. Original Mix) [EMI]
33. Skitzofrenix & Jeff Doubleu – Rushin’ [Sneakerz Muzik]
34. Alesso – Raise Your Head [Refune]
35. Hard Rock Sofa & St. Brothers – Blow Up (Thomas Gold vs. Axwell Remix) [Axtone]
36. Ash – PAPA [White Label]
37. Afrojack – Pacha On Acid [Size] w/ Steve Angello – Teasing Mister Charlie [Size] w/ Bingo Players – Tom’s Diner (Acappella) [Sneakerz Muzik]
38. Chemical Brothers – Hey Boy, Hey Girl [Virgin] w/ Tocadisco – Morumbi [CNR]
39. Congorock – Babylon (Steve Angello Edit) [Fool's Gold] (Encore)
40. Daft Punk – One More Time [Virgin] w/ Daft Punk – Aerodynamic [Virgin] w/ Daft Punk & Stardust – One More Sounds (Arno Cost Rework) (Encore no. 2)

Swanky Tunes Tracklist:
01. David Guetta & Afrojack – Lunar [EMI]
02. Junior Sanchez feat. Karmen – I Believe In (Swanky Tunes Remix) [Size]
03. Swanky Tunes – XOXO [Spinnin]
04. Nicky Romero – Toulouse [Spinnin]
05. Swanky Tunes – ID (16min)
06. Sander van Doorn – Koko (R3hab Remix) [Doorn]
07. Coldplay vs. Swedish House Mafia – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall [Parlophone]
08. Swanky Tunes & Hard Rock Sofa – Feedback [Spinnin]
09. Tiësto – Maximal Crazy (R3hab & Swanky Tunes Remix) [Musical Freedom]
10. Martin Solveig & Dragonette – Hello [Mixture] w/ Afrojack – Replica [Wall]
11. Kaskade feat. Mindy Gledhill – Eyes (Swanky Tunes Remix) [Ultra]
12. ID (53min)
13. R3hab & Swanky Tunes feat. Max C – Sending My Love [Wall]

Many thanks to FNT for the sets and tracklists.

Google is acquiring the Silicon Valley-based startup Clever Sense, both companies are announcing today. Clever Sense, as you may recall, is the maker of the mobile application “Alfred,” which delivers personalized recommendations for nearby restaurants, coffee shops, bars and nightclubs using a combination of artificial intelligence and machine-learning algorithms.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the Clever Sense team will be joining Google’s local services division immediately, the home to the business directory and reviews service Google Places.

According to Clever Sense CEO Babak Pahlavan, the company is beyond happy to be joining Google. “Happy doesn’t quite cut it,” he says. “This is an incredible opportunity for us and the team, and it’s amazing the way it’s happening.”

Which may actually mean: fast.

Only last week, the company was said to have been in talks with Groupon, although, not surprisingly, Pahlavan can’t comment on that report. He will say, however, that Google was simply a good fit for his company’s core vision. “Ultimately,” he says, “it was a question of how can we take this to a whole new level?” At Google, he says, the people there believe in the same vision. “They’ll allow us to work on this, but just make it bigger. Google is totally on the same page – it’s kind of scary how much,” he added.

So what was Clever Sense’s vision, then? Restaurants and other local venues (bars, clubs, etc.) were just the start. The company was also talking about using its technology to move into making deal recommendations next, like those from daily deal outlets such as Groupon and Living Social. But further down the road, the company saw itself as being able to recommend other things, like local activities, entertainment, and more. (A tie-in with Google Schemer, perhaps? Google won’t say.)

This idea of personalized recommendations speaks to Google’s vision of a “serendipity engine” something which Google’s Marissa Mayer has talked about in the past. She referred to Google’s vision of being able to surface “serendipitous” suggestions on mobile phones based on where you are. This year, she suggested that such a technology may emerge sometime within “a two-year horizon.”

With Clever Sense, however, that window may be narrowed. And ideally, Clever Sense, too, will be able to continue along its same path with access to more resources and Google’s scale.

Although Google has a history of acquiring technology companies then shutting down their existing products (see: Jaiku, Slide, Aardvark, etc.), a Google spokesperson says that the plan is to leave the Alfred app up-and-running for the “foreseeable future.” We can only hope.

The official statement to be published to the Clever Sense website reads:

When we embarked on our mission to curate the world around us, we knew we were taking on a huge challenge. We worked hard to build the Clever Sense Platform to tackle the problem of information overload in the real world. Using that platform, we built Alfred to create a simple, enjoyable and powerful way to discover new places and help make decisions on the go. It’s exciting to see that our passion turned into something people around the world use regularly to make everyday decisions that are just right for them.

Today, we are excited to join Google and start a new chapter in curating the world around us! Together with the Google team, we will accelerate our efforts toward this shared vision. Google helps local businesses connect with potential customers, and its worldwide presence can bring the value of Clever Sense to a much larger audience. Discovering local information is extremely important to both users and businesses, and the acquisition of Clever Sense will benefit both.

The journey has been nothing short of incredible. Our vision has only become bigger, and our commitment stronger. With Google and Clever Sense working together, our entire team looks forward to building more intelligent, serendipitous and magical services!

We didn’t achieve this success alone. We sincerely want to thank our users, investors, our amazing board and superb advisors. We will be your loyal fans for life.

Smiles,

Babak Pahlavan
Co-founder and CEO

Meanwhile, Google’s statement reads:

“The Clever Sense team is at the forefront of developing a recommendation engine that connects the online and offline worlds by delivering personal and sophisticated information to users at the right time, the right place and within the right context. By combining their technology and expertise with our team and products, we’ll be able to provide even more people with intelligent, personalized recommendations for places to eat, visit and discover.”

This is monumental for Clever Sense.