Google to offer video and software downloads

Internet search giant Google is planning to announce that it will start allowing consumers to buy videos from major content partners via its homepage this Friday. Not only that, but the company is also looking to make a new bundle of software available to download - a move that is likely to increase the competition between itself and software giant Microsoft.

Google Videos has been around for a while now, but it looks set for a major upgrade, allowing consumers to pay to download and view video recordings from popular television shows.

The expected announcement could have something to do with the deal between AOL Time Warner and Google last month. The announcement could also lead to Google establishing new competition with the likes of Apple Computer, who are doing exceptionally well in the Internet distribution field through its iTunes software.

The company also plans to announce a software bundle rumoured to be known as Google Pack. The bundle is expected to include some of Google's own software like Google Talk, the company's own desktop search software, Google Earth and Picasa.

Along with Google's own software, it is believed that there will be some third party software included too. These will include favourites, such as FireFox, a version of Norton Anti-Virus, Adobe Acrobat Reader, RealPlayer, Trillian IM client and Lavasoft Ad-Aware.

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