Google Base

Much speculation has been doing the rounds this morning ever since the discovery of base.google.com. It seems to be a massive database with various front-ends allowing you to upload various types of information, from house sales to recipes. The site has since being removed by Google, but people are already speculating about Google taking on EBay via Google Base and Google Wallet (Google's long rumoured payment platform).

I don't think this is necessary for Google. Any move that makes it easier for them to index more information and present relevant information to people will create more possible AdWords space. Which is not to say that Google isn't out to take on eBay, I just don't think they need to.

Here is a screenshot of an uploaded recipe, and here is another for real estate