Google Develops Knol, a Product to Rival Wikipedia

Google said that the project is in an invitation-based BETA testing phase, allowing users to add photos and entries on a blank page. These contents are called "Knol" (which stands for unit of knowledge). Google hopes that Knol will become a huge knowledge base, covering various subjects such as geography, history, and entertainment.

Yesterday, Google announced on its blog that it had invited a group of selected users to start testing the Knol website, with 75,000 active contributors writing 9 million articles in over 250 languages. Udi Manber, Google's Vice President of Engineering, wrote on the blog: "Many people have useful knowledge they wish to share, and billions of people can benefit from it." "The goal of Knol is to cover all topics, from scientific concepts to medical information, everyday repair guides."