Google is out to organize the world, and today’s Google release toward that end is Google Checkout, a service that lets users make purchases online using payment and shipping information they keep on file with Google.

Eric E Schmidt, Google’s chief executive says the aim is to make it easier and faster for people to buy products advertised on Google, thus attracting more advertisers. This idea is similar to Paypal, a company owned by Ebay. Microsoft, AOL and Yahoo offer similar services. The advantage to merchants is that Google will waive some or all of the transaction fees for companies that buy advertising from them.

This strategy is sure to heat up the competition among the various companies that offer this "wallet" service. Yahoo is partnering up with Ebay, which will encourage yahoo advertisers to use Payapal for payment processing. PayPal will also be promoted as the online wallet for use on Yahoo services.

All these services are wonderful, but it makes me wonder. When I do a Yahoo or a Google search, am I getting their advertisers to pop up or am I getting a result based on my query? I think that’s a rhetorical question.