Google Squared vs Socrata

Google just launched another entry in their Labs section called Google Squared. Google describes its function as

“constructs a table of facts about any search category you specify”

Google Squared is a search tool that helps you quickly build a collection of facts from the Web for any topic you specify.

• Facts about your topic are organized as a table of items and attributes (we call them “Squares” for fun).
• Customize these Squares to see just the items and attributes you’re interested in.
• See the websites that served as sources for the information in your Square.
• Save and share Squares with others.

It sounds an aweful lot like Socrata. Where (essentially)  you can share datasets. Granted- the functionality of Socrate is now still far superiour to Google’s. But it’s in essence I believe the same thing. Or atleast on the same field (no pun…) However, we are talking about Google here who sits on one of the largest unmined (well….) dataset on the planet. It will make that data available at some point. And eventhough I was impressed by the concept- (Of Socrata) Google is  in my opionion just an API away from blowing Socrata out of the water. Sorry to say. I like Socrata alot…