/* /*]]>*/ Year in Review: Google Google courts controversy For Google, 2005 was a pivotal year. The search company went from being an IPO and tech darling to being feared by rivals, including Microsoft, and challenged in court for its aggressive hiring tactics and its controversial moves to put library books online. Speculation abounded about Google's future plans, as the company dipped its toes in wireless and video, and launched a project some are guessing will become a massive repository of classified ads. Meanwhile, founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page became billionaires, as Google's stock rose 130 percent after its initial public offering. The year started out with the public release of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents that revealed that Google's stock grant awards helped create . As the stock rose from $85, when the company went public in August 2004, to as high as $430 in late 2005, more than a dozen Google executives and directors pocketed a combined $4.3 billion, according to Thomson Financial. Several analysts predicted that shares would even hit $500. February marked the first of the year's bad public relations for Google. The company was criticized for , which included criticisms of the company. Later, another employee sued Google, claiming that she was wrongfully terminated before being rehired and then . Google also was Perfect 10 over the search company's use of photos in its image search database, and Google agreed to in the United Kingdom after being threatened with a copyright lawsuit there. Even more noteworthy were lawsuits against Google filed over its library book-scanning project and its hiring of a former Microsoft manager. In their lawsuits, and the alleged that Google's plan to scan and digitize major library collections would violate copyright law. Google defended its plan by saying it won't expose more than without the copyright holder's permission. , meanwhile, sued Google for . Google announced in July its plans to hire Lee to head up its China research lab, which prompted Microsoft to sue in Washington state, alleging that Lee was violating a one-year noncompete agreement that was part of his contract with Microsoft. A settlement in the case was . Google and Sun announced in October that on work on Sun Microsystems' OpenOffice.org, Java and OpenSolaris, and on Google's Toolbar, who were expecting a bigger announcement. Among the noteworthy product and service launches from Google were: ; Google Mini, a appliance; with its wow-factor 3D satellite image technology; Google ; an ; Google Talk, a ; and , a repository for any type of information that people want to be Web-searchable and a project many observers were convinced was an attempt to get into the lucrative online-classifieds market. The company also to its AdWords customers. Google, known for its secrecy, had observers speculating about its master plan all year. Questions were raised over to build its own global or national network, and company Current Communications Group. Google also was given permission to offer in its hometown of Mountain View, Calif., while for the same. Following the outcry among privacy advocates over Gmail, which was introduced last year, several new Google products stirred similar concerns, namely and . Google also grew at an , hiring 800 new employees in the third quarter alone, with an estimated 1,000 positions still open at the time. High-profile hires included Internet pioneer and Firefox programmer . The company ended the year flush with cash, as a in September netted more than $4 billion, bringing its bank account balance to about $7 billion. Google also had three blow-out fiscal quarters, including record revenues that nearly doubled in to $1.58 billion. Meanwhile, with a stock price at about $425, , more than those of Amazon.com and eBay combined. --Elinor Mills 2005 Highlights Google riches outed on the Web Rarely invoked SEC rule reveals stock option haves and have-nots among rank and file, dividing clubby campus.January 10, 2005 Google blogger: 'I was terminated' Ex-Googler Mark Jen says blog was the cause, adding that the decision came as a "great shock."February 11, 2005 Video search ready for playback Service is another step in the search giant's expansion into more comprehensive media services. Could pay-per-view movies be next?June 27, 2005 Google mapping enters the third dimension Search giant launches Google Earth, a satellite mapping service that lets people zoom in for 3D views of buildings and terrain.June 28, 2005 Google balances privacy, reach The search giant has to make sure its vast data on customer behavior isn't used to violate privacy.July 14, 2005 Microsoft sues over Google hire Lawsuit is response to defection of Kai-Fu Lee, who has been focusing on new search technologies for Redmond.July 19, 2005 Google unveils instant messaging entry Search giant unveils Google Talk, an IM program that also allows voice chat. Plus: Cast your vote on Talk.August 23, 2005 Building an empire to rival Microsoft Search giant could become more important than Redmond rival, says author who has studied its patents and engineering.September 21, 2005 Sun and Google shake hands Multiyear partnership will develop and distribute Google Toolbar, Java, OpenOffice and OpenSolaris--and Google will buy lots more Sun servers.October 4, 2005 Shares soar on hearty revenue report Search king beats analysts' estimates, bolstered by strong advertising. "They made a lot of money," one analyst said.October 20, 2005 Google's battle over library books As the search giant pushes ahead with its book-scanning project, publishers are crying copyright foul, not fair use.October 24, 2005 At Google, hiring like it's 1999 The search giant is stocking up on engineers and more as it races to keep pace with its own ambitions.October 31, 2005 Google Base service goes live Service allows people to post "all types of online and offline information and images" that may be searchable on several Google sites.November 15, 2005 Wall Street agog over Google Analysts set share price targets all the way up to $500, but others worry a lack of revenue diversity could hurt.November 28, 2005 AOL gets $1 billion boost from Google The search giant takes a 5 percent stake in America Online for closer ties on ads, IM and video.December 20, 2005 Behind the headlines