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 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The finance section Google Inc. unveiled Tuesday continues a philosophical shift that's turning its once-pure Internet search engine into an all-purpose Web site that seems increasingly interested in getting people to stick around instead of sending them elsewhere.
The evolution has been unfolding during the past four years as Google has introduced free e-mail, news, photo sharing, instant messaging, shopping and mapping services that are staples of one-stop Web sites commonly known as "portals."
The changes have sparked a debate about whether Google is moving wisely to counteract its biggest rivals — longtime Web portals like Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft Corp.'s MSN — or overextending itself in a way that ultimately will diminish the appeal of its Internet-leading search engine.
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