I write a daily column about technology journalism in Australia and New Zealand for IT Journo (it’s an invitation only site). Today the dominant news story was the Australian debut of new Google Android phones from HTC. Also on the agenda was an announcement from Google about its new Wave communications software and the relaunch or rebranding of Microsoft’s search as Bing.

Judging by the local and international coverage of the stories, Microsoft should be worried. The yet to be launched Google Wave software recieved far more coverage than Microsoft’s carefully choreographed launch. Microsoft is preparing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars promoting its rebranded search and yet the story was lost in the noise.

As far as news media is concerned, Google is now far more important than Microsoft.