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Google shares are currently up ~$16 per share to $100, an increase on the revised opening price ($85) of ~20%.

Forbes talked to Barry Randall, portfolio manager for the First American Technology Fund, who remarked "The surge may indicate many institutional investors sat on the sidelines for the initial offering."There were a lot of institutional investors who were spooked by not only the initial auction scenario but also the missteps along the way. I suspect many of them did regard it as a healthy business model, and now they have the ability to purchase the stock from the open market instead of the managers. I think they feel more comfortable."

Google will undoubtedly be happy with the days trading; they haven't had any disaster that some analysts had predicted. Equally, the share price seems to have settled at what for them can only be viewed as a very reasonable figure.

For more information, see our previous story here.

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This leaves Nintendo, once again, with a lot of titles that are bound to gather critical acclaim - and almost certainly deservedly so - but with the exception of Metroid Prime 2 not that many that are likely to scythe through the competition during a hectic Christmas rush.

Any GBA owners bound to an elderly relative's couch this Christmas won't have too much to worry about, however, with a number of exciting titles due on the handheld - despite the impending launch of the Nintendo DS, which is due out in Europe in early 2005. In fact, it'll be interesting to see how GBA sales fare in the run-up to Christmas purely on that basis.

We'll be in the queue though, busily scrabbling to get hold of Mario Golf Advance Tour (Sept 17th), the eagerly awaited The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (Nov 12th), Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nov 19th), and - for the sake of working out what it is more than anything - "Super Mario Ball" (Nov 26th). Square die-hards will be pleased to see Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls down for early December, too.

Key exclusives due out on Nintendo platforms in the run up to Christmas:


GameCube

Wario Ware, Inc.: Mega Party Game$ - September 3rd

Animal Crossing - September 3rd

Pikmin 2 - October 8th

Donkey Konga - October 15th

Paper Mario 2: The Thousand Year Door - November 12th

Tales of Symphonia - November 19th

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - November 26th


Game Boy Advance

Mario Golf Advance Tour - September 17th

Pokemon Leaf Green/Fire Red - October 1st

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap - November 12th

Mario vs. Donkey Kong - November 19th

Super Mario Ball - November 26th

Mario Party Advance - December 3rd

Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls - December 10th