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As long as Baidu's Chinese and Google's American, it seems like that first company will have an advantage in a certain part of the world.  There's a sign that Google China is trying to catch up, however, by offering something to compete with Baidu's much-loved MP3 search.

Since an English degree doesn't involve much Chinese-language training, let's turn to the English version of China Radio International's site.  One article states, "Internet search giant Google will provide MP3 searches in China before the August Olympics, Web site Sina.com reports."

Also, Google's apparently found (or is at least in the process of finding) its way around all sorts of traditional legal sticking points, as "[t]he Sina.com report said Google China has agreed to share the advertising profits from MP3 searches with its partners, a similar business model to those of the search giant's other services."

Assuming this is all true - Baidu didn't expand into Europe, if you want an example of a rumor that didn't work out - it looks like Google China could overcome one of the last measurable gaps between it and Baidu.  User habits and that little issue of home field advantage are the only problems that would be left in its way.

Meanwhile, the idea that the MP3 search feature would get launched in America is a fascinating, yet mostly logical, follow-through.