Google conversion - where are they taking us?

Google Inc is discontinuing old services.
Google Notebook was an early casualty and quite a shock to avid users - at school we used shared notebooks for minutes and other records, and we wondered, at the time, how we would do without it.
Then a much better Google Docs came along and we now use this, with features such as concurrent editing in real time, and think no more of Google Notebook.
Google Desktop is another one that now bites the dust. This may not be any great loss since cloud search devices are available and cloud storage is the way to go. But I am sure there must be those who will wonder how they will manage without it.
The Google Operating System blog lists other casualties: Aardvark, Fast Flip, Google Pack, Image Labeler, Sidewiki, and Subscribed link. This is fine, but note that they have been dropped whilst all is still in Beta. We are, by the way Google operates, considered permanent Beta-testers.
So, where is Google taking us? It all seems to be centred on Google+, an identity service. But it is hugely Beta, being developed quickly and has already soaked up Picasa. Are we sure that where Google is taking us is where we want to go?