I love that Stars page…why haven`t I seen this before? Amazing.
As for Google, I agree that they have made huge strides. However, I don’t think that most people realize the kind of design work and management needed to accomplish it. Even this video that you posted left me wanting a better explanation.
One last thing, I think that a lot of people think that design is still a luxury. When we see huge companies like Google and Apple using design, it’s expected. I’d like to see more case studies of small companies leveraging design to gain market advantage.