Topic: Getty Images

Google Buying The “VoIP Infrastructure” Out From Under Competitors

Google rarely does anything with a single objective in mind. There are almost always multiple goals or possibilities involved in most of its strategic moves and acquisitions. Such is also the case with its $68 million effort to acquire Global IP Solutions (GIPS). The company, headquartered in San Francisco but publicly traded in Norway, “provides […]

SEO

Bartz Says Yahoo Would Consider Buyout

Speaking today on CNBC, Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz said that Yahoo would “absolutely” consider a buyout offer from “any company at the right price.” According to paidContent, Bartz later qualified her comments to indicate that she’s not actively looking for a buyer, and that if she were in charge of Yahoo when Microsoft made its […]

Google Plans To Buy Its Way Into Real Estate

Google is making its intentions in the real estate vertical more clear. Speaking this week at Inman Real Estate Connect, an industry conference, Google’s Sam Sebastian reportedly said: “We’re actively looking to acquire one to two small real estate companies a month.” (Update: We now understand that the Realtor.org blog post linked above may have […]

Google Acquires AdMob, Mobile Display Ad Company

Google has acquired AdMob (www.admob.com), a popular mobile display ad company, for $750 million. Google has already built their own platform for AdSense on Mobile devices, but this acquisition gives Google access to AdMob’s more than 15,000 mobile Web sites and applications. There are more details about this acquisition at google.com/press/admob. Here is the email […]

SearchCap: The Day In Search, November 6, 2009

Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Google’s Home Page Promotes Motorola Droid Google really wants you to buy a Motorola Droid, the hot new phone that just hit stores today. In fact, Google is so enamored that […]

Yahoo’s Social Plan: Twitter, Twitter, & More Twitter?

Is it just me, or does Yahoo have a thing for Twitter? Watching Yahoo’s moves this year is like watching a kid fall head-over-heels for the prettiest girl in class. He scribbles her initials inside his notebook and tries to impress her at every turn. She never seems to reply, at least not when the […]

SearchCap: The Day In Search, August 10, 2009

Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Google Pitches Benefits, Ease Of Using Google Maps Google’s outreach last week was all about Street View. This week it appears to be Google Maps’ turn in the spotlight, thanks to […]

Reports: Yahoo & Microsoft Very Close On Search Deal

There are several reports tonight that Yahoo and Microsoft are close to consummating a search and advertising deal. 24/7 Wall Street cites an investment banker who says a deal is “imminent.” All Things Digital says an agreement is “down to the short strokes,” but also points out that the companies have been down this road […]

Bartz Talks About MSFT Deal, Google & More At D7 Conference

If Microsoft brings “boatloads of money and the right technology,” Yahoo would be willing to strike a long-rumored search deal. So said Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz at the D7 Conference today, where All Things Digital’s Kara Swisher interviewed her on stage. Bartz followed up that statement by saying Microsoft would need “biiiig boatloads of money” […]

IAC Buys UrbanSpoon

IAC has acquired UrbanSpoon, the restaurant review site that has an incredible popular iPhone application, amongst Facebook widgets and other widgets. The news is now over Techmeme that the company has been acquired for somewhere in the millions of dollar range. IAC has not disclosed the acquisition price. The company was set up by Ethan […]

Microsoft Continues Peeling Off Yahoo Search Talent

Microsoft (so far) has been unable to buy Yahoo or Yahoo search assets, so it instead continues to take search talent away from the company. Last year Microsoft successfully lured engineering lead Qi Lu from Yahoo to become head of the company’s Online Services Group. Redmond also recently nabbed Sean Suchter from Yahoo. Now Bloomberg […]

Ballmer: Do Yahoo Deal Sooner, Not Later

Sick of hearing about Microsoft being interested in buying Yahoo’s search business? So am I. Just buy it already. The saga — now nearly a year old — is back in the news. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is now saying that a deal should happen within the next few months, due to Microsoft and Yahoo […]

SEO

Report: Former AOL CEO, Miller, Raising Funds To Buy Yahoo

Former AOL Chief Seeks Funds for Yahoo Deal from the Wall Street Journal reports Jonathan Miller, ex-AOL CEO, is trying to put together enough money to buy Yahoo. Miller is reportedly looking to raise raising about $28 billion to $30 billion, equivalent to $20 to $22 per share, to buy all of Yahoo. The Wall […]

Microsoft Says It’s Open To Search-Only Deal With Yahoo

Coming just 24 hours after the resignation of Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is saying publicly that Redmond is “open” to a “search collaboration” with Yahoo but not a total acquisition of the Sunnyvale company. The Wall Street Journal and Seattle PI report on the remarks, made during a Microsoft shareholder meeting. […]

SEO

Search Biz: MSFT Spends On Lobbyists To Save On Yahoo; Google Book Deal Gets Tentative OK; WSJ Says ‘Extinction’ Threatens Yellow Pages & More

By almost doubling its spending on lobbying, Microsoft managed to kill the Google-Yahoo ad deal and may also have saved itself millions of dollars on a Yahoo buyout. That’s the case made by Declan McCullough today on CNET. McCullough explains that Microsoft spent about $12-$14 million per year on lobbyists between 2005 and 2007, but […]

Flickr Partners With Getty Images To License Images

Getty Images Begins Licensing Flickr Photos from TechCrunch reports Getty Images and Flickr have formed an agreement to allow Getty Images to potentially license images from Flickr’s users. Getty editors will scan through the Flickr database using tools developed by both companies. When the editor finds an image of interest, Getty will contact the owner […]

Official: Microsoft Buys Powerset

Consistent with the rumors last week, Microsoft confirmed today that it has acquired Powerset for an undisclosed amount (speculation put it at around $100 million). The company was reportedly valued at just over $40 million. It appears that Microsoft was motivated to acquire Powerset as much or more by the team as it was any […]

Google Executives Defend Potential Yahoo Search Deal, Microsoft Releases “Proxy Directors” And Looks Beyond Search And “The Last Click”

Yesterday before Google’s annual meeting of shareholders, Google CEO Eric Schmidt and co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page fielded questions from reporters on a range of subjects, including a potential paid search deal with Yahoo and its anti-trust implications. Their argument was that a future paid search deal could be set up in a way […]

Microsoft’s Facebook Ad Deal Doesn’t Include Search

Wondering why Microsoft’s search isn’t being promoted on Facebook? Greg Sterling has noted this odd absence a couple of times, such as in his article today on a possible Microsoft purchase of Facebook. Others have as well. The answer is simple. Last year’s big Microsoft-Facebook ad deal didn’t include search. I asked Facebook about the […]

“Previous Query” Refinement Coming To Hit Google Results

Yesterday (technically still today my time), I did a keynote interview with Google vice president of search products & user experience Marissa Mayer during our SMX Sydney show. We covered a wide range of topics, including how "Previous Query" refinement will soon come to natural listings on Google, plus how Australia is to get StreetView […]

PPC

Search Biz: New York Privacy Law May Set National Precedent; AOL Worth Half Of Yahoo?, & Surprise, Google Still #1

A privacy law taking shape in the New York legislature will make it a crime for internet companies to use personal information about consumers for advertising without their consent. And because of the generally boundary-free nature of the internet, it would effectively set a national precedent for companies collecting data about internet use. The New […]

Google: It’s Official, We Own DoubleClick

With the EU’s blessing, Google has finally acquired DoubleClick after nearly a year in trying. Google has blogged that the acquisition has been completed, with CEO Eric Schmidt saying: Integration work can now begin, with detailed plans to come   There may be a "reduction in headcount" as Google matches DoubleClick employees to the existing […]