To virtually no one’s surprise, Google today announced the launch of a digital music store that integrates with its existing cloud-based music storage locker. And that locker service is officially out of beta with today’s announcement. The Google Music Store exists in the Android Market alongside app, book and movie stores. It’s available in the […]
Today Google is introducing some new ad formats for mobile and announcing that it will now use location proximity as a scoring factor in deciding which AdWords to show the mobile user. Google’s Surojit Chatterjee also shared some mobile data in the context of announcing the new units and policy: Click to Call is now driving “millions […]
In January, Google Translate for Android gained “Conversation Mode,” a way to speak into your phone and have it speak back in a different language. Today, Google’s expanded the number of languages supported. Originally, the tool only supported English-to-Spanish translation (or vice versa). Now, Google says 14 languages in all are covered: Brazilian Portuguese, Czech, […]
Amazon’s new “Fire” Android tablet is an incredible act of audacity that thumbs its nose at Google, while using Google’s mobile OS in the background. Nowhere does the Google or Android brand appear on the device. Amazon has even created its own browser (“Silk”) for mobile web access. Fire is an Android tablet without the […]
Another week, another round of updates from the slow phase-out of Google Labs. This week, good news for fans of one keyword-related tool, but bad news for fans of another.
Is Google TV testing Larry Page’s patience? With his renewed focus on streamlining Google’s product roster, this news surely isn’t going over well in Mountain View: Logitech has reported that its Logitech Revue console had more units returned than sold in the company’s latest financial quarter (Q1 2012). Ouch. As a result, Logitech says it’ll […]
Is there any doubt that things at Google have changed under new CEO Larry Page? Today the company has announced the impending closure of Google Labs, its experimental playground where many popular Google products were born. In its announcement, Google says the decision to shut down Google Labs is part of its new focus on […]
Perhaps the best thing about the new and improved Android market is movie rentals. For others it may be books and still others may like the easier app discovery. For me it’s movies. The online Android market has had movie rentals but they haven’t been available directly on the phone until now. The new Android […]
In California it’s almost impossible to stop a key employee from jumping ship to a rival company. The law heavily favors the employee’s right to earn a living and typically won’t permit the former employer to prevent the employee from working for a rival. California law does, however, protect “trade secrets” and will sometimes permit […]
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 Chromebooks Out June 15, $349 For Consumers, $20-$28 Monthly For Educators/Business At long last, the Google Chrome OS operating system is going prime time against Windows and Mac computers. On […]
In a regulatory filing this afternoon, Google disclosed that it was taking a $500 million charge in the first quarter, apparently to potentially settle charges related to a Department of Justice investigation of the company. Google didn’t elaborate, saying only that the probe was “into the use of Google advertising by certain advertisers.” The Wall […]
As widely expected Google launched its Music beta today at the Google developer conference, I/O. Right now the service is US only and invitation only. Users can store 20,000 songs and the service is free (for the time being). By implication Google Music will become a paid-service at some point in the future. No Music […]
Are you ready! We’ve got Google Music coming! Maybe. Certainly some Android or Chrome announcements to come, here at the first day of the Google I/O developers conference. The keynote begins at 9am PT. So does my live blogging. Seriously, there is some expectation that Google Music 3.0, a cloud-based music system, will get aired […]
The keynotes at Google I/O — Google’s developer conference — are always filled with such promise. Google TV, Google Wave, music in the cloud! But the products themselves haven’t always gone on to meet expectations. With Google I/O 2011 beginning on Tuesday, here’s a look back at what’s happened with past keynote product graduates. Google […]
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Demand Media: Panda’s Impact On eHow.com “Significantly Overstated” Demand Media says recent reports have “significant overstated” the impact of Google’s Panda update on eHow.com, its flagship website. In a brief statement […]
Last week, I was on a panel at a CTIA pre-conference show in Orlando, and a question that was asked during several sessions at the conference was “what should we invest in: a mobile site or a mobile app?” I heard this same question in a panel I was on at Digiday Mobile in September […]
Given the massive number of apps now on both the iPhone and Android some people (especially tech bloggers) complain regularly about the “problem of app discovery.” In fact we don’t know if regular users are similarly vexed. But let’s assume they are. On Android in particular “app discovery” has been less than optimal. Now iPhone […]
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 Congratulates Watson On Twitter; IBM Says Thanks Among those watching IBM’s Watson win Jeopardy last night were folks at Google, which just tweeted congrats over to IBM. In response, IBM […]
Among those watching IBM’s Watson win Jeopardy last night were folks at Google, which just tweeted congrats over to IBM. In response, IBM has said thanks. Ah, sweet.
Earlier this week Apple introduced its long-awaited in-app subscription service for publishers. As part of that arrangement Apple wants its standard 30 percent cut of iTunes/app revenue. However it threw a bone to publishers by allowing all revenue from subscriptions initiated outside the iTunes environment to be kept by publishers. Many publishers are now angry that […]
Like many people, I was amazed to watch IBM’s Watson supercomputer playing Jeopardy this week against past human champions. But could Google have done the same thing? Let’s go behind the scenes of these two search masters to understand what they can — and can’t — do.
This morning Google showcased the features of its new tablet-optimized version of Android: Honeycomb. Danny live-blogged the press event, Honeycomb represents a dramatic improvement over Gingerbread for tablets in several respects. The UI is the most obvious example, as well as developer tools on the back end. There are some distinct UI differences between Android […]
I’m here at the Googleplex in Moutain View, where any minute, Google plans to update the world on all things Android. We expect news about Android 3.0 — “Honeycomb” — and perhaps Android tablets. Stay tuned. Andy Rubin, leader of all things Android is up, saying we’re going to hear about Honeycomb, the Motorola tablet […]
Today in his Consumer Electronics Show keynote, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer declared that Xbox is no longer a gaming device but an entertainment hub. And Windows will be everywhere, from your TV through Xbox, to your phone via Windows Phone 7, and on PCs of any type, especially through a forthcoming version of “Windows On […]
Over the past few months, I’ve been testing various Android phones. Overall, the platform has continued to improve, to the degree that I can easily swap an Android phone for my iPhone 4 and not feel a loss. But unlike the one-size-fits-all iPhone, each Android phone has its own individual characteristics. Below, a look at […]
Google TV has taken its share of lumps since it launched in October, but it shines bright in one particular aspect, making it simple for Dish Network subscribers to find shows and program their DVRs. Below, a look at Dish integration, as well as some hands-on with the Logitech Revue version of Google TV.
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: First Day Review: The Google Chrome OS Cr-48 Notebook My Google Chrome CR-48 Notebook has just arrived. For my first day with it, I decided a good torture test would be […]
Android “fragmentation” is back in the news this week, thanks to the Angry Birds game needing to release two different versions for Android. But I have a better one: Google itself needing to make two different versions of the Google Search app. Where’s Google Search? For about three months, I’ve been using the Motorola Droid […]
StumbleUpon, which these days calls itself a “discovery engine,” has integrated app discovery into its Android application’s repertoire. It takes into account a range of variables to make recommendations to individual users. Those include user preferences, interests and the choices of friends and other “like-minded users.” Once installed, you simply hit the StumbleUpon logo/button in […]
Wolfram Alpha announced a native Android app is on its way to the Google mobile operating system, Android. It is expected about a year after they introduced the Wolfram Alpha iPhone app. The launch date is October 6, 2010 and they are working with T-Mobile to launch the app. The app will be available for […]
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 Maps Aggregates Midterm Election Forecasts Google has joined forces with a handful of political web sites to track forecasts for the upcoming U.S. mid-term elections. Those forecasts are available now […]
Speaking today at the IFA consumer electronics event in Berlin, Google CEO Eric Schmidt painted a vision of the future in which search is fast, personal, and all-knowing — even to the degree of providing search results when searches haven’t been conducted. “A new definition of Google would be, we’re trying very hard to get […]
Google’s having an impromptu small press “gathering” today at its offices in San Francisco. Topic? “Cool new mobile features.” Want to know more? Stay tuned, as I’ll be live blogging the event that begins at 10am. This is all we know so far: We’ll be unveiling a couple of cool new mobile features at the […]
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 Mobilizes Place Pages for Android Devices Today Google announced upgraded Maps for Android, with the addition of a new mobile version of Places (not to be confused with the Android […]
Though late to the Android party Yahoo has released Search, Mail and Messenger for Android. I downloaded Mail and Messenger — by using a 2d barcode scanner in my EVO off my iPad screen — but was unable to open Search to test-drive it before writing this. (See postscript below.) Yahoo has also improved its […]
For some time Google PC search has indexed links to iTunes enabling users to click through and directly review or download mobile apps. Now Google is doing something similar in mobile search by putting links to mobile apps and related information at the top of results. Clicking the associated link (see below) takes users directly […]
It’s Day 2 of Google I/O, Google’s annual developers conference. The morning keynote gets underway at 8:30AM Pacific. What to expect? How about Google TV? An Android Tablet? TechCrunch found evidence that’s what we may be hearing about. We’ll see shortly. My liveblogging begins, below. Those at home can also watch live. I/O sessions are […]
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 May Finally Disclose AdSense Split … If You’re An Italian Newspaper, That Is How much money does Google keep for itself from AdSense ads that publishers carry? Unless you’re a […]
The Google AdWords blog announced new targeting and ad features for the mobile search ad product. The first feature allows you to specify the device type and carrier you would like to target your ads to. The device type options include iPhone/iPod Touch, Android and Palm WebOS. The current carriers targeting is Canada or Unites […]
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: So What Are We To Make Of The “Ying” Search Delay? I got two calls yesterday from people asking what I made of the Yahoo-Microsoft failure to meet their self-imposed search-deal […]