The not-so-shocking news came yesterday afternoon that embattled Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz was fired. When Bartz came to power in January 2009 I compared her to then newly elected Barak Obama. Both confronted crises and high expectations. Both have seen goodwill erode and give way to disappointment. Low Employee Approval The task of both chief […]
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Just Weeks Away, A Preview Of The Google +1 Button For Websites Today at the Google I/O conference, Google gave developers a preview of how the Google +1 button can be […]
Over the past week there were rumors that Google and Facebook were both interested in buying Skype. Then Om Malik reported that Microsoft was really the one interested and the Wall Street Journal confirmed yesterday that Microsoft would be paying a remarkable $8.5 billion for the company, making it Microsoft’s largest acquisition to date: At […]
In some ways, it’s the Who’s Who of Twitter — the Twitter Suggested Users list. These are the 241 people Twitter currently suggests that new people should follow. Below, a look at who makes it by categories, such as media or sports. Who’s getting Twitter’s love (such as the New York Times) and who’s not […]
Google has created a mobile app for its Google Voice service, right now only for Android and BlackBerry with an iPhone app to come. Think of this as Skype for mobile only more so, because there’s a usable number associated with the service and integration with your phone’s contacts. Effectively what the mobile app allows […]
The Wall Street Journal reports this morning that Google is negotiating with ISPs for “a fast lane for its own content” and is backing away from net neutrality. However, Google vigorously disputes this characterization and explains that instead it is seeking to “‘colocate” caching servers within broadband providers’ own facilities,” which has the practical effect […]
Google UK recently shared a list of 52 Things to Do on a variety of Google properties (found via Phil Bradley). It’s a collection of tools and tips about using Google products and services for some everyday functions. If you’re a search power user, you probably know most of them already. But Google’s message seems […]
If the G1 vs. iPhone comparison were a presidential debate, the iPhone would have won — but not decisively. That’s according to a flurry of reviews out today in advance of official delivery of the first Android phone on October 22. As with the iPhone, there are many likes as well as dislikes among the […]
Obviously the big story of yesterday and today in the technology world is the impending launch of Google’s open-source browser Chrome. It will likely be available for download here later today. (TechCrunch and Google Blogoscoped have a few screenshots.) There are dozens and dozens of stories on Techmeme.
Google is experiencing some bumps in transitioning from a smaller innovator to a larger, more mature player in the market. Over the past year or so there have been numerous employee departures, often to start new companies themselves or to join what used to be called “pre-IPO” startups (e.g., Facebook). The most recent case involves […]
Google has joined a consortium of Asian companies, Bharti Airtel, Global Transit, KDDI Corporation, Pacnet, and SingTel, to build an undersea transpacific fiber optic cable that will provide much greater bandwidth capacity between the United States and Japan. According to the press release, the cost of the new “Unity” cable effort will be $300 million. […]
We expected a management shuffle from Microsoft today, and now they’ve delivered it. The company has announced seven new senior vice presidents and seven new corporate vice presidents. I’ll focus on the search and advertising front, where we now have two different senior vice presidents overseeing advertising. Best I can tell, one’s looking after search […]
Based on a report from SearchIgnite and RBC Capital Markets, there’s considerable discussion, in advance of Yahoo’s Q3 earnings reporting later today, that Yahoo may be gaining momentum and grabbing some incremental search spending. MediaPost summarizes the report:
By now the story of how Yahoo came close but then lost the chance to buy Facebook for $1 billion last year is a famous Silicon Valley tale. But is a sequel in the works? Kara Swisher over at All Things Digital says yes. Yahoo is seriously considering an investment in the company.
Last week’s rumors about the Gphone not enough for you? Rumors the week before not enough? My Gphone: Google Phone Timeline of rumors over the past three years not enough? Fine. Below are some more, along with a look at the hype build-up for the phone compared to similar hype we had for Google Health.
A day after 24/7 Real Media was acquired by WPP, Microsoft announced plans buy digital ad firm aQuantive, which owns Atlas and Avenue A | Razorfish, for $6 billion in cash. It is apparently the biggest acquisition in Microsoft’s history.
The blogosphere is abuzz with rumors that eBay is acquiring StumbleUpon, but they’re “just rumors,” Garrett Camp, one of StumbleUpon’s founders just told me on the phone. “There have been rumors before and that’s what they are now,” Camp said. Of course, if the company is in play, Camp would likely be bound by non-disclosure […]
Here’s the press release confirming the acquisition we reported on yesterday.
Om Malik writes about Yahoo testing new local mashups (called “OurCity”) in India, involving content from Flickr, Del.icio.us, Upcoming and news. As Om points out, what’s missing is maps (and maybe video). But this is an interesting further push into community/social media in the local space for Yahoo. The interface is fresher and more visual […]
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web:
Ex-Yahoo Exec now Pageflakes CEO by Om Malik reports that Dan Cohen, who was the Head of My Yahoo business unit, left Yahoo to become the CEO of Pageflakes. Gary Price recently reviewed Pageflakes, describing it as an easy and free way to “build a dynamic personalized home/start page.” It is a lot like Google […]
Over the past decade, I’ve seen a lot of search tools that were supposed to transform my life. Few of them have. But Techmeme was one of those. When it kicked off back in September 2005, I wrote a review, gave it a preliminary thumbs-up and soon found myself addicted. It has become my newspaper, […]