At long last, Google talks about the Google Phone -- to say there is no Gphone but instead a mobile operating system called Android that it and others in the Open Handset Alliance are backing. But a Gphone might still turn up. Meanwhile, Google decides being open makes sense in terms of social network and lead an "OpenSocial" movement. AOL says don't want behaviorally targeted ads? You can opt-out. Google lets you geographically assign your web site; Yahoo updates and more, in today's episode.
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- Google's
Android Arrives: Not Gphone But An Open Source Mobile Phone Platform
After literally years of anticipation, rumor and increasingly aggressive speculation (and here) about a Google Phone, Google has formally announced that the Gphone cometh -- sort of. Today, the company has gone public with news of a open source mobile operating system called "Android," named after the company Google acquired... - OpenSocial:
Led By Google, Social Networks Band To Take On Facebook
As expected, the much-discussed Google social play turns out to be an alliance with other companies to "open up" social networks and their data to developers. TechCrunch and the New York Times both have early news of an expected announcement tomorrow on how Google, along with partners like Ning,... - MySpace,
Others Join Google-Led OpenSocial
First reported by Silicon Alley Insider and then confirmed with additional detail by TechCrunch, Google has added more high-profile partners to its OpenSocial initiative. They are MySpace, Bebo, and SixApart, which now join LinkedIn, Plaxo, and Friendster, among several others, in the alliance or coalition.... - Rumors of
Impending Facebook Music
Facebook already has taken on LinkedIn, as the past-college crowd has started using it for professional networking, and starting next week, Facebook may take on MySpace's hold on the music scene. Rumors abound that Facebook Music will be announced at ad:tech in NY next week. Word is that Facebook is... - Social
Networking Through Search: Hakia Helps You Meet Others
Hakia, a natural language search engine, has just added a new spin to search: social networking. Their new Meet Others feature lets you connect with others who are searching for the same things you are. Since Hakia processes queries differently than old school search engines such as Google, you aren't... - Changes At
Natural Language Search Company Powerset
Big management changes are going on at Powerset, which has received much attention for its potential in using natural language processing for search. Barney Pell, who has been CEO at Powerset, posted today in his blog that he is transitioning to CTO, that Steve Newcomb, who had been COO, is... - Google
Releases G.cn For Chinese Users
Google China: What's Up G? from China Tech News reports that Google has launched their new domain in Google, G.cn. The domain name redirects to Google.cn, but is considered one of the "most important steps that Google has taken for - Yahoo's
Executive Apologizes Over Imprisonment Of Chinese Dissident
Yahoo Executive Offers Apology to Lawmakers from the Wall Street Journal reports Michael Callahan, executive vice president and general counsel of Yahoo, issued a statement apologizing for providing incorrect information to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs over the jailed Chinese reporter. Part of the statement read: I neglected to... - Google Sends
Speakers To FTC Town Hall Meeting On Behavioral Advertising
Google is attending and sending high-profile representatives to speak at the US FTC's "town hall" meeting, which starts today, on "behavioral advertising." The broad phenomenon of behavioral targeting will be under scrutiny as privacy and consumer advocates presumably point out the risks of the practice. On the rewards side will... - Want To Opt
Out Of Behavioral Ads? AOL Says It Is Your Choice
AOL Will Let Consumers Opt Out of Targeted Ads from the Wall Street Journal reports that AOL will announce today a new tool that will enable AOL users to opt out of targeted or personalized ads. (NOTE: The AOL announcement is now live). AOL has behavioral ad technology that stores... - Blog Searches
Now Included In Google Web History
Google Operating System reports Google Blog Searches are now included in Google Web History.... - 10 Useless SEO
Worries (Part 1)
I often feel sorry for small businesses. I do. Too often they don't have the funds, time, or resources to investigate things as thoroughly as they should. Unlike larger businesses with deep pockets, small business can't hire first-rate, high-end SEOs to do all the right things for them. All... - Yahoo Search
Updates Algorithm, Index, & Crawl
The Yahoo Search Blog has posted that they are currently undergoing an index, crawl, and algorithm update. Priyank Garg of Yahoo said: Over the last few days, we've been rolling out some changes to our crawling, indexing and ranking algorithms. While we expect the update will be completed soon, as... - GOOG Cracks
The $700 Threshold, Partly On Mobile Speculation
Propelled by strong quarterly earnings and rampant speculation (and coverage) about its mobile plans, Google stock earlier today crossed the $700 price target many Wall Street analysts had set for the company. It's down slightly right now. Once Google provides more visibility about its mobile plans, investors could become more... - Ask Introduces
New Maps & Directions For UK
The mapping upgrades and improvements are coming so fast now from Google, Microsoft, MapQuest, and Yahoo that it's difficult to keep track of all the changes. Luckily, the Ask Blog walks us through all the features of the new and improved Ask Maps UK, which includes multi-point routing, walking directions... - Ask.com Helps
IAC Earn 40% Increase In Q3 2007 Media Revenue
IAC Reports Q3 Results from CNNMoney reports that IAC saw a 4.2% decline in net income year over year. Here is IAC's press release for the third-quarter numbers this year. But if you pull out Ask.com, IAC's search engine, which is part of IAC's Media & Advertising group, you will... - Google AdWords
Lets Advertisers Choose Date & Number Preferences
Kevin Gibbons spotted a couple new features in Google AdWords for advertisers, including a convenient way for advertisers who are not based in the United States to now change the format of numbers, times, and dates within their accounts.... - Truveo
Launches Big International Expansion
After relaunching this August as a video search engine and consumer destination, AOL's Truveo is aggressively expanding on a global basis. By the end of the year, Truveo intends to be in 15 countries, including Russia and Turkey. Starting today it will be available outside the U.S. in France, Germany,... - Let Google
Know The Geographic Location of Your Site
For years, webmasters have wished for a way to tell search engines the country that should be associated with their sites. Starting today, Google Webmaster Central is offering a solution for those geographic woes.... - Microsoft's
Web Analytics Product Project Gatineau Now In Private Beta
The Microsoft adCenter blog has announced a private beta of their web analytics program: Project Gatineau. The blog entry notes that features include: Click and visitor tracking reports Marketing campaign reporting and conversion tracking Unique demographic and geographic information from your site visitors If you want to try it out,... - I Have The New
Version Of Gmail, Do You?
The Gmail Blog has announced they have been making structural changes to the Gmail code base to make Gmail iterate faster and share components with other Google applications such as Google Groups, Page Creator, and Contact Manager. How do you know if you have the new Gmail? If you login... - Australia
Gives Google OK On DoubleClick Deal
Australia regulator clears Google-DoubleClick deal from Reuters reports the Australian competition regulator will allow the Google acquisition of DoubleClick. The commission said on Tuesday that Google and DoubleClick were not close competitors in the ad serving space. Now Google has to hear decisions from Europe and America.... - SMX West Is
Coming! Ready To Speak?
February 26-28, 2008 is an important date for Search Engine Land. That's when we'll be holding Search Marketing Expo West, the first "big" show in our SMX conference series. This will be a multi-day, multi-track event designed for search marketers of all levels. I'll be posting the agenda in mid-November... - Google, Yahoo,
Ask.com Do Halloween Logos & Themes
Google doesn't always do special logos for every holiday, but in the case of Halloween, it's pretty consistent. Up today on the Google home page is the ninth consecutive Halloween logo it has run since 1999. Below, a look back at the past years, as well as this year's...
