Will Google buy Steam?
Google is intended to buy Valve - a game developer. Valve develops a universal platform for content management, called Steam, which is the subject of interest of the search giant. According to analysts, the acquisition would enable Google to develop a new service that will be a combination of social networking, gaming and significantly enhance the ability of advertisers, providing new platforms for advertising.
Google released a new search for Windows Mobile
Google has released a new mobile search for devices that run Windows Mobile. In previous versions each search was performed according to the latest session, while in the new version the service determines the current location using Gears Geolocation API, and offers the results, according to these coordinates. The technology that is used in the search is similar to that used in Google maps for mobile devices. U.S. and Britain users this is where the service was launched can perform search of local businesses, view the weather forecast for the area, and much more.
Google has issued an open Keyczar.
Google has issued open-source version of its own encryption tool Keyczar. Keyczar supports coding and authentication of symmetric algorithms and algorithms with public key. The monitoring system of Keyczar s versions allows to modify or revoke the keys without risking the loss of access or change of the code. Source: Keyczar: Safe and Simple Cryptography
2008 has a record number of viruses and spam attacks.
According to Postini - the service of corporate email protection from spam and viruses, 2008 is a record year by the number of spam attacks and distributed viruses with a peak of about 10 million messages on July 24. The most common were messages with links for downloading malicious software. Links were embedded by spammers in messages from known organizations, particularly in the news letters from CNN. Postini is part of Google and was acquired in July 2007. Currently, Postini s base has about 14 million subscribers.
Hitwise analysed search engines in July.
According to Hitwise, Google continues to lead among search engines in the U.S. and gained an additional 2 of all searches for July 2008. Compared with last year, Google increased the number of searches by 10. The total number of searches made in Google in July amounted to 70.77. Yahoo! Search took second place with 18.65, followed by MSN Live Search 5.36 and Ask.com with 3.53. Hitwise also notes the increase in the number of visits to Google.
Liberty Media is ready to buy AOL ISP.
Liberty Media Corp is ready to discuss with Time Warner Inc the details of purchase of one part of AOL, dial-up provider AOL ISP. According to the company s head, John Malone, Liberty Capital, which is a shareholder of Time Warner, is very interested in buying profitable companies, but today is experiencing a deficit of proposals. As of May 2007, Liberty owned shares of Time Warner in the amount of 103 million, representing 2.8. Then 68.5
Yahoo gained budgets from Google.
Analytical company Covario has reported that Yahoo, for the first time in the last two years, received large budgets on search advertising in the second quarter of 2008 from Google. According to Covario, Yahoo increased its own share in the U.S. by 10 in Q1 08 to 14 in Q2 08. At the same time Google shifted from 86 to 81 over the same period. Covario also noted a general decline in the growth of commercial search because of unfavourable period of economy, budgetary constraints and better optimization, which helps reduce the budgets for advertising.
YouTube started using Google Gears.
YouTube Video-hosting site has expanded posting clip opportunities and offered users to upload a few videos at a time, as well as video larger than 100 MB, to the site without additional software. The technology is based on Google Gears. New version of Gears allows you to upload large files on a web that in the long run will lead to the disappearance of programs-loaders. According to Google Operating System
Yahoo and Google will limit targeting.
Yahoo announced the launch of function that allows to disconnection customized search function on the basis of personal user data. All users will be able to disable the system to collect personal information and its use. This decision is a response to the proceedings initiated by supervisory authorities with regard to issues of privacy and collection of personal information. Google also will launch similar function in the near future. Moreover, Google will limit targeting by the number of displayed ads for each user.
Baidu made friends with Omniture.
Omniture that offers software solutions for business optimization announced a partnership with leading Chinese search engine Baidu.com. Software from Omniture SearchCenter allows to control and predict site promotion, automating biding of keywords and work with different search engines from a single interface. The integration of program from Omniture with the Chinese search engine allows advertisers to produce better management of sites and optimize advertising budgets in Baidu. According to the search management the Chinese Internet audience continues to grow so the advertisers are very interested in the possibilities for targeting advertisements to selected audiences.
