The MyWeb upgrade from the original Yahoo! MySearch was a great improvement, allowing users to save and annotate Web pages. I have been using this for months and love it. Today Yahoo! further upgraded the offering (MyWeb 2.0) and made…
Google has launched its much anticipated Google Earth (GE) makeover of Keyhole. Dubbed "a 3D interface to the planet," it's basically an upgraded version of of the Keyhole software, integrated with Google Local and personalization. Yes it's cool, it's loaded…
The Kelsey Group met last week with Publicar, Colombia's leading directory publisher, and was given a look at the results of recent user focus groups conducted in that country. The results were fascinating to us, because they were so similar…
Here's a marriage of content and commerce that leverages the NY Times' theater expertise and following to deliver e-commerce revenues. In one sense it's a no-brainer, but in another it's a good model -- where newspapers have content strength they…
One of the announcements coming out of eBay Live, which I'm merely reading about rather than attending, is that eBay is launching a Web site initiative for SMEs -- ProStores. It will allow SMEs to build sites (with e-commerce capability)…
Search Engine Journal covers the winner announcement -- StairCycle. In my quest to lower my cholesterol, I'll have to get one. More at ClickZ.
AOL beta-launched its new portal, with certain pieces to follow later (e.g., video, personalization). Internal and external expectations are high for the new site and strategy, which seeks to leverage the AOL user-base and network to drive more advertising revenue.…
Today is the summer solstice, an auspicious day for the beta launch of MSN Local Search. Though late to the party, MSN is the last but not least major search entrant in the effort to deliver local. With the transformation…
Lots of media outlets (here the NY Times) picked up on a story that first appeared in the WSJ online Friday about the allegedly impeding launch of a PayPal rival (Google Wallet is the rumored name). One of the key…
That's according to Google CEO Eric Schmidt. The tantalizing quote from Schmidt was: "The payment services we are working on are a natural evolution of Google's existing online products and advertising programs, which today connect millions of consumers and advertisers."…
As I said before, this is really starting to become a big, big PR problem -- although some advertisers and SEMs argue it's a real problem. Coverage from Wired on the issue follows on the heels of recent WSJ coverage…
Everyone's jumped on the Google going up, up, up bandwagon. But now, inevitably, the contrarians are emerging. An interesting financial analyst blog, the Internet Stock Blog, presents an argument from fund manager John Hussman about why Google is really worth…
Metro One - the wireless provider that touts flat fees and unlimited calling without the hassle of contracts or service plans - announced it would now be offering unlimited DA calls. For $2.00 per month, Metro One subscribers can have…
John Battelle points to an interesting piece at Kuro5hin, "a tech/culture site," which reviews Google's past acquisitions and about who/what the company might acquire next. From where I sit, I think Google needs a couple of things. The company has…
This makes a great deal of sense for both A9, which was having trouble getting traffic, and Amazon, which has a great deal of traffic and is apparently seeking ways to expand beyond its core e-commerce model. A9 has the…
Articles today in the WSJ and Friday in the DM News argue that the recent acquisitions of Shopzilla and Shopping.com reflect that online comparison shopping is hot and speculate about further consolidation. Empirical and anecdotal evidence suggests that while many…
Following Scripps, Gannett Buys PointRoll. PointRoll creates rich media ad banners. Speculation is that the deal was worth US$100 million. Here's the Financial Times on the TM buying IM trend (traditional media swallowing Internet media). More consolidation/acquisitions on the way.
AOL distribution brings a report of success with Ingenio's pay-per-call for a Cruise Operator. Calls are ultimately a key to local for SMEs, but this model will likely be adopted by large advertisers (i.e., the cruise operator) sooner than mass…
Kevin Ryan has a good column today summarizing consumer research about awareness and attitudes toward online advertising. Are consumers interested in online ads as additional, relevant "content," or are they duped by them and confused about what is advertising and…
While IAC has said it's basically done with major acquisitions after Ask.com, consider that it just sold its stake in Vivendi Universal for US$3.4 billion. Although the deal is complex and convoluted, it should give IAC the ability to do…
