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300 'search' stories May 2011 - July 2012

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Report: Yahoo’s Search alliance with Microsoft struggles to produce, Google deal looking more plausible

Élyse Betters Jul 19 2012 - 6:49 am PT

[youtube=http://youtu.be/M3iCAlQMUv4?t=28m10s]

SearchEngineLand’s Danny Sullivan detailed today how Yahoo is not doing so hot with its Microsoft search deal and may soon go searching—no pun intended— for a new partner (a.k.a. Google) if performance doesn’t get better.

Yahoo’s new CEO, Marissa Mayer, a former top-tier Google Search exec, could encourage a partnership between the two polar search engines. On the other hand, Mayer brings a completely new level of knowledge to the fledging Yahoo due to her 13 years in Search with Google, so she could just help Yahoo to revamp Search with improved monetization.

Sullivan predicts some “hard renegotiating between Yahoo and Microsoft, with Google used as a cattle prod for Yahoo to shock Microsoft with.” Of course, we will have to wait and see whether Microsoft delivers on its search promises or if Yahoo will jump ship and snag a Google Search alliance—with Mayer leading the charge.

According to SearchEngineLand:

Of course, Yahoo can’t walk away [from Microsoft] without finding another partner, and it has a real shortage of choices. There’s no one left in the US with the proven ability to deliver search queries at the volume Yahoo would demand.

Ask.com? It’s largely outsourced to Google these days. Blekko? I’m sure it would love the job, but there would be a huge scaling-up challenge and, I’d say, much more work to do on the relevancy front. Maybe Yandex or Baidu could make a bid?

It won’t be Yahoo. Yahoo has lost too much key search talent and hasn’t kept its core search technology up-to-date. When it gave itself over to Microsoft, Yahoo really left itself without a “Plan B.”

My post from earlier this week, Ironically, Search Might Be Less A Priority At Yahoo As Google’s Marissa Mayer Takes The Helm, gets into these issues more — as well as the one realistic alternative to Microsoft. Google.

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Google Translate now offers up Web-picked example sentences for new words

Élyse Betters Jul 13 2012 - 11:27 am PT

About 5,000 new words are created each year.

Of course, that is Google’s own statistic. The folks in Mountain View took to the official Google Translate blog to explain how its, well, Google Translate tool now offers example sentences for those newly created words. The examples are aggregated from “fresh new stories around the web,” wrote Google Associate Product Manager Etienne Deguine.

To use the feature, type into the left-hand text box of Google Translate, and then click on the example sentence icon on the bottom right (screenshot above).

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Google releases migration tool for Google+ circles and connections

Jordan Kahn Jul 12 2012 - 1:03 pm PT

In a blog post on his Google+ page, Google+ Product Manager Ronald Ho announced a new tool to transfer circles from one account to another that is now available through Google Takeout. In an overview of the long-requested feature, Google explained the tool would migrate “circle names, circle members, “your circles” settings, and people and pages you’ve blocked or ignored.” However, Google noted there is a 7-day waiting period before a transfer is initiated, and both profiles will have limited functionality until the transfer is complete:

-There’s a 7 day waiting period before your transfer begins.

-To cancel the transfer before it starts, sign in to either account on Google+. Then click Cancel transfer at the bottom of the page. Note that you cannot cancel using a mobile interface.

-If the source or destination accounts are managed by an organization, the account administrator may restrict your ability to transfer your connections and/or use Google+.

-You won’t be able to use this tool with these accounts again for 6 months.

-Once the transfer begins, it cannot be cancelled or undone.

As for limited functionality, both accounts will not be able to share content on Google+ during the transfer—nor can they add, remove, block, or ignore people in circles and elsewhere. Google continued by explaining the result of a transfer once complete:

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Google bulks AdWords with ‘Search as You Type’ for US advertisers [Video]

Élyse Betters Jul 11 2012 - 9:59 am PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1ErgRekjn8&feature=player_embedded]

Google is expanding its “Search as You Type” feature under Google Commerce Search to U.S.-based AdWords advertisers today as a free, stand-alone service.

“It’s easy to implement and helps increase sales and conversion rates on merchant websites. The Search as You Type pilot is available to US-based AdWords advertisers for free, up to 25 million searches annually, after which licensing fees would apply,” announced Google Shopping Product Management Director Jennifer Dulski on the official Google Commerce blog.

Google’s famous predictive suggestions, auto complete, and related product results are integrated into Search as You Type to bulk a merchant’s existing website search functionality. Today’s announcement supports Google’s recent attempts at enhancing its online retail and search experiences.

“When shoppers type a search query into a merchant’s site, Search as You Type shows them product suggestions and photos, making it faster and easier for people to spot the product they’re looking for and click through to make a purchase,” Dulski explained.

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Google encouraged $80B in US economic activity in 2011, aims to get more businesses online

Élyse Betters Jul 2 2012 - 9:56 am PT

Google is touting its successes again by explaining how it helped boost American business last year.

Vice President of Americas Sales Margo Georgiadis took to the Official Google Blog to first spew some economic statistics:

The growth of our Internet use has naturally helped the ecommerce industry to expand rapidly over the past decade. But the web is also positively impacting brick-and-mortar businesses. According to Boston Consulting Group, American consumers who researched products online last year spent almost $2,000 actually purchasing those products offline. That’s almost $500 billion that went directly to main street retail. All in all, it’s clear that the economic impact of the web is huge; the Internet is where business is done and jobs are created.

From there, the VP explained how Google is “committed to helping make the web work for American businesses.” The Mountain View, Calif.-based Company, through its search and advertising tools, helped provide “$80 billion of economic activity for 1.8 million advertisers, website publishers and nonprofits across the U.S.” in 2011. The full breakdown for each state is available at Google’s Economic Impact website.

“[…] Google is committed to getting even more businesses online. Over the past year, we’ve been traveling the country with our Get Your Business Online program, encouraging businesses throughout the U.S. to create free websites and reach more customers,” Gerogiadis wrote. “So far, we’ve worked with thousands of businesses to launch their new websites. It’s a fact that the Internet is creating jobs and helping the American economy grow. And we’re proud to be a part of that process.”

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Google Crisis Response team launches new crisis map for raging US wildfires

Élyse Betters Jun 29 2012 - 9:37 am PT

The Google Crisis Response team just issued a new crisis map for the 2012 U.S. wildfire season.

Major media outlets are reporting on the massive wildfires wreaking havoc in Colorado and Utah, and Google is working to provide related information to those affected by way of maps that feature fire perimeters cropped from the U.S. Geological Survey, Red Cross, and satellite imagery by DigitalGlobe.

“Use the checkboxes along the right-hand panel to turn on and off the layers of information, and the ‘Share’ button at the top of the map to grab the URL or embed code. Note that both the URL and the embed code will automatically restore your current view of the map, including the set of layers that you have turned on,” wrote Googler Pete Giencke on the Google Lat Long Blog, while explaining how to navigate the crisis map.

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Google TV to stream movies, TV shows, and music from Google Play this summer

Jordan Kahn Jun 28 2012 - 12:50 pm PT

Google gave an update regarding improvements to the Google Play store coming to Android devices and elsewhere yesterday during Day 1 of its Google I/O keynote. However, information on what was in the works for Google TV was notably left out from its presentations (despite two identical Google Glass skydiver demos from yesterday and today). Today, Google made a blog post confirming features that were announced for Android devices yesterday. A new UI, subscription billing, and movie, music and TV shows will also come to the Google Play store on Google TV this summer:

You already have access to a variety of apps on Google Play, and soon you’ll be able to find movies, TV shows, and music from Google Play to stream on Google TV. Google Play works across devices, so you can rent and start watching a movie on your Google TV, keep watching on your tablet on the move, and finish watching on Google TV. The TV & Movies app will also show Google Play content, adding to the more than 100,000 TV episodes and movies available in the app. The full power of Google Play will be available later this summer on all Google TV devices.

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What’s new in Google Maps? Google posts full I/O session [Video]

Jordan Kahn Jun 28 2012 - 11:28 am PT

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0K805PeOfI&feature=player_embedded]

The video above is the full Google I/O 2012 session on “What’s New in Google Maps” with Googlers Brian McClendon, Dylan Lorimer, and Thor Mitchell. We already saw much of what is talked about at Google’s “Next Dimension of Google Maps” event earlier this month, but the full talk focuses mainly on improvements to the Google Places API.

Google Places covers tens of millions of place locations around the world. But what’s a place? A place is anything that answers the question “Where are you?” Restaurants, shops, landmarks, events, and much more. You can use it in the browser, from a server, or from a mobile device. This talk will show you how to get started with the Google Places API, and focus on how you can use this huge datastore in your mobile application.

For all I/O 2012 sessions, go to https://developers.google.com/io/

Google opens registration to free online course about ‘power searching’

Élyse Betters Jun 26 2012 - 11:10 am PT

Google just introduced a new online course for those interesting in “power searching” with its search engine.

The free course offers:

Six 50-minute classes.
Interactive activities to practice new skills.
Opportunities to connect with others using Google Groups, Google+, and Hangouts on Air.
Upon passing the post-course assessment, a printable Certificate of Completion will be emailed to you.

“Google Search makes it amazingly easy to find information. Come learn about the powerful advanced tools we provide to help you find just the right information when the stakes are high,” explained Google Senior Research Scientist Daniel Russell on the registration page.

Course registration opens today and closes July 16, but the first class starts July 10. New classes begin Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and all course-related activities end July 23.

Check out the schedule below:

For more information about becoming a “great Internet searcher,” visit the course page at Google Insights.

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Google Play now lets developers reply to user reviews

Jordan Kahn Jun 21 2012 - 11:29 am PT

In a post on the Android Developers blog, Google today outlined how it will be improving the ability for developers and app users to connect with one another through Google Play. Starting with an initial rollout today for Top Developers, devs will now have the ability to reply to user reviews from within the Google Play Android Developer Cosnole:

Developers can gather additional information, provide guidance, and — perhaps most importantly — let users know when their feature requests have been implemented…We’ll also notify the user who wrote the review via email that the developer has responded. Users can then contact the developer directly if additional followup is needed or update their review.

Google noted it will begin to offer the feature to additional developers as it gathers feedback on the feature from developers and users.

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Google fine-tunes Hot Searches to showcase only a few top searches

Élyse Betters Jun 12 2012 - 8:55 am PT

Google just announced that it revamped its Hot Searches feature under Google Trends to better hone results for the most searched and popular news.

Googler Nimrod Tamir described Hot Searches on the Official Google Blog:

With Hot Searches in Google Trends, you can see a list of the fastest rising search terms in the U.S. for a snapshot of what’s on the public’s collective mind. To create the Hot Searches list which is updated on an hourly basis, an algorithm analyzes millions of searches in the U.S. and determines which queries are being searched much more than usual.

The updated section now highlights the key word for queries with rich images and links to related reports for the most searched news in the United States. It also details how many folks Googled each spotlighted tidbit during the last day, while scaling back the amount of content it shows. Google previously displayed 20 results, but now it only shows a few Hot Searches (as indicated in the top image).

The new Hot Searches is live now.

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Google rolls out autocomplete predictions to Gmail search

Jordan Kahn May 21 2012 - 11:19 am PT

Following an update to Gmail last week that brought improved search results and integration of contact information and Google+ Circles, today Google announced on the Official Gmail Blog that it is now including autocomplete predictions when searching from within your Gmail inbox.

Much like Google Web search and many of its other services, when beginning to type in the search bar from within Gmail, you will now see suggestions or autocomplete predictions matching content within your emails. Google explained:

Now when you type something into the Gmail search box, the autocomplete predictions will be tailored to the content in your email, so you can save time and get the information you want faster than ever before. For example, you might now get lax reservation or lax united as predictions after typing “lax” if you have received an email with a flight confirmation for your trip to Los Angeles in your inbox recently.

The new feature will roll out to English Gmail users over the next few days, but Google noted support for additional languages would roll out over the coming months. The feature is also not yet available to Google Apps users.

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Gmail adds Google+ Circles features, contact info in search

Jordan Kahn May 16 2012 - 12:18 pm PT

Google just announced a small, but welcomed, update to Gmail. Among the new features is the ability to quickly access contact information and Google+ circles from within your inbox.

When searching for an email address in Gmail, in addition to person’s profile image and past conversations, you will now see the person’s contact details like email, phone number, and quick links to start voice and video chats. Google noted the contact data would automatically stay updated for users who have a Google+ profile.

Google has integrated with Gmail through a number of ways in recent months, but today’s update brings further integration with the ability to use Circles in search and filters by typing circle:[circle name] or has:circle. The update also adds profile photos of people in any selected circle in the upper right of the page. The new features will roll out to all Gmail users today.

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Hangouts On Air is now available to all, allows recorded or live broadcasting

Élyse Betters May 7 2012 - 6:45 am PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3pmSWh2BQco]

Google launched Hangouts On Air last year to select broadcasters, which allows recorded or live conversations with friends to broadcast, but today the search engine made the popular feature available to Google+ users worldwide.

Engineering Director Chee Chew explained the option’s functions on the Official Google Blog:

Today we’re excited to launch Hangouts On Air to Google+ users worldwide. So if you have something to say—as an aspiring artist, a global celebrity, or a concerned citizen—you can now go live in front of a global audience. With just a few clicks, you’ll be able to:

Broadcast publicly. By checking “Enable Hangouts On Air,” you can broadcast your live hangout—from the Google+ stream, your YouTube channel or your website—to the entire world.

See how many viewers you’ve got. During your broadcast, you can look inside the hangout to see how many people are watching live.

Record and re-share. Once you’re off the air, we’ll upload a public recording to your YouTube channel, and to your original Google+ post. This way it’s easy to share and discuss your broadcast after it’s over.

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Google begins testing ‘Trusted Stores’ badge on Adwords

Jake Smith Apr 23 2012 - 3:28 pm PT

Google began testing a new “Trusted Stores” badge on its Adwords platform to compliment its Trusted Stores program. Search Engine Land discovered the feature this afternoon. For those unfamiliar, Adwords is Google’s ad platform that displays ads on Google’s Search product while driving a ton of revenue to the Mountain View, Calif.-based company. Google launched Trusted Stores last year as a way for customers to feel a little more comfortable when buying products online. The new badge that appears in Adwords will help users to understand which companies Google has approved as a reliable source.

A Google spokesperson explained the move:
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Google spent $5M lobbying last quarter for open Web

Élyse Betters Apr 23 2012 - 9:52 am PT

(<a href='http://images.fastcompany.com/upload/googwash.jpg' target='_blank'>via</a> FastCompany)

Google spent $5.03 million lobbying in Washington last quarter.

According to the company’s lobbying report (PDF), the search engine’s lobbying efforts focused on the regulation of Web-based privacy, advertising, and competition, including International tax reform.

CNET’s Lance Whitney explained that Google only spent $3.76 million lobbying in Q4 2011 and $1.48 million Q1 2011, but attributed the recent surge in expenses mainly to one Congressional bill:

The search giant devoted lobby dollars to H.R. 1389 – Global Online Freedom Act of 2011, a Congressional bill designed to prevent U.S. companies from cooperating with repressive foreign governments in using the Internet for censorship and surveillance. Google has of course squared off in the past with China over the censorship of its search results.

The company lobbied for H.Con.Res. 114, a bill ‘expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should preserve, enhance, and increase access to an open, global Internet.’

It is worth noting that Apple only spent $500,000 lobbying last quarter.

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Google launches ‘Gmail Meter’: Monthly insight reports based on email habits

Élyse Betters Apr 19 2012 - 11:45 am PT

[youtube=http://youtu.be/ZooybMt9sRQ]

Google released Gmail Meter today, which is a tool for analyzing your inbox that is similar to the Google Account Activity feature launched last month.

The Google Team announced Gmail Meter on the Official Gmail Blog. Google Apps Script Top Contributor Romain Vialard developed the Google Apps Script-powered feature after looking at his sent mail one day and noticing there were many things he wanted to know about his email habits.

The video above explains the tool, but here is a quick run-down: Gmail Meter sends an email on the first day of every month containing statistics about an Inbox for detailing a user’s emailing habits. Some of the data measured regards volume statistics, daily traffic, traffic patterns, email categories, times before first response, word count, thread lengths, and top senders and recipients.

A screenshot for each data measurement is below.

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Google settles Gmail domain dispute in Germany

Élyse Betters Apr 16 2012 - 1:52 pm PT

Google’s cloud-based email service has been available to Germans over for seven years, but they are just now getting the official Gmail domain.

A local businessperson previously held the domain, which forced Google to provide “googlemail.de” addresses to users in Germany. However, according to a recent story by The Financial Times (translated), the Gmail trademark and domain were effectively transferred to Google earlier this month.

There are no further details regarding the settlement.

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Gmail now displays recent photos in the people widget

Élyse Betters Apr 5 2012 - 2:16 pm PT

Gmail updated its people widget to include three photos from recent emails for a showcased person (example to the right).

“The next time you look at the people widget, you might see up to 3 photos from recent emails from that person. Not only does this remind you of photos they’ve sent to you, but it also gives you one click access to the emails with those photos,” announced Gmail on Google+.

The Gmail people widget is located on the right-hand side of messages and displays users’ contextual information about people their interacting with in the email service.

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One of Google’s top PR guys, Gabriel Stricker, to become Twitter’s top PR guy

Seth Weintraub Apr 4 2012 - 7:49 pm PT

The announcement was made— naturally— by Twitter:

[tweet https://twitter.com/#!/gabrielstricker/status/187725823690813440]

Google still lists Stricker as Director of Global Communications & Public Affairs, where he reported to Senior Vice President Communications Rachel Whetstone:

Gabriel Stricker is Director of Global Communications & Public Affairs at Google Inc. where he heads Search communications – addressing everything from web search and other search properties (such as Maps, Earth, News and Books) to issues pertaining to partnerships, content, and the use of intellectual property. Gabriel received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and his master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University. He is the author of the bestselling book on guerrilla marketing entitled, Mao In the Boardroom, published by St. Martin’s Press.

At Twitter, he is now called Vice President of Communications.

Via TomKrazit
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Google+ update adds Google Contacts integration

Élyse Betters Apr 4 2012 - 6:33 am PT

Google+ now displays Google Contacts data in friends’ profiles.

“Many of you, like me, use Google Contacts to manage your personal address book. If that’s the case, then starting today we’ll include this contact info on your friends’ Google+ profiles — for your eyes only, of course,” announced Product Manager Sean Purcell on Google+.

Thus, Gmail and Android users’ Google Contacts are now integrated with the social network. For example: If a coworker has a new number recently stored in Google Contacts, it will automatically sync with Google+ in the “Details from Google Contacts” section. Purcell also provided a visual example of the new feature in the above image.

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Google Maps upgrade now helps non-highway drivers avoid traffic jams

Élyse Betters Apr 2 2012 - 12:50 pm PT

Google announced today that its live traffic pattern service will now include roads, not just highways.

“Starting today, if you’re planning a trip for which you anticipate traffic, you can find out what typical traffic is like on these arterial roads, rather than just on highways,” explained Google Maps Software Engineer Szabolcs Payrits on the official Google Lat-Long blog.

Drivers can type their starting and ending points into Google Maps to get directions, but they must enable the traffic layer in the upper right-hand corner, and then click “change” in in the legend to view Typical Traffic on regular roads.

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Google banks four times more revenue from iOS devices than Android devices

Élyse Betters Mar 29 2012 - 8:11 am PT

Google gave a testimony to Congress last year claiming it earned two-thirds of its mobile revenue from iOS devices, but now it seems as though the company’s estimate might have been low.

Google made less than $550 million in revenues for Android between 2008 and 2011, while making four times as much revenue during the same period with Apple products that employ Google services like Search and Maps.

According to The Guardian, the settlement offer provided yesterday by Google to Oracle depicted Android’s revenue streams. Settlement discussions ordered by Judge William Alsup were derailed when Oracle rejected Google’s low offer to pay royalties on Android if alleged patent infringements deem true in court.

Reuters reported yesterday that the settlement stems from a 2010 lawsuit where Oracle claimed its Java-related patents were infringed by Android. Oracle acquired the intellectual property in question when it purchased Sun Microsystems in 2010.

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Google shines the spotlight on Google+ star Daria Musk

Élyse Betters Mar 28 2012 - 3:34 pm PT

[youtube=http://youtu.be/YR_tckUfcEc]

Daria Musk is a singer-songwriter that joined Google+ last July and went from zero followers to over 1 million with the help of Hangouts in less than 8 months.

Check out the video above to hear this performer’s awe-inspiring story. It looks like YouTube isn’t the only Google service turning-out stars these days (ahem—Bieber). The official Google Ad Words blog also highlighted Musk in a post today about how to go global with Google+:

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