For over a year, Microsoft has been experimenting with games to help build its search marketshare. Yesterday,I learned of one that certainly caught my eye: Indiana Jones Search.
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Before reading on, would you consider forums "social media?" This is the question that is posed on a High Rankings Forum post. Many people find that the answer varies. Forums, after all, are inherently social -- they bring people together...
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Yahoo may be running Google AdWords quite soon as the two companies are growing closer in an effort to work together which will boost Yahoo’s goal of not being taken over by Microsoft. Yahoo ran a test serving Google AdWords in their search results last month and the outcome was quite positive.
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If Microsoft's walkaway from the Yahoo deal is indeed a ploy to save $5 billion, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer may have proven himself pennywise and pound foolish. He was prepared to spend billions to finally make Microsoft a serious rival to Google. For a bit more, he may have destroyed Microsoft's chance to get there.
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Microsoft's Live Search team has announced updates to its answer feature, QnA. The updates to the service, still in Beta, are being dubbed the "Renaissance release" and include the following, according to their blog:
When it comes to search, answers are where it's at for an increasing number of searchers. Recent data showed answer sites growing 118% in 2007, while social media is a medium for answer-finding as well.
For example, conducting a search for "laptop" in a search engine may return a list of companies selling laptops, but a searcher is really looking for a product that has good performance. Those answers are found through consumer and expert reviews, and answer sites are a source of that kind of information.
Microsoft's Live Search team seems to understand this search behavior. Recently, they updated their product search experience and added products to mobile search.
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The Google News Blog announced that they have launched a special interface for the iPhone. To access it, all you need to do is go to Google.com on your iPhone or iPod Touch and navigate to the news section via the "more" link at the top right, or you can easily just go to http://news.google.com on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
In addition, Google rolled out the iPhone interface globally to 33 new markets and 16 new languages. This includes a Google Apps launch for the iPhone, where all you need to do is go to http://www.google.com/m/a/YOURDOMAIN on your iPhone (replacing YOURDOMAIN with your domain) and you can access Google Apps on an iPhone interface.
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The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that Microsoft and Yahoo are holding talks to try and avoid the promised proxy battle/hostile takeover effort that is certain to be wearying for both sides. According to the paper, "Talks between Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. intensified Friday as the two sides explored the possibility of a last-ditch friendly deal, according to people familiar with the matter."
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