Most mobile users still feel there is a gap between their computers and their mobile devices, according to data published by Skype from a Zobgy survey.
The gap correlates with the finding that the majority of mobile users do not yet download applications to their mobile devices. The same group says they want to be able to choose mobile applications for themselves, and not have their carriers decide what applications they can use. The survey found that people will pay more for a device that will allow them to control applications.
More Ways to Use Google to Boost Your Marketing Potential
Have you ever checked out Google’s Insights for Search? Basically it’s a set of tools launched last summer that let you look at trends in search to help you apply them to your own marketing campaigns. "See what the world is search for," as the product’s slogan goes.
Google TV Ads Moves Forward With MSNBC
Google TV Ads is on a roll. About 15 days ago, the division struck a breakthrough deal with CNBC, and there was official talk of partnerships between it and MSNBC, Oxygen, and SciFi moving forward "in the coming months." Now the MSNBC arrangement’s been made, and advertisers have gained access to an enormous audience.
A post on the goofily named Let’s Take It Offline blog explains, "[A]s a result of our partnership with NBC Universal Google TV Ads advertisers can reach over 91 million households who watch MSNBC."
Google Reaches Ad Deal With European News Agencies
Google and the European Pressphoto Agency (epa) have struck a deal under which the search engine will host epa content on Google News.
Under the agreement Google News users will be able to find original text stories and photos from the online services of a number of epa’s eleven agencies.
New Chrome Beta, Blog Announced
Everyone knows that Google loves the word "beta"; Gmail has stood as evidence of this for years. Well, love can do powerful things, and Google’s brought back the term to describe a fresh, faster-than-ever version of its Chrome browser. There’s a new Chrome blog, too.
Australia Threatens $11,000 Fines For Unapproved Linking
Be glad if you’re not running a website, blog, or forum in Australia right now. If you linked to the wrong website, a site on the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s secret blacklist, they can fine you $11,000 ($7,262 US) per day that link stays live.
Microsoft Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day
Microsoft has been in the St. Patrick’s Day spirit this month. On the Live Search Blog, they recently reported that the number of people searching for green beer increased by 940% when March started.
Microsoft has also taken the opportunity to map out the routes for St. Patrick’s Day parades and highlight items like Irish pubs in Live Search Maps.
Online Video Viewing Grows by 10% in the UK
Online video has grown by 10% in the UK in terms of its audience during the past year. It is up to 29.6 million unique viewers age 15 and older according to research from comScore.
4 billion videos were viewed online in the UK in January alone. 99.5 million (2.5%) of these were watched on the sites of the top 5 TV broadcasters: the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, and Sky. Here’s a look at the top online video properties:
Google Adds Ads to Hosted News Articles
Google is now showing ads on Google News pages that show full-text articles. These are the articles which Google itself hosts.
In case you’re unfamiliar with these Google-hosted articles, back in 2007, Google News started offering original source content from a variety of publishers like the AP, Agence France-Presse, UK Press Association, the Canadian Press, etc. This was to give special treatment to "original sources."
Web Founder Still Creatively Vague
The World Wide Web turned 20 years old last Friday, and its creator, Tim Berners-Lee, says its potential is hardly reached. His next vision, a vision he’s been talking about for years, is the Semantic Web, which on the surface seems as simple as herding cats. But don’t let the specifics bog down a perfectly good concept with just the right amount of vagueness to drive it forward.