Google Brings Video/Voice Chat to Your Home Page
Google now has a video chat application that can be used from your iGoogle home page. This is just the latest feature Google has added to its ever-growing list of products/features that make it more like a giant social network.
Facebook Expanding Staff By Around 50%
While we continue to slog our way through the economy (is it getting better, staying the same or worse?) there are a few companies that are defying the general downward trends. Apple’s iPhone has let them weather the storm quite nicely. Apparently, Facebook is doing quite fine as well.
Yahoo Signs On PointRoll To Smart Ads Program
Gannett’s PointRoll announced today it has joined the Yahoo Smart Ads program to help marketers focus on creating rich media ads and improve campaign performance.
As a member of Yahoo’s Smart Ads program, PointRoll will use Yahoo’s reach and targeting capabilities to provide more customized, relevant and scalable rich media campaigns. PointRoll will also use its ShopLocal retail ad program to offer improved Smart Ads for retail advertisers.
Toshiba Launches Social Network for Employees
Toshiba announced today it is launching a social business network called eXCHANGE, aimed at connecting its sales, service, administrative and corporate employees in the U.S.
Toshiba says eXCHANGE is similar to other social networks, such as Facebook, LinkedIN or MySpace and it will offer members an online forum to share and seek information, including best sales practices, user generated information and product tips.
MapQuest Launches Missing Children Widget
AOL’s MapQuest has partnered with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to launch a new widget on MapQuest Local that includes missing child alerts and information from NCMEC.
Is the Microsoft-Yahoo Deal Anti-competitive?
That Microsoft-Yahoo deal that has been so heavily anticipated since even way before it was announced may not go through as planned. At least that’s what one antitrust lawyer thinks.
Matthew Cantor, a partner with the firm Constantine Cannon LLP, told ComputerWorld that he believes the deal will not get past regulators – at least not as is.
Economy is a Bright Spot For Facebook
Facebook is reportedly planning on expanding its staff by up to 50% this year. CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivered this news to Bloomberg, saying the economy has provided a "great environment" for them, because nobody else has been hiring.
Get More Acquainted with Google Wave
Last month, an event was hosted by the Google Wave team called Google Wave Federation Day, which was described as an inaugural event for people looking to get involved by providing their own wave services.
At the event, Google discussed the protocol and system architecture behind Google Wave, and talked about how they need to get lots of developers working on it, because it is such a huge vision. That vision is for there to be many Google Wave providers, because as Google says, it won’t be complete without non-Google Google Wave providers.
Twitter Rolling Out Commercial Accounts
Since Twitter is getting itself back in the industry news with trademark travesties, DDoS attacks and some sideways competitive compliments it makes sense that the conversation turn to the R word: revenue.
Microsoft Should Avoid Branding Issue for Office Web Version
Update: Office.com is now live under Microsoft’s operation.
Original Article: Microsoft is reportedly now the owner of the domain Office.com. This could be a key component of Microsoft staying competitive with Google as they amp up their quest to get businesses and consumers to use Google Apps.