Google Releases Apps Directory Sync Enhancements
Google has released a couple of enhancements to Google Apps Directory Sync, which is a tool that helps businesses sync the user and directory info in their LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) systems with Google Apps.
Google Apps Directory Sync now helps sync employee contact info as well as non-employee info listed in the central LDAP directory. This means customers, partners, vendors, etc. can easily be looked up.
Advocacy Group Calls For Scrutiny Of Microsoft-Yahoo Deal
Advocacy organization Consumer Watchdog is urging the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department to look closely at the proposed Microsoft-Yahoo search deal to ensure there are no antitrust violations and that user privacy is guaranteed.
Under the proposed deal Yahoo would use Microsoft’s Bing to sell ads that appear with search results. Google currently has 65 percent of the U.S. search market. Microsoft and Yahoo have 28 percent. Conventional wisdom is that the combination of the two smaller search businesses would offer stronger competition to Google.
Businesses Increasingly Looking to iPhone Apps
iPhoneAppQuotes, which puts businesses together with iPhone developers, has released some interesting findings. The company has noticed a shift in app development trends.
"Business apps are proving to be the most popular category of apps as entrepreneurs and small businesses realize the marketing and additional revenue stream potential the iPhone creates," says Founder Gregg Weiss.
Some of iPhoneAppsQuotes’ findings include:
Mobile Market Improves In 2Q
The global mobile phone market saw another quarter of year-over-year decline in the second quarter of 2009, shipping a total of 269.6 million units, down 10.8 percent from 302.2 million units in 2Q08, according to IDC.
The second quarter results are an improvement from the 17.2 percent decrease in the first quarter, but challenges from the economic crisis remain a factor to watch.
Microsoft, Yahoo CEOs Comment On Employees’ Fates
Personnel-related "efficiencies" can be good or bad, depending on one’s perspective. Companies want to save money, of course, and their shareholders also appreciate savings. But employees like to keep their jobs. So let’s take a look at what sort of effect the Microsoft-Yahoo deal may have.
What Happens to Yahoo’s Search-Related Developer Projects?
With the big Yahoo Microsoft deal announced, there are still a lot of questions out there, despite the significant amount of information the companies have shared thus far. We know that Bing will become the search engine used in Yahoo searches. We also know that Microsoft will acquire an exclusive 10-year license to Yahoo’s core search technologies.
More Americans Watching Online Video
Americans who watch online video continues to grow at a rapid pace across all demographics, far outpacing the adoption rates of many other Internet activities, according to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project.
More than half (62%) of Internet users have watched content on video sharing sites, up from 33 percent in 2006. The majority (89%) of Internet users 18-29 say they watch content on video sharing sites, and 36 percent do so on an average day.
Hulu Traffic Surpasses the Networks for First Time
Compete is pointing to some interesting data, and suggesting that Hulu’s "evil plot to take over the world" might just be working. The popular video site has surpassed NBC, FOX and ABC’s websites in traffic for the first time. And that was last month.
"The networks’ traffic declined during the summer rerun season, but Hulu seems relatively unaffected," notes Compete’s Seth Madison.
What is Responsible Blogging to You?
The Federal Trade Commission has recently taken an interest in regulation of blogs when it comes to bloggers receiving products and writing about them. A lot of discussion has taken place about what it means to blog responsibly.
Twitter Launches New Homepage Design
This past Friday we told you about the new Twitter homepage that was just days away. Well, now @Biz has updated the Twitter blog informing us that the new design has been launched.