Google Getting Desperate Trying To Monetize YouTube
I’m pretty sure that if it were not for its enormous size and price tag, Google would have shutdown YouTube along with all the other services that couldn’t turn a profit for the search giant. As it stands, Google has so much invested in the video sharing service that to fail would likely wipe at least a dollar from its share price.
Ashton Reaches A Million Followers
About 2 a.m. East Coast time, Ashton Kutcher declared victory in attracting one million followers on Twitter. For what it’s worth—is it worth something?—CNN piggyback publicity team conceded victory, but would reach a million itself sometime in the wee morning hours.
About 7:30 last night, just about the time the Twitter-battle was being hyped on entertainment news, bookies reached out to my inbox to inform me the odds favored CNN. Odds were even on Kutcher, long on Britney.
Google TV Ads Online Launched in Beta
A few weeks ago, it was reported that Google was testing an online version of its Google TV Ads. They’re now launching Google TV Ads Online in beta by invitation only.
Video Game Sales Dip In March
U.S. video game sales declined 17 percent in March to $1.43 billion, compared to $1.72 billion in March 0f 2008, according to The NPD Group.
YouTube Finally Goes to the Next Level
YouTube has finally announced after months of talks about deals with major media companies that they are now offering new sections on the site dedicated specifically to movies and television shows.
Partners include Crackle, CBS, MGM, Lionsgate, Starz and many others, which contribute thousands of television show episodes and hundreds of films. They also bring the social element of YouTube along with them because users can still comment, favorite, and share the videos.
U.S. Hispanic Internet Audience Hits 20 Million
The U.S. Hispanic online population reached a record 20.3 million users in February 2009, representing 11 percent of the total U.S. online market, according to comScore.
During the past year, the growth of the U.S. Hispanic Internet audience outpaced that of the total U.S. online population in terms of number of visitors, time spent and pages viewed, as Hispanic online adoption and engagement accelerated.
Boston Cops Hunting ‘Craigslist Killer’
Twenty-six-year-old Julissa Brisman was tied up and shot several times in a Boston area hotel room by someone who solicited her massage services on Craigslist. This was the second killing in the area in a week originating with a Craigslist ad.
The other victim was identified as a Las Vegas prostitute but was thought to be an isolated incident until Brisman’s murder.
Google Continues Building Its Social Network
Today, Google has launched a new event gadget for Google Friend Connect. The gadget gives webmasters the ability to spread the word about events of interest. Google Calendar Software Engineer Yoah Bar-David explains how the gadget works:
Facebook Announces fbFund Developer Advisory Council
Although the popularity of some Facebook apps has been shaken up since the redesign, allowing for others to emerge, Facebook apps in general are still booming.
What’s Going on with Facebook’s Valuation?
Conflicting reports, none confirmed, are circulating today about Facebook’s latest attempts at raising funding.