Microsoft Focuses on Acquisitions to Build Up Search

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1. Microsoft Focuses on Acquisitions to Build Up Search - 2007-06-27 11:29:35-04
   

   In May, we reported that Bill Gates is interested in focusing and bettering their search engine. A WebmasterWorld thread highlights an article in BusinessWeek that emphasizes Microsoft's resolve to focus its energy on acquiring companies that specialize in vertical search.

   The article mentions Microsoft's recent acquisitions:

   • February 2007: MotionBridge - search for mobile phones
   • February 2007: Medostry - health care information database
   • March 2007: TellMe Networks - voice recognition for mobile search

   The acquisitions—along with Microsoft's efforts to build its own niche search engines to find images, classified ads, and other content—are aimed at finding a chink in Google's seemingly impenetrable armor. "There's a lot of opportunity in domain-specific areas," said Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie at a February investment conference highlighting the Medstory purchase. "That search technology is first being woven into MSN Health & Fitness, and ultimately it will be woven into the mainline search."

   It is true that Google is the web search giant, but there's potential to break that into verticals, just as there is potential to create social sites that appeal to a different type of audience.

   Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.

   

   
   
   
2. Digg Digest - 06/27/07: SEO.com Purchased for $5 million, Google Docs & Spreadsheets Features, & ThreadWatch Closing - 2007-06-27 12:49:14-04
   

   The world is still spinning, and people are still digging. There have been happy reports on Digg and sad reports on Digg. Little known facts are now more widespread, and rumors are circulating. Such is life.

   A few weeks ago, the new version of Google Analytics left beta . With this came some new features, especially the highly desired hourly reporting. I'm glad about that.

   SEO.com is rumored to have sold for $5 million which is a pretty substantial amount of money. Personally, while the three-letter domain is helpful, I know where the best SEO sites are already, so I don't know if it will do much for me. The cost, however, is not surprising, though it really is a rumor at this point as indicated by the update by Mike Mann himself in the comments of that blog announcement.

   With Google Docs and Spreadsheets getting better and better each day, you should be aware that there are some lesser known features within Google Docs and spreadsheet. Here are 5 things you may not know : there's live lookup via Google Finance, you can perform Google searches within a spreadsheet, there are color-coded live comments, Google Docs supports revisioning, and documents are backed up in multiple places at once to avoid possible loss of data.

   Dave Naylor reported that YouTube is giving FTP information away . This was discovered after we realized that Google Video is exposing usernames and passwords and is doing so on an unsecure (HTTP) protocol. Pretty scary stuff for those concerned about privacy.

   Business owners, rejoice! You can now verify your business on Google Maps . Life for you has just gotten much easier.

   Just a few days ago, we heard that Google has purchased GrandCentral , a phone service that allows people with multiple phone lines to combine them into one line.

   Earlier this week, Aaron Wall announced that Threadwatch is closing . There's been an overwhelming response to the closure, and many people hope Aaron will reconsider. He hasn't responded to them yet. Best of luck, Aaron.
   

   

   
   
   
3. Google Gadget Ventures: Earn $5,000 to $100,000 From Google - 2007-06-28 08:12:19-04
   

   Google announced the Google Gadgets Venture, a program where developers can earn $5,000 or $100,000 grants for developing Google Gadgets.

   The $5,000 payout are for developers whose gadgets receive at least 250,000 weekly page views and apply for the program. To apply, you need to submit a one-page proposal detailing how you'd use the grant to improve your gadget, and email it to gadgetventures@google.com.

   The $100,000 seed investment is the step above, where developers would like to build a business around the Google gadgets platform. The first requirement is that you be part of the $5,000 grant project, after that - you need to convince Google you are worth the $100,000 investment.

   There is a huge Google Ventures FAQ with more details.

   Danny Sullivan has a quote, "The payoff for us is in more pageviews and users. By getting more users, we get more searches," said Marissa Mayer, Google's vice president of search products and user experience.

   We have a simple Google Gadget with currently only 1,226 users and 32,437 pageviews, so we need some help to reach the $5,000 grant. Go to this page and click on the "Add it Now" button to help our cause, of course, please tell your friends.

   Forum discussion at DigitalPoint Forums and Search Engine Watch Forums.