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YouTube Makes the News. Literally.
It's been a banner year for YouTube, at least so far. While it's not clear if the site will ever turn a profit, there's no denying that it has become more ubiquitous than ever. And the rise of video-enabled smartphones has only exacerbated the situation. According to a recent YouTube blog post, video uploads from mobile phones has risen 1,700 percent since the start of the year. Since the iPhone 3G S was released last week, mobile video uploads has jumped by 400 percent a day.
Meet Google's Lobbyist—Again
New York Times reporter Miguel Helft profiles Dana Wagner, the lobbyist in charge of convincing the world that Google (GOOG) isn't a monopoly, despite whatever your lying eyes might tell you.
Jacko Makes Google Wacko
Looks like there's something tougher than Google (GOOG) after all. The search engine has so many servers and data centers gobbling up juice to maintain its site that it seemed impossible anything could crash it. Once again, Michael Jackson defied expectations.
Jacko Makes Google Wacko
Looks like there's something tougher than Google (GOOG) after all. The search engine has so many servers and data centers gobbling up juice to maintain its site that it seemed impossible anything could crash it. Once again, Michael Jackson defied expectations.
China's Latest Google Slap
Yo, China, what's a brotha gotta do to run an international search engine up here? When last we checked in with the mandarins of the Forbidden City, they were once again denouncing Google (GOOG) for allowing Chinese citizens access to pornographic Web sites, as well as insisting that computer importers include a customized anti-porn software program in every machine.
More Android Rollouts
It's been a while since we revisited the army of new Google (GOOG) smartphones hitting the streets, so let's check in with the latest batch to challenge Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), and the BlackBerry. To wit:
Facebook: The "Second Internet"
Wired contributing editor Fred Vogelstein has penned another excellent story about the future of the Internet—this time about Facebook founder Mark "I'm CEO ... bitch" Zuckerberg's confidence that he can unseat Google (GOOG) as the dominant force in Web navigation, search advertising, and online activity. "Google is not representative of the future of technology in any way," one Facebook honcho told him. "It almost doesn't make sense to compare them."
Google Solves Another Crime
Google's (GOOG) don't-be-evil motto gets another boost today, courtesy of its "street view" service. Last September, a young Dutch teenager was toodling down the street on his bike when two men grabbed him, acquainted him with the cobblestones, and relieved him of the bike, his cell phone, and some $250 in cash. The boy got ahold of the police, but the men were long gone, seemingly scot-free.
China's Google Porn Crackdown
For the third time this year, the Chinese government has denounced Google (GOOG) for enabling users of its Chinese Web site to access pornographic Web sites.
Is Bing Really Biting Into Google?
Everyone's buzzed about Bing, of course, and at first glance, the news from Reuters that Bing has pushed Microsoft's (MSFT) share of the search market to 12.1 percent should have Larry and Sergey a little spooked.
Google Mucks Up Outlook
Last week, when Google (GOOG) launched a plug-in that allowed business customers to switch to Google Apps while retaining the Microsoft Outlook interface, industry watchers regarded it as Google's most aggressive effort yet to challenge Microsoft (MSFT) in the enterprise market. After all, Google Apps is cheaper and easier to run, and Microsoft's clients only seem to stick with the company because change is scary.
Sergey Brin's Panicking! Unless He's Not
Your nonstory of the day has got to be rumors that Google (GOOG) cofounder Sergey Brin is panicking at the thought of Microsoft's (MSFT) Bing overtaking his search engine.
Artists Give Google the Finger
The New York Times gives freelancers a little morale boost with its latest Google (GOOG) story, in which Toronto artist Gary Taxali tells the search giant to take this pro bono assignment and shove it. While promoting its new search engine Chrome, Google recently "invited" prominent artists to create original works to showcase its speed and power, but offered no money for the opportunity.
Google Gets Going on Enterprise Apps
How many ways can Google (GOOG) and Microsoft (MSFT) butt heads? Search? Video? Operating systems? On the enterprise-software front, Google has launched a new offensive, targeting businesses that would like to switch to the speed and ease of Google Apps, but whose employees are just too comfortable using Microsoft Outlook and Exchange.
Google Builds Golden State Bridge
Google (GOOG) execs have ramped up their project to convince journalists and government regulators that it's not a scary, unstoppable monopoly.
Eric Schmidt on Bing
Yesterday, Google (GOOG) CEO Eric Schmidt finally had something to say about Bing, Microsoft's (MSFT) latest effort to unseat Google as the search engine of choice for Americans. Speaking with Fox Business, Schmidt dismissed Bing as just the latest in a long line of also-rans and scoffed at the idea that Microsoft's $80 million to $100 million marketing campaign gives him cause for worry.
Bing And Google Get Testy
It's round 50-something in the war between Google (GOOG) and Bing, Microsoft's new/rebranded search engine. And all around the Web, the critics are still offering their consumer reviews, trying to figure out which doohickey is the niftiest. Other folks are cooking up supposedly objective tests to ascertain the utility of each site.
Google Guru Dies
Rajeev Motwani, a Stanford computer scientist, close advisor to Google (GOOG) founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, and one of Silicon Valley's most important tech investors and thinkers, was found dead in his swimming pool on Friday. According to the San Jose Mercury News, Motwani threw a party to celebrate the end of the school year on Thursday night; afterwards, he wandered out to his backyard to relax with a cigar.
Bing's Big Week
Well, that didn't take long. PC World reports that just one day after formally launching its new "decision engine" Bing, Microsoft (MSFT) has overtaken Yahoo (YHOO) to rank second among the most used online search engines in America.
The World According to Google
It's been quite a day so far. Barack Obama's Cairo speech has captured the attention of the world, and the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown has kept China and human rights activists on tenterhooks all day. And as usual, Google's role in both has been front and center.
First, Mr. Obama's Egyptian adventure. As is par for the course for this tech-savvy White House, the president's staff immediately posted the speech on YouTube, as well as Facebook, Myspace, and various Twitter accounts. Here's the speech from the White House's YouTube page.
Trustbusters vs. Google
Honestly, what's an all-powerful, domineering Internet behemoth to do? What with antitrust probes into CEO Eric Schmidt's seat on the board of sometimes rival Apple and its Book Search revenue deal with publishers, Google (GOOG) just can't get no love from the Justice Department.
Who's Watching the Watchers?
Just how closely is Google (GOOG) watching you? A new report by three UC Berkeley graduate students indicates that of 400,000 sample Web domains, the company has a Google tracker—either Google Analytics, AdSense, DoubleClick, Google Widgets, or FriendConnect—on 88 percent of them. 88 percent. Google also has trackers on 92 of the 100 most popular Web sites.
Android Gains on Microsoft
When personal computer manufacturers Acer and Asutek Computer announced that they were getting into the smartphone business, industry watchers wondered if they would use Google's free Android operating system. It turns out that Google (GOO) won't have to wait for those smartphones after all. According to Bloomberg, both Acer and Asutek plan to introduce new, low-cost netbooks that run on Android.
Google's New Wave
Perhaps stung by complaints that it announced the arrival of its new search engine Bing days before actually letting people use it, or psyched by the enthusiastic reception in the tech press so far, Microsoft (MSFT) sped up its launch date two days early, opening Bing up to the public today instead of Wednesday.
