Google Cutting Costs
In recent blog posts, Google has indicated that it is making several cost cutting moves. The cuts affect the engineering and recruiting departments and Google's recruiting vendors. In engineering, the company is closing several offices and transferring the engineers to other locations. This process began in September when Google closed its Phoenix engineering office. In January, the company announced that it would be opening engineering offices in Austin, Texas, Trondheim, Norway, and Lulea, Sweden. On the recruiting side, Google eliminated virtually all of its agreements with vendors providing recruiting services in late 2008 and will eliminate around 100 internal recruiting positions.
Google Users Can Now Edit Results Just Like MSN Users
Google recently instituted a new ranking system (similar to MSN's U Rank prototype) for its registered users. When a user is logged in, the system lets him/her increase the rankings of individual results he/she finds helpful, completely remove results that aren't, and make notes/comments about results. The search results will then appear in the new order with any notes the user added the next time the search is executed. Users can also choose to make their comments public and share them with other users that are performing the same keyphrase search. It should be noted that Microsoft's U Rank actually debuted before Google's version and has all the same capabilities. Plus, with U Rank, users can copy sites from one search query into another search query and turn off/on edited results while logged in to the system.
Microsoft SearchTogether Allows Users to Search with Their Friends
Microsoft has a browser plug-in, dubbed \"SearchTogether,\" that enables users to browse search results as teams rather than as traditional single users. The plug-in is compatible with Google, Yahoo!, and MSN and requires Internet Explorer version 7 and a Windows Live ID. SearchTogether functions much like a project management dashboard, but is geared towards Web searches. The dashboard enables users to share their search results (both live and by saving searches), save notes related to those searches, and chat. For all the voyeurs out there, there's also the \"peek and follow\" feature, which lets you look at how participating users enter queries in a search engine. So, anyone up for some \"search stalking?\"
Microsoft Appoints Former Yahoo! Vice President Dr. Qi Lu to Run Online Services Group
On December 4, Microsoft appointed Dr. Lu to the position of president of the Online Service Group effective January 5, 2009. Dr. Lu comes to Microsoft after 10 years at Yahoo!, where he was the executive vice president of Engineering for the Search and Advertising Technology Group. In that capacity, Lu was charged with the development of Yahoo!'s search engine and advertising platforms, and he had a hand in many other Yahoo! initiatives. With Lu's expertise and Microsoft's resources, expect some significant changes in Microsoft's search engine and other Web properties in the near future.
Yahoo! Announces New CEO
Yahoo! has announced Carol Bartz as its new CEO. Bartz, who has been the head of Autodesk for the last 14 years, has much of the technical experience that Yahoo! board members have been searching for in a new leader, as well as a proven history of increased revenue for her previous companies. Although Bartz does possess the tech background that current CEO Jerry Yang lacks, many speculate that she does not have the requisite experience in Web that is required for the job. Regardless, Bartz will be faced with all of Yahoo!'s longstanding obstacles, including its possible deal with Microsoft and the decision about whether or not to purchase AOL from Time Warner. Current Yahoo! President Sue Decker (who many anticipated would be the obvious choice for CEO) has agreed to stay with the company through Bartz's transition.
Yahoo! Rolls Out New Mobile Version of Flickr Website
Flickr's mobile website recently got a facelift and added functionality. The new site has an updated interface and will enable users to play Flickr videos on their mobile phones for the first time. You can also add contacts, favorite images, and change account settings with the new version of the site. Yahoo! eventually plans for the site to work with all smart phones that support browsers such as Webkit, Firefox Mobile, and Opera Mobile.
Ask.com Advances Semantic Search Technology
Ask.com has recently provided an update on the development of its semantic search technology. A company spokesperson blogged that the aim of the search engine is to be able to provide direct, concrete answers to users' queries the first time around, regardless of how the question is phrased and without the user having to try several different queries in order to get answers. Ask.com is currently testing its DADS, DAFS, and AnswerFarm technologies, which pull \"direct answers from structured data.\" If successful, Ask will be the first search engine ever to provide this type of service.
AOL Announces New Business Unit: MediaGlow
AOL has announced its plans to vastly expand its publishing empire, starting with MediaGlow, the company's new business unit. AOL executives expect the creation of MediaGlow to be a catalyst for unifying its existing advertising and social media platforms and establishing the company as an advertising-supported search engine. MediaGlow will focus on global publishing outreach as well as the creation of over 30 new websites and the expansion of AOL's current news and sports portals. Under the management of new President Bill Wilson, MediaGlow will also be established as a video production studio, which will eventually shoot and globally distribute its own original video content.
Previous
Search Engine News Archives
";
require("../incpages/content.php");
?>