Cuil, A Boon or a Fiasco?
When a user enters a keyword to be searched, Cuil lists additional keyword suggestions to choose from. The search engine result page (SERP) displays the output in a 3 column tabular format with an image next to every result and an elaborate content for every display. The most appealing feature is the “Explore by Category” in the result page, containing several categories, which on further clicks, expands to subcategories.
However, a user ponders how Cuil missed out on the spell checking feature of Google, if they are striving for a neck-to-neck competition with Google. Try searching for the same keyword in Google and Cuil, the net user is still drawn to the aptness of SERP of our favourite Google. The seldom change of logo in Google, gave a refreshing feel to the user, which one could only hope to see in Cuil in future.
Though Cuil has tried to emulate Google in some ways, one cannot write off Cuil as prosaic either. It’s too early to conclude if Cuil has sailed through in making an impact to the net savvy people of today. And if your wondering if there is any relevance between the name Cuil and search engine, the answer is yes. After all, Cuil means knowledge in Irish.
Google-blogger locked user accounts suspecting spammers
Last Friday Google-owned Blogger has express regret for mistakenly locking user accounts for being suspected spammers. This happed due to a bug in data processing code, which was uncovered on Friday and soon on Saturday Google said it the access is been restored for all accounts that were wrongly identified as spammers. This bug unknowingly identified blogs as spammers even when Google algorithms believed they weren’t. So, bloggers were unable to access or edit their blogs until the bug was fixed.
On the other hand, Blogger.com emailed an apology to the users on Saturday when access was regained. One irate blogger said: “Google lost my trust yesterday. They’ll have to work twice as hard to regain it due to their lack of acknowledgment of the problem.”
Will the Cuil search result take over major search engines?
Cuil was actually founded by many lead Google engineers, comprising Anna Patterson, chief architect of the company’s TeraGoogle search index and wife of Tom Costello. Cuil further states that its search result algorithm scans through 120 billion web pages, which is actually three times the number that the giant sifts through. Additionally, www.cuil.com offers reminiscent page and Google’s has minimalist one. Cuil further offers no ads on its pages, and also claims that it would not monitor a user’s search habits so as to target advertising the method the entire major search engine like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft do and name it their goal. However, the major advantage Google has over Cuil is that it has the capability to offer better search result as it remains massive advertising platform backup.
This search engine says it would stand out due to its excellence of offering results with images in three columns and it would search the web more insistently than other search giants.
Google Knol vs. Wikipedia
Wikipedia works on the factor that an online user’s participation would generate accurate and useful information and knowledge. The contribution made by one user could be altered or corrected by any other subsequent visitor/user who believes he or she knows better about the topic. Google Knol on the other hand, offers the author the rights to control if and when any other users modify their article. If they are not satisfied with what other users have to suggest then they could just bar it. However, the user needs to pay for the getting this right and authors also need to put their name to their contributed article.
Another difference between the two is that Wikipedia publishes only one article per topic, where as Google Knol would let users post multiple items. This means you do not like the participation of other user on current article; you could just bring up your own. The most major difference that could bring real impact between on the battle is that Wikipedia works non-profit venture, which solely rely on the enthusiasm of its contributors of content, on the other hand Knol could grab more attention by being little different, they allow you to place your ads along side the article posted.
Google’s New 3D world Platform – "Lively"
Google has recently opened a new 3D world platform especially been deigned to be secure for teenagers to use. This is been named as “Lively” platform and permits the users to design and run small 3D rooms that could further be embedded into blogs and websites. It is not like “Second Life” that is adult-only and possesses a bustling adult economy, Google has promised that “Lively” would not permit explicit content.
New Version of Google Talk for IPhone users
Google’s Official Mobile Blog stated “We’ve just released in the US a new version of Google Talk designed specifically for the iPhone and iPod Touch browsers. In addition to sending your friends Gmail messages from your iPhone, you can now chat with them while you’re on the move, too! In your iPhone browser, just go to www.google.com/talk, sign in and start chatting. That’s it. Google Talk runs entirely in the browser so there’s no need to download or install anything.
There are some differences from using Google Talk on your computer. For instance, in order to receive instant messages with Google Talk on your iPhone, the application needs to be open in your Safari browser. When you navigate away to another browser window or application, your status will be changed to “unavailable” and your Google Talk session will be restarted when you return.”
Google needs to expose users’ YouTube viewing habits
Judge Louis Stanton of the US District Court approved the request, asking Google to reveal details of each video clip uploaded to the site, along with viewers’ YouTube usernames and IP addresses. An IP address recognizes each individual computer connected to the internet however cannot be related to a name or address without the assistance of an internet service provider. YouTube usernames might further make out folks if people have signed up using their own names.
Affiliate Marketing Business Now with Google
The re-launched network would place Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) in contest with loads of huge affiliate networks like ValueClick’s Commission Junction and LinkShare, a division of the Japanese concern Rakuten. The even out comes as Google is been handing up new ad-driven business lines and incorporating the of late obtained online ad powerhouse DoubleClick. Google that usually built much of its kingdom on pairing ads with people’s search queries, is now hunting to expand its display-ad network during its new DoubleClick assets, and go faster its video advertising both on YouTube and throughout the new AdSense for video product.
Google Launches ‘Google Trends for Websites’
“Google Trends for Web sites”will give everyday traffic figures for up to five Web sites with bar graphs and charts for each, popularity of the Web sites in different regions, estimated number of unique visitors to each site, etc. The data will be made available through the Google Analytics sharing option, to get the full data; users need to log in using their Google accounts.
However the criticism leveled against this service could be with respect to the fact that data will be gathered essentially from Google users: Google account holders and users of Google Search and Google Tool bar. As such, it may not show the true picture and it can give skewed information.
5th Finger Works With MSN for Marketing Campaign
5th Finger is implementing a variety of innovative mobile marketing techniques for MSN, focused on developing consumer awareness and driving trial usage of the site – a place where consumers can ‘get their fix’ of compelling news, entertainment, weather and sports updates, as well as user-friendly search.
Campbell Corfe, CEO of 5th Finger said “MSN really understands the way consumers want to interact with mobile content, and we’ve worked closely with MSN to deliver creative opportunities to engage and inspire them”. “The aim is to make MSN Mobile the most convenient and compelling destination for people who use the mobile web, giving them their essential fix, every day,” he added.
Scott Crissman, MSN’s group marketing manager said “At MSN, we are constantly looking for the most intuitive ways to engage with the mobile community – with 5th Finger’s assistance on mobile strategy and fulfillment, we’re able to maximize the level of interaction we can have with consumers on a daily basis.”