In Project #2: Fixing AOL Search (or “we need to love our users a little more”), blogmeister Jason Calacanis provides a detailed explanation of why he thinks AOL Search is “Bad… Very, very bad.” despite using search leader Google to provide the data.
May 312006
May 312006
In Gates: Microsoft trails Google, but is ‘patient’, MarketWatch writer John Shinal quotes Bill Gates on Google: Continue reading »
May 262006
In Not only does Web 2.0 not exist: it’s not your term to use, Russell Shaw of ZDNet.com publishes a scan of a threatening letter sent to a conference organizer in Ireland. In the letter, CMP Media asserts ownership of the term “Web 2.0″ in conjunction with conferences, trade shows, expositions and the like, and states that they have a service mark application pending for that usage of the term.
May 222006
It seems like the next leap in search technology won’t come from marginally better results, but from an interface shift that makes finding what you are looking for substantially easier. Results clustering has been one idea, but an even more appealing thought is anticipating what the user is looking for before he finishes typing his query. Google Suggest does this by showing a dropdown of common searches – every letter you type alters the dropdown list. So, if you enter “b”, the list starts with “bbc” and “best buy; adding a br narrows the list, starting with “british airways” and “britney spears”, and typing a “u” revises the list to start with “bruce lee”. Kind of clever and handy. 
May 192006
A couple of days ago, Google launched yet another beta application, Google Notebook. It’s a browser plugin that lets you save snippets of web pages in categorized folders. These “notebooks” can be either private (the default) or public. I gave it a brief whirl while doing some research on a client project. I was scanning a large number of specialized software sites looking for a product that fit the client’s needs. When I found a product that looked promising, rather than researching it fully I highlighted a section of the page that described the product’s key features and saved it to Google Notebook.
May 162006
The last time we posted search stats, only Google and Ask.com showed growth. Google’s growth was attributed to its overall momentum as the recognized leader in search (you don’t “yahoo” or “msn” your blind date or prospective new hire, you “google” them), and Ask.com’s television ads. I just caught another one which I hadn’t seen before and is apparently a recent addition. It features the original creator of Ask.com, Apostolos Gerasoulis, describing bear attacks and how Ask.com might help a victim find bear attack information quickly. OK, it may not make a lot of sense, but it’s cute and gets your attention.
May 102006
When your rich uncle calls your cell phone, should your wireless provider charge him a special fee because he’s loaded? Some cable and phone companies would probably find that idea appealing, if their fight against net neutrality, the concept that web traffic should be carried to the user without prioritization or different fees, is any indication. One problem with success is that when you achieve it, others will try to cash in on it. The rhetoric coming out of the cable and telecom industries seems to indicate a severe case of Google-envy. CNET reports that cable operators are not only battling net neutrality, but even implying that the term itself is an emotionally-laden misnomer. Continue reading »
In Community Monetization: Name Your Own Subscription, blogger Scott Burkett describes the reasonably successful monetization of a community using a “name your own subscription price” approach. Members paid what they could afford or wanted to pay, even nothing at all. This community had failed to generate enough advertising revenue to break even, and the flexible subscription price more than covered the gap.
May 062006
A portion of all brand searches end up at a site other than the brand’s primary site, according to Stand by Your Brand in Multichannel Merchant. Surprisingly, only 15% of the searches go awry according to the article. Some of those go to affiliate sites, which is probably acceptable, but others go to competitive sites. (I find the 85% rate of reaching the brand owner’s site a testament to the current level of search quality.)
May 042006
In a move that is ominous for online community operators, the Massachusetts Attorney General is pressuring MySpace to make major changes in the way it manages its members and community. (See also CNET report.) A list of the demands includes, Continue reading »