Category: Google (GOOG)

Google (GOOG)

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Google Book Search Partners with University of Chicago and Big 10

I was flipping through the most recent University of Chicago alumni magazine and noticed a small blurb about The University of Chicago and 11 of the Big Ten partnering with Google Book Search. The press release states:

“These universities, through their provosts and other key leaders, have worked
together on some of higher education’s greatest challenges and opportunities.
This partnership with Google is one of the most ambitious undertakings in the
history of the CIC, and sets the stage for a remarkable transformation of library
services and information access. We’re opening up these resources as both a
common good shared among the universities, as well as a public good available
more broadly, ” said Barbara McFadden Allen, director of the CIC.”

This announcement followed 5 days after Barry Schwartz reporting about custom search engines. It appears things are heating up again in the Book Search arena.

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Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Files Lawsuit Against Google

There was an interesting story in Friday’s Financial Times about a lawsuit against Google in Australia by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

The case, brought in federal court in Sydney, was prompted by adverts that were placed on Google by Trading Post Australia, an automotive dealer also named in the suit.

The regulatory body said that, among other things, it was seeking an order “restraining Google from publishing search results that do not expressly distinguish advertisements from organic search results”.

The issue of advertisements being unclear from organic results has been passionately debated from time to time. This is the last study I’ve seen on the issue.

Time will tell how this turns out.

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Mossberg: Ask.com Takes Lead In Designing Display Of Search Results

Interesting read – you should check it out.

Here is the cliff notes version:

“Both of the new systems are designed to spare users the extra steps needed in the past to view different types of content related to the same search term. But Google combines these different types of content into one list. Ask puts them on one page in separate sections, which I find to be the superior approach, because each type of result is displayed more effectively; it’s easier to see at a glance what you have.”

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Google Accused of Conducting Smear Campaign Against Privacy International

Privacy International is using strong words like “Google has embarked on a smear campaign within the media to discredit both PI and the report”. It says more to follow. We’ll see if there is any substance to this. One thing is for sure, there is plenty of discussion out there. Thought provoking posts by Danny Sullivan and Donna Bogatin with considerable dirt.

One thing is certain, Privacy International doesn’t think it’s important enough to put out a full reply on a weekend, that means it loses some credibility in my eyes.

The conversation runs 24/7 out there not M-F 9-5.

UPDATE: I take that back, Privacy International just published the new letter which is addressed to Eric Schmidt.

So who is this Microsoft employee? And why wasn’t this person removed from the process before the report was created?

UPDATE #2: Matt Cutts has weighed in on the issues in a thoughtful way.

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Google Should Not Set Immigration Policies

It would be truly amazing if (http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6189093.html – dead link) Lazslo Bock of Google would actually spend his time hiring highly qualified candidates with innovative minds that are already US Citizens instead of pandering to Congress.

Maybe he should focus more on his operations and his employee referrals rather than trying to extort a cheaper workforce from overseas.