Google (GOOG) has already signaled its intention to leave the Chinese internet search market after scuffles with the Chinese government over information freedom and censorship. The move leaves an opening for Chinese market leader Baidu.com (BIDU) and even Microsoft (MSFT). What about the ever-growing mobile search market in China? What is Google going to do there?

Continue reading What Google Could Lose in the Chinese Mobile Market If It Leaves

What Google Could Lose in the Chinese Mobile Market If It Leaves originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google's (GOOG) problems in China have been well-publicized in recent years. The world's most populous country and its own Baidu.com search engine have managed to stave off Google to a minority market share. At the same time, the Chinese government has been no friend of the world's leading search engine, requesting censored results in comparison to Google's "all information is free" stance. So, Google stands prepared to leave China for good.

Continue reading If Google Closes Shop in China, Microsoft Should Pounce on Baidu

If Google Closes Shop in China, Microsoft Should Pounce on Baidu originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Google Raises Internet Search Market Share Again in December; Bing Drops Share

Google Raises Internet Search Market Share Again in December; Bing Drops Share originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft (MSFT) has been touting its "decision engine" Bing since this past summer, and it recently became the standard search engine underneath Yahoo!'s (YHOO) massive user database. Although Bing has been well-received and grew almost immediately after being released, Google (GOOG) has finally quashed some of the enthusiasm by increasing its market share for Internet search in November back above 70%.

Google's share rose to 71.6%, an increase of 1.4% from the prior month. While that may sound small, a single percent in Internet search market share can be hundreds of thousands more searches (or tens of millions). At the same time, both Microsoft's Bing and Yahoo! declined in November. All this according to web metric firm Hitwise.

Continue reading Google ups search market share in November, keeps competitors guessing

Google ups search market share in November, keeps competitors guessing originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Google unveils real-time search capability; yes, this is huge

Google unveils real-time search capability; yes, this is huge originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) and Google, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) have formed an unusual partnership, which should make Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) a little worried.

Instead of purchasing that shiny new Sony laptop and firing it up to surf the web with Microsoft's Internet Explorer, customers will find that the default web browser already installed on the new system will be Google's own Chrome web browser -- which is just now celebrating its first birthday.

Continue reading Sony shipping PCs with Google's Chrome web browser already installed

Sony shipping PCs with Google's Chrome web browser already installed originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Google argues that it isn't really that big after all

Google argues that it isn't really that big after all originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Microsoft to spend $100 million marketing new search engine?

Microsoft to spend $100 million marketing new search engine? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 May 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Google powers 72% of all U.S. web searches in February

Google powers 72% of all U.S. web searches in February originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google hunkers down in tough times, rearranges employee priorities originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) continues to bet that beating the competition in the wireless arena is not a strategy, but a matter of growth survival. If it wants to rule the wireless search and web application universe like it has the world wide web, it has to be everywhere on every device. To that tune, Google has upgraded its search results for the Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone in an effort to fit better with the device's specific display limitations -- and capabilities.

Yes, Google voice search was just added to the iPhone's capabilities, but Google can't stop there. Google indicated this week that the "side to side" scrolling to view complete search results on the iPhone has been eliminated. In addition, easier "click to call" and "get directions" links are now in place for those mobile searches where Google thinks you may want to call someone or find directions from a web search on the iPhone. Even though the iPhone has a great display, it's nowhere near a standard flat-screen monitor.

Similar to how Google displays itself on a standard cellphone, a "Classic" option exists at the bottom of every Google search performed on the iPhone should iPhone users wish to get the "full Google" experience on the limited screen real estate on the iPhone. For iPhone fanatics (you're probably included if you own one), the new layout will probably be to your liking. And, just like Google wants you too, you'll continue to use Google for all your iPhone web-based search needs forever and ever. At the same time, Yahoo! Mobile employees may be heard collectively screaming.

Google makes search on the iPhone prettier -- and more useful? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google nearing 70% search market share in U.S. originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nokia globally hooks up with Google originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Growing Google again worries government regulators originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Is Wikia a large future threat to Google? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google must maintain laser focus on search throughout 2008 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft can't catch Google search; niche partnerships ahead? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Today's New York Times [registration required] suggests that a lawyer at the U.S. Department of Justice may have acted as though he was still on Microsoft Corp.'s (NASDAQ: MSFT) legal team. His memo to state attorney generals encouraged them to dismiss a private lawsuit filed by Google, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) which alleges that Microsoft's Vista operating system effectively crippled Google's desktop search program.

The official, Thomas O. Barnett, an assistant attorney general, had until 2004 been Vice Chairman of the antitrust department at Covington & Burling, the law firm that has represented Microsoft in several antitrust disputes including its 1998 antitrust dispute involving Netscape -- now a subsidiary of Time Warner, Inc. (NYSE: TWX).

Google's lawsuit contends that Microsoft's competing desktop search program slows down Google's desktop search tool. Google's suit alleges that this market conduct is in violation of Microsoft's 2002 consent degree that prohibits Microsoft from designing operating systems that limit the choices of consumers.

Continue reading Is a former Microsoft lawyer pressing his thumb on the scales of Justice?

Is a former Microsoft lawyer pressing his thumb on the scales of Justice? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 10 Jun 2007 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Is Google, Inc.(NASDAQ: GOOG) taking on so much power that it has no choice but to become an "evil empire" in opposition of its corporate mantra, "don't be evil?" Some think so. Google's partnerships to extend its advertising business into every angle of commerce and media format is well documented by now. Not only that, its latest string of high-profile acquisitions tells the tale of a company not just wanting to compete for viewer eyeballs, but dominate every single market that involves them.

Why is this? It's still my contention that Google's goal is to become the largest advertising network on the planet. It will do this so it can receive a cut of every transaction (as a middleman), which promises to smash revenues and profits of just about every company I can imagine. Note that this will not happen overnight (it's just starting now), and Google has a tough fight ahead with various governments, just like Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) has had because of the power it wields.

But an "evil empire?" I'm not sure I agree that Google is "slowly sucking the life out of the mainstream publishing business, and along with it the profession of journalism." Google does make it easy to find content in a very non-preferential way (that's simplifying a very complex problem), and therefore contributes to the democratization of global information on everything as a result. If that ever changes (and there are plenty of watching eyes), Google will indeed become an evil empire. Is information really of less value now that Google controls access to so much of it? What do you think? Information is information regardless of access -- but does the value of it change when access to it changes?

Google: The new evil empire or rabid competitor? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ask.com, the web search service that is owned and operated by IAC/InterActive Corp. (NASDAQ: IACI), has been fighting the good fight over the last year with a television, print and radio campaign that practically begs consumers to give its search service a try instead of just defaulting to Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG)

While Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) are also competitors, Ask.com has chosen to focus its competitive stirrings directly on Google.

I use Ask.com every day, as some of the features the service provides are actually more intuitive and easier for my line of work that what Google can provide, something I wrote about about this time last year. But I use Google the majority of the time, like most web searchers.

Ask.com's search market share really has not made significant strides against Google lately, although it has grown a bit. The company is again targeting Google with a revamped and enhanced search page that is designed to get more people using Ask.com's service.

In fact, the services that Ask.com is now highlighting look like they were taken from Google's recent "Universal Search" play book. While it's a joy to use Ask.com every day, the company's battle to win more market share will never be easy. Google's brand recognition alone will be nearly impossible for any competitor to topple.

That's not to say Ask.com can't make gains (nor Yahoo! or Microsoft). The only unfortunate part is that even building an equal or semi-equal product does not guarantee customers will dump a competitor to come to you.

Ask.com readies itself for another Google war originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.