Google Releases New Social Gadgets & Features for iGoogle

Search engine, Google, has launched new gadgets designed to leverage Opensocial to all iGoogle users in the U.S., including ways to share content, play games and collaborate on the iGoogle page.

A few examples of the new social gadgets include:

  • Content Sharing – NPR enables users to browse through latest headlines across a variety of categories and share the stories that interest them with friends. With the Flixster gadget, users can rate and review movies or browse what films their friends have reviewed or found interesting. Users can now also view their friend’s favorites comics stories or post comments with the GoComics gadget.
  • Games and Fun – The Scrabble and Chess gadgets enable users to play two of their favorite games with their friends or the public at large. Users can also see which of their friends has the biggest brain or immerse themselves in a New York Times Crossword where they can complete a given week’s puzzle with the help of their friends.
  • Communication/tools – Users can share multiple lists with friends with the social To-do gadget. It’s easy to add and remove items, mark items done, change priorities and edit item descriptions with friends or family. The Social Photos gadget enables users to upload and share their albums from Flickr and Picasa, as well as browse their friend’s albums or top Photos.

As part of the launch, Google also introduced two new features on iGoogle called a Friends group and Updates. A Friends group is a list of friends users can create based on a subset of users’ Google Contacts to be able to interact and share social gadgets with. Updates allows users to see what their friends are up to by sharing gadgets, photos, ratings and more from the social gadgets on their iGoogle page. The new social features are completely optional and can be disabled on any social gadget if users do not want to take advantage of the new features. In addition, not all gadgets on iGoogle are social-enabled and those which are will be marked with a special icon.

iGoogle’s mission is to quickly connect users to the information that is most useful and important to them in an easy-to-use and customizable format. This is just the beginning and Google will continue to offer users more choices that enable them to create a powerful and personalized homepage. For developers and content owners, social gadgets allow more possibilities for building rich and compelling gadgets. In addition, not only can developers take advantage of iGoogle’s growing audience of users to promote their gadgets and drive additional awareness and traffic back to their websites, but they can also earn revenue from their gadgets on iGoogle by placing ads in the canvas view mode of their gadgets.

iGoogle, Google’s personalized homepage, lets users customize their internet experience, choosing the content they’re interested in seeing. Users can access weather forecasts, movie times, play games, or read the latest news, all directly from their homepage.

With the largest index of websites available on the World Wide Web and the industry’s most advanced search technology, Google Inc. delivers the fastest and easiest way to find relevant information on the Internet. Google’s technological innovations have earned the company numerous industry awards and citations, including two Webby Awards; two WIRED magazine Readers Raves Awards; Best Internet Innovation and Technical Excellence Award from PC Magazine; Best Search Engine on the Internet from Yahoo! Internet Life; Top Ten Best Cybertech from TIME magazine; and Editor’s Pick from CNET. A growing number of companies worldwide, including Yahoo! and its international properties, Sony Corporation and its global affiliates, AOL/Netscape, and Cisco Systems, rely on Google to power search on their websites. A privately held company based in Mountain View, Calif., Google’s investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers and Sequoia Capital.

Posted by Admin on August 22nd, 2009 | No Comments
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Google Search Engine to Acquire On2 Technologies.

Search engine, Google, along with On2 Technologies, Inc., have jointly announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Google will acquire the developer of video compression technology.
Under the terms of the agreement, each outstanding share of On2 common stock will be converted into $0.60 worth of Google class A common stock in a stock-for-stock transaction. The transaction is valued at approximately $106.5 million.

Sundar Pichai, Vice President, Product Management, Google remarked, ”Today video is an essential part of the web experience, and we believe high-quality video compression technology should be a part of the web platform. We are committed to innovation in video quality on the web, and we believe that On2’s team and technology will help us further that goal.”

Matt Frost, interim CEO of On2 added, ”We’re thrilled that On2 is joining one of the world’s most innovative companies. After intensive review of On2 products, Google confirmed our long-held beliefs as to the quality of our video technologies. This transaction is a testament to the hard work of every On2 employee and the strongest possible endorsement of our products and people. On2 will continue to improve, support and sell our products throughout the transition. We believe that Google shares our ambitions and know that our products and expertise, combined with Google’s globally recognized brand, ingenuity and resources, will create an incredible team.”

The number of shares of Google class A common stock to be received by On2 stockholders will be determined by dividing $0.60 per share by the volume weighted average trading price of a share of Google class A common stock based on the sales price of every share of Google class A common stock traded during the twenty trading-day period ending on and including the second trading day prior to the date of the meeting of On2’s stockholders to consider and vote on the merger agreement.

$0.60 per share represents a premium of approximately 57% over the closing price of On2’s common stock on the last trading day immediately prior to the announcement of the transaction, and a premium of approximately 62% over the average closing price of On2’s common stock for the six month period immediately prior to the announcement of the transaction.

The transaction, which is subject to On2 stockholder approval, regulatory clearances and other closing conditions, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati and Potter Anderson and Corroon served as legal counsel to Google, and Credit Suisse provided M and A advisory services to Google. Covington Associates, LLC served as financial advisor to On2 and its board of directors and Duff and Phelps, LLC served as an independent financial advisor to On2’s board of directors, and each of them provided an opinion as to the fairness, from a financial point of view, to the public stockholders of On2 of the exchange ratio in the proposed transaction. Hogan & Hartson LLP and Richards, Layton and Finger served as legal counsel to On2.

On2 creates advanced video compression technologies that power the video in today’s leading desktop and mobile applications and devices. On2 customers include Adobe, Skype, Nokia, Infineon, Sun Microsystems, Mediatek, Sony, Brightcove, and Move Networks.

With the largest index of websites available on the World Wide Web and the industry’s most advanced search technology, Google Inc. delivers the fastest and easiest way to find relevant information on the Internet. Google’s technological innovations have earned the company numerous industry awards and citations, including two Webby Awards; two WIRED magazine Readers Raves Awards; Best Internet Innovation and Technical Excellence Award from PC Magazine; Best Search Engine on the Internet from Yahoo! Internet Life; Top Ten Best Cybertech from TIME magazine; and Editor’s Pick from CNET. A growing number of companies worldwide, including Yahoo! and its international properties, Sony Corporation and its global affiliates, AOL/Netscape, and Cisco Systems, rely on Google to power search on their websites. A privately held company based in Mountain View, Calif., Google’s investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers and Sequoia Capital.

Posted by Admin on August 16th, 2009 | No Comments
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Google Presidential Alliance, Trains Developers, Entrepreneurs.

Search engine, Google, after accepting an invitation by PICTI and PITA and working with the U.S.-Palestinian Partnership (UPP), Case Foundation and USAID, hosted a GPals day in Ramallah, providing cutting edge skills to over 300 software developers and entrepreneurs.

Jean Case, UPP co-chair and Case Foundation CEO remarked, ”Entrepreneurs and NGO leaders in the Palestinian Territories are young, well educated and tenacious. Every day they overcome challenges that seem insurmountable. Working with Google’s team and sharing their expertise gives these leaders an opportunity to engage in new ideas, which will hopefully serve to spur economic development and local innovation.”

The GPals day was spread across two days. The first day focused on pushing the boundaries of web applications using Google developer technologies. The day was also about bringing brilliant developers together to share their own ideas. Day two was focused on a full review of Google product demonstrations for small or medium sized businesses to help spur innovation and entrepreneurship in the region. This included a discussion on how to create Arabic content using online tools and how to use free Google applications (such as Google Docs) to better manage businesses.

Supporting the developer community around the world is vital for the future of the internet: an active developer community means constant innovation and growth of the web. Google is committed long-term to providing tools and platforms that make web development easier and more powerful.

Google has been providing similar trainings with local partners around the world. In addition to its acclaimed search engine, Google provides numerous free online applications that allow organization of online groups, shared spreadsheets, presentations and documents and application development. Google has created specialized portals that organize and promote its tools specifically for small businesses, non-profits and governments. And, it provides Google Ad Words grants to non-profits and training on how to advertise online successfully.

The collaboration with Google is the latest in the U.S.-Palestinian Partnership’s efforts to bring investment and opportunity to the West Bank. Since its founding in December of 2007, the Partnership has secured private sector contributions in the West Bank from leading companies and organizations such as Google, Cisco, Intel, Microsoft, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and National Geographic. Through the support of youth centers, job creation, tourism and business delegations, UPP is working to create the economic conditions for peace and demonstrating that the West Bank is open for business.

Launched by the President of United States, Secretary of State and U.S. business leaders following the Annapolis peace talks in December 2007, the Partnership promotes economic and educational opportunities for the Palestinian people. UPP is a critical component in facilitating progress toward a two-state solution, wherein Israel and Palestine can live side by side, in peace, security and prosperity.

The Case Foundation, created by Steve and Jean Case in 1997, invests in people and ideas that can change the world. The Foundation champions initiatives that connect people, increase giving, and catalyze civic action.

With the largest index of websites available on the World Wide Web and the industry’s most advanced search technology, Google Inc. delivers the fastest and easiest way to find relevant information on the Internet. Google’s technological innovations have earned the company numerous industry awards and citations, including two Webby Awards; two WIRED magazine Readers Raves Awards; Best Internet Innovation and Technical Excellence Award from PC Magazine; Best Search Engine on the Internet from Yahoo! Internet Life; Top Ten Best Cybertech from TIME magazine; and Editor’s Pick from CNET. A growing number of companies worldwide, including Yahoo! and its international properties, Sony Corporation and its global affiliates, AOL/Netscape, and Cisco Systems, rely on Google to power search on their websites. A privately held company based in Mountain View, Calif., Google’s investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers and Sequoia Capital.

Posted by Admin on April 1st, 2009 | 1 Comment
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Google Pagerank Update.

Google pagerank has become one of the most important factors, to determine how valuable is a web site. Many webmasters no longer care if your ranking well in SERP’s or not, or even if you have high amount of daily traffic. All they care about is your web site pagerank and how much your charging per link.

Google pagerank is not only a tool to measure the importance of a web site, it has also become a symbol for almost all webmasters. The more pagerank your web site has, the more respect you get among other webmasters. In fact, if you have pagerank 6 or higher, you will start getting hundreds of natural backlinks talking about how high your pagerank is!

Google pagerank is only important to those who sell/exchange links. Its also important for seo companies, in order to show their clients that they’re good at what they do. Other than that, it has no importance at all. My advice for you is not to worry much about your google pagerank and concentrate more on your web site products and content.

Posted by Admin on March 24th, 2009 | 6 Comments
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