SEO Blog

The big boys always seem to take heat when modifications are made to their services. Then again, the smaller guys tend to be more cautious and less ‘experimental’ when it comes to implementing changes. Google has recently harvested criticism by incorporating jump pages into its Google Base site in a move they are calling ‘an experiment with navigation.’

Jump pages are typically used in advertising campaigns. They’re meant to provide expanded info on products or detail special offers etc, before a user reaches the destination page. In Google’s case, you’re taken to an ‘item details page’ that displays attributes, labels, links to related items and a separate URL to the content owner’s website. Prior to this, visitors were taken directly to the owner’s website from the Google Base results page.

A lot of content providers are not happy with this, feeling it may impede traffic to their sites. There is concern that users may shy away from using Google Base if they are subjected to jump pages, and a fear that this ‘experiment’ may lead to future ad targeting.

Microsoft announced a deal today to partner with Softbank BB and Japan Telecom to develop communication services that merge VoIP, e-mail, Internet access, instant messaging and more. Microsoft also recently signed a deal with MCI to implement VoIP service into Windows Live Messenger.

With the ever-increasing demand for VoIP, Microsoft is seeking to establish a stronger grasp on the VoIP market. The technologies at play include Microsoft’s Enhanced VoIP Services and Softbank’s BB’s broadband VoIP services, while Japan Telecom (a subsidiary of Softbank BB) is said to provide network infrastructure and management.

Tests are set to begin Spring, 2006. If successful, the service will be offered to business clients.

One of the warm but perhaps soon to be hot topics from the blogsphere right now centers on yet another lawsuit against Google, this time a patent infringement suit regarding VoIP (voice over IP). We caught wind of this tidbit from Gary Price at SearchEngineWatch , and followed the trail. The plaintiff, a company known as Rates Technology Inc., has filed suit in New York against Google for Google Talk’s VoIP.

Rates claims Google is using technology based on two patents Rates filed in 1995 and 2001. Rates is seeking enforcement of their patents, damages, an injunction against Google and attorney fees. Rates has a host of VoIP agreements with companies such as Nortek and Cisco.

But this isn’t the first time Rates has sued for patent infringement. In fact, according to Rich Tehrani of VoIP Blog, Rates Technology exists “to collect revenue from other companies… In total they have agreements in place with 700-800 companies and have litigated 25 times in 15 years.”

Court proceedings are said to begin February 3, 2006. We’ll have more on this story as it develops.