This has been an eventful week for search engine companies.
As we have all become painfully aware, the one constant with search engines these
days is change.
I don’t think there is a search engine in existence, more about change than Google.
In a great place to be, Google has excess cash, and instead of putting the money back
into search engine related ventures, Google is exploring other venues.
Google, who uses solar energy at its main office, is investing $5 billion in a network of
deepwater transmission lines; designed to facilitate wind-generated electricity for
half a million homes, and bring this wind power from offshore wind farms on the East
Coast.Google has recently established itself as more or less a “green” company, and
has the money to back its initiatives.
Not all the initiatives are power or wind related however; Google has reportedly been
testing cars that do not require people to operate.
These cars reportedly steer themselves, turn on the ignition and operate brakes, all
without any human interaction.
These “pilot-less” cars are of course based upon the Toyota Prius platform; the poster
child for “green” automobiles. In Google’s project, they took seven modified Toyota
Priuses and reportedly drove these vehicles 1,000 miles completely unassisted and
another 140,000 miles with only the occasional human intervention.
The idea behind the project is that “no-driver cars” would be more able to avoid
accidents and could be built much smaller and significantly lighter, which would
require less construction materials.
Google predicts this project could possibly save hundreds of thousands of lives every
year.
When you look at car wreck statistics, I suppose it is difficult to argue with Google’s
methodology.
Having said that, I fail to see the “green” aspect of their other latest project with
Sony, known as Google TV.
Sony’s new line of high-definition television sets will feature built-in Google TV, which
allows users to watch HDTV, access apps and browse the web. These TVs will retail
from $600 for the 24 inch version to $1,400, for the 46 inch one.
CNBC, Napster, NBA, Netflix, Pandora, Twitter and YouTube are all pre installed on the
TV as well, and perhaps this project is more focused on capturing ALL of the TV
market-share time that originally took people away from Google for whatever reason.
Perhaps in a bid to stay relevant and not let Google take all the limelight this week,
Yahoo beefed up its core applications and purchased an Israeli company.
Yahoo has created “intelligent shortcuts,” to offer more interaction both visually and
from a search standpoint, all with the intent of improving the end user experience.
Search items like popular movies, celebrities, the latest articles, photos, videos, event
listings, and Twitter tweets will be delivered in the newly re-designed returned
results. Essentially, the search results returned will be all encompassing and will allow
you to toggle back and forth between photos, videos, and tweets, play sample songs,
view videos, buy tickets, and access your Netflix account.
In addition, iPhone or Android devices will have support. The result will enhance the
end user experience to offer a comprehensive solution instead of simple returned
search results.
The US market will be first to see these new features and Europe and Asia next year.
Bing on the other hand, is going to China first with their new search service; ETAO.
Microsoft and Alibaba, who is China’s biggest e-commerce site, is looking to grab the
Chinese market share after Google’s decision to leave China back in March.
The new search engine site combines Alibaba functionality and a Chinese-language
version of Microsoft’s Bing search engine. Which by default involves Yahoo as Yahoo
owns approximately 40 percent of Alibaba.
Yahoo, in a seemingly unrelated move, has purchased an Israeli start-up company for
approximately $50 million. Dapper Inc out of Israel, has technology to create
interactive display ads and also target the personalized ads market.
Its not hard to see where this newly purchased functionality can lead.
Yahoo will receive the Ramat Gan, Israel, office as Yahoo’s development center in
Israel. This will make the second foothold in Israel with a pre-existing office currently
in Haifa.
Only time will tell to see how Google’s venture outside the search engine realm, and
Yahoo/Bing’s increased investment inside, will play out.
Have a question and need quick answers? 
