Google has started including mobile apps in it search results on iPhones and Android devices. Users of such devices can simply go to Google.com, search for an app, and get special links and content at the top of the search results. These links can be tapped to go directly to either the Android Market or App Store page for that particular app, making it easy to download the app right away. Users can also see some of the apps' details, such as … [Read more...]

The Dow didn't crash again today (it closed up 226 points, in fact), but the economy still isn't in fantastic shape, and it doesn't harm anyone to save a few bucks even when it is.  So shoppers, take note: discounts are available at all sorts of online stores as long as you turn to Google, and not PayPal or a credit card, when it's time to check out. As if to complement MySpace's collection of offers to developers, a post on the Official … [Read more...]

Although it feels like summer in many parts of the world, this week much of the North American sports community is focused squarely on ice hockey. That’s because the Stanley Cup Finals between the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers kicked off over the weekend. Today, the series shifts to Philadelphia, and the Flyers look to even the series. We’ve always shared the world’s interest in ice hockey, and have expressed that through … [Read more...]

It seems that marketers can't get enough of Facebook.  During a period in which many companies were just trying not to lay off workers and/or go bankrupt, Facebook managed to increase the number of organizations advertising with it by over 400 percent. This statistic doesn't come from a random blogger's back-of-the-envelope calculations or some data firm's small case study.  Brian Womack reported today, "Facebook . . . said its advertisers … [Read more...]

It looks like Google is trying to attract some of the Bing users who use the search engine for the background images on its homepage. Google has now introduced the ability to personalize your Google home page with a photo of your choosing. Rather than have a daily image served to you like Bing does, Google lets you select an image from your computer, from your Picasa web photos, or from a public gallery it provides (also from Picasa). The … [Read more...]

From iGoogle’s debut in 2005 to our more recent launch of stars in search in March, we’ve enjoyed making your search experience more relevant, useful and fun through personalization. Today, we’re introducing a new feature that brings a whole new level of personalization to Google by letting you add a favorite photo or image to the background of the Google homepage. You can choose a photo from your computer, your own Picasa Web Album or a … [Read more...]

AdMob, which was recently acquired by Google, has announced the launch of its iPad App SDK (software developer kit). A representative for the company tells WebProNews, "AdMob was one of the first companies to launch ad units for both iPhone and Android applications, and now it is driving innovation on the iPad and helping developers start monetizing their iPad applications." The SDK is available for all publishers. It runs across all devices … [Read more...]

Today both Google and Bing released some health-related map applications. These releases coincide with the Institute of Medicine and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) hosting their Community Health Data Forum event. Google's contribution includes a Google Fusion Tables project and customized map showing information from HHS. For example, you can see a map of "heart friendly" and "people friendly" hospitals. "It's … [Read more...]

The difficulties Google encountered while trying to acquire AdMob apparently didn't cause the company to give up on a related purchase.  A new report indicates that Google has bought Invite Media, which deals in advertising tech, for perhaps $70 million. Invite Media's specialty is display media, and as its homepage makes clear, it offers a universal buying platform with ties to all sorts of organizations.  Another item of interest is the … [Read more...]

Apple CEO Steve Jobs thinks Google's television efforts with Google TV are going to fail. At least that's the impression he gave, speaking at All Things Digital's D8 conference when an audience member asked him about TV. Google unveiled Google TV a couple weeks ago at its developer conference, Google I/O. The company brought along launch partners Intel, Adobe, Sony, Best Buy, Logitech, and DISH Network for the ride. Watching the presentation … [Read more...]