Steve Bryant

Google to Launch PowerPoint Clone

Google is working on a Web-based PowerPoint clone to complement its Docs & Spreadsheets application, according to files accidentally discovered by Alex at the Google Operating System blog. The information in the files refers to an application called Presently — apparently a reference to Docs & Spreadsheets’ original name Writely.com — that can convert documents […]

Viacom Orders Google to Remove 100,000 YouTube Videos

After months of discussions concerning copyrighted videos, Viacom has asked Google to remove in excess of 100,000 videos from YouTube. Although YouTube has been subpoenaed by both Paramount and Fox, and has been sued at least once in federal court, this is the first blanket takedown notice from an American media company against the site. […]

MSN/Live Search Declines 10%, Is the Only Search Service Shrinking

Nielsen//NetRatings released its December 2006 search ratings on Jan. 23 (hat tip: SEJ), revealing that MSN/Live search was the only search platform that lost market share year-over-year: Google Search 3,035,617 (22.6%)Yahoo! Search 1,412,904 (30.1%)MSN/Windows Live Search 499,946 (-9.7%)AOL Search 362,140 (7.8%)My Way Search 141,527 (4.7%)Ask.com Search 128,452 (17.2%)EarthLink Search 31,930 (17.6%)Dogpile.com Search 30,487 (2.1%)Comcast Search […]

Google Adds Video Support to Orkut

Google has added video support to its social networking site Orkut, according to the Google blog. Orkut users can now showcase videos, create playlists and add favorites within Orkut to their playlists. Orkut has been the subject of much anxiety in Brazil. Brazilian authorities last year demanded Google reveal information about users who were uploading […]

Google to Host X Prize Fundraising Launch

The X Prize Foundation will host its next fundraising party at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., where a scale replica of SpaceshipOne dangles from the rafters. The March 3 event will kick off a $50 million drive and be hosted by Google founder and X Prize board member Larry Page.

Google Fensi, an Asian Social Networking Site?

Google may be working on a social networking site called Fensi for the Asian market, according to dubious evidence from Garett Rogers at Googling Google and input from Philipp Lenssen on the Google Operating System blog. Rogers says Fensi, which he discovered through Google in Your Language, may be a social networking site. Lenssen says […]

Google CEO Hints at Set-Top Box TV Ad Plan

Google CEO Eric Schmidt hinted during the company’s Q4 2006 conference call yesterday that Google would enter the television advertising market via software on set-top boxes. “There are many reasons to believe that the targeting technology that we have invented can really apply well, that people will pay — advertisers in particular will pay much […]

Google 4Q 2006: Revenue up 67% over 2005

Google reported Q4 2006 revenue today, announcing revenues of $3.21 billion, an increase of 67 percent compared to Q4 2005 and an increase of 19% compared to Q3 of 2006. Google reports its revenues, consistent with GAAP, on a gross basis without deducting traffic acquisition costs, or TAC. In the fourth quarter of 2006, TAC […]

Google Can’t Use Gmail Trademark in Europe

Google won’t be able to use the Gmail trademark in Europe after losing an appeal to the OHIM (Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market) concerning a lawsuit by German VC Daniel Giersch. From the Register: “Giersch, who has held his trademark for six years, has been fighting this battle since Google launched its e-mail […]

uTube Amends Complaint, Accuses YouTube Co-Founders of Racketeering

Night Court is now in session: Universal Tube and Rollform Equipment Corporation has amended its original complaint against YouTube to include racketeering charges against Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, GoogleWatch has learned. The amended complaint, filed in late December, accuses Hurley and Chen of violating the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) laws, arguing that the […]