Ben Charny

Google likes to offer bounties. There’s one for AdSense and AdWords, Google’s ad features, and $1 for every new Firefox browser with embedded Google Toolbar user. Now Web site operators have incentives from Google to refer Internet wanderers to Google Pack, a bundle of downloadable software programs, and Picasa, Google’s photo organizer. Google now pays […]

Two new cordless home phones from major electronics makers that went on sale May 8 are helping Microsofts MSN Messenger leap from the PC and into more office cubicles and living rooms. Each phone comes preloaded with the latest test version of the instant messenger, MSN Messenger, Microsoft said. As a result, the Win 1200 […]

A Google feature for finding health-specific information is making sporadic appearances on the Internet, suggesting that the facets full-scale launch is imminent. Several Google watchers say they have discovered the secret formula search query to unlock the new “search for more” listings, as pictured here and here. Typically, Google unleashes a new feature by making […]

Just a few days after Microsoft unveiled a new and improved advertising feature, Yahoo has done the same. For Google watchers, this raises a question of whether all the activity will force Google to do the same, perhaps as soon as the upcoming Google Press Day on May 10? Also Monday, Yahoo unleashed the new […]

A Google feature to find health-specific information is making sporadic appearances on the Internet, suggesting the facet’s full-scale launch is imminent. Several Google watchers say they have discovered the secret formula search query to unlock the new “search for more” listings, as pictured here and here. Typically, Google unleashes a new feature first by making […]

The “Phoneline” section of a recent power point* from AOL may make some Net-phone-loving Googlers a little jealous. Starting May 16, AOL’s instant messenger users will get a free telephone phone number and voice mail, so they can get free incoming calls from traditional phones. AOL’s also about to launch an unlimited monthly PC-to-anywhere dialing […]

Seth Fearey and his colleagues at a joint venture to build a huge wireless Internet network recently learned that Google wasn’t going to participate. Isn’t that bad news? An ambitious joint venture learns an extremely high-profile company with lots of cash and wireless dreams won’t be taking part? To the contrary, said Fearey, the vice […]

Microsoft says it has made a significant investment in DeepMetrix, a 15-year-old Web traffic analysis firm. The acquisition is likely in response to a similar one archrival Google made a few months back. Microsoft’s Internet division, MSN, plans to ultimately incorporate the DeepMetrix Web analytics tricks into future releases of Microsoft AdCenter, Internet search, Office […]

Microsoft appears to be letting anyone now sign up for adCenter, the long-awaited, self-serve Internet advertising feature that competes with Googles pioneering AdWords. To create an adCenter account, you must leave a credit card number. Microsoft then charges that credit card account a nonrefundable $5. From there, adCenter is very similar to Googles AdWords. Each […]

Microsoft now lets anyone sign up for AdCenter, the long-awaited, self-serve Internet advertising feature that competes with Google’s pioneering AdWords. To create an AdCenter account, you must leave a credit card number. Microsoft then charges that credit card account a nonrefundable $5. From there, AdCenter is very similar to Google’s AdWords. Each lets companies bid […]

There’s a chance that Google may miss the June launch date for a wireless network its building in Mountain View, Calif., or make the deadline, but with a network that doesn’t have the promised coverage. Google’s begun testing the network and, in so doing, has discovered it might need to add more Wi-Fi transmitters than […]

In March, Google researchers published the first intensive study of Skype user habits. In addition to its findings, what’s interesting about the study is how much Skype has connected with Google. In the business world, especially for Internet-based firms, the kind of customer info Google was allowed to view isn’t usually given up without a […]