I’ve seen those AdSense image tricks quite a lot over the internet: place images close to your AdSense Ads to draw more attention to your Ads or make your visitor believe the images are directly related to the displayed Ads. There even exists a WordPress plugin that does that trick.
A very questionable method to increase your click rate.
Google now clarifies the situation and clearly doesn’t allow such misleading image placements any longer. Since Google’s contextual Ad technology is quite smart, I bet they’ll find a method to discover such image placement automatically and block AdSense there.
Google acquired Endoxon, a Swiss based mapping company, today. According to Google, Endoxon’s technology will enhance Google’s geo products Google Maps and Google Earth.
On the one hand, this move means good news for European Google Maps and Google Earth users, because Google owns now with Endoxon a mapping team focused on the European market. So there is a good chance that we’ll see some improvements in Google’s geo data and services on this side of the pond.
On the other hand it’s interesting because Endoxon’s technology powers, among other things, Google’s main competitor on the German market: GoYellow.de, the German version of Google Local.
Endoxon will of course fulfill its obligations of existing contracts. But still, how much effort will a company like Endoxon, now part of the Google empire, dedicate to development and support of its competitors?
If I were a company depending on Endoxon’s technology, operating a service very similar to one listed in Google’s portfolio, I would check out some alternatives on the market now. Looks like Google made some room for new Endoxon successors. (via The Map Room)
Btw, congratulations Greg and good luck with your 20%-project!
Ok, so rumors turned out to be true and magic iPhone was released today. Not as new fancy Apple gadget though, but as VOIP phone solution made by Linksys. (via heise online)
How great is that!
Still, I’m wondering if Apple doesn’t own any imaginable iYouNameIt patent…
Jajah is starting some heavy marketing activities and gives away free global calls, text messages and conference calls to all existing or new registered Jajah users on Christmas, from 24.12.2006 11:00am GMT until 26.12.2006 10:00am GMT.
The numbers called don’t need to be registered Jajah users. So if you have friends or family abroad, check this special gift out! (via commercialized digg)
As approx. 800 million other people who participated in whatsoever Web 2.0 application this year, I’ll update my resume today and add the line
Person of the Year 2006, Time Magazine
to my references.
Btw, while it might look like a brilliant Linkbait strategy to some of us, I heavily doubt that Time Magazine is in the need of increasing backlinks by some shady tricks, like some us do.
Apparently this hilarious Christmas clip is around since 2004. Anyhow, it’s like most Christmas related things just timeless…
[youtube OEtAS0OpP_M]
Thanks Boing Boing!
The WP Tiger Administration plugin won’t bring any new features to WordPress, but wrap the entire admin section into a whole new beautiful interface.
… I didn’t want to touch the XHTML framework of the admin, but instead relied on the power of CSS2 to manipulate the presentation.
Amazing to see what can be done if you know how to use CSS2!
Just impressing how a one-liner manages going up on digg. No need for reporting about uninteresting details like features or something. Magic iPhone markets itself.
Sure, there is a good chance that it’ll come nicely designed, probably having an interesting usability too. But still, it’ll be a phone.
What do people expect of wonderPhone?
What would I expect of a new phone?
Actually I would like to see more or less the same features my phone already has (how un-fancy and boring!), but easier accessible by an improved user interface and usability:
- all my contacts and friends with every contact detail, quickly search able
- calendar, with better editing features
- messaging – email, sms, im, blog – with improved writing features, I don’t like writing messages on the phone at all
- a good camera and display with easy upload – flickr, blogging, etc. – features
- request: gps enabled with routing and other location based services
- request: music, replacing my iPod nano by a phone would be great
- request: wifi enabled, would like to use VOIP and faster web access
- constraint: size and battery life must remain at least the same.
There is probably some room left for improvements in the mobile phone business. But I heavily doubt it’ll be a revolutionary new Apple gadget. Well, lets see what comes out of Apple’s pipe (if there is something in…).
Just my 2 cents on the iPhone hype.
If you’re interested in the development of GALILEO, the European satellite navigation system, you should have a look at the green paper published by the European Commission.
It gives a good overview, raises a few questions about future GALILEO applications and gives thereby a slight insight into the commission’s view of that project. (via TecnoMaps)
After being the next big thing for more than 5 years now, native SVG support in Firefox 3 gets a major update. Read Tim Rowley’s post for more information. Guess I have to try the Gran Paradiso Alpha 1 as well…