Monday, January 21, 2008

Nielsen: Google, Yahoo, Losing Search Share To MSN. (Not A Typo)

Source: http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/01/nielsen-google-yahoo-losing-search-share-to-msn-not-a-typo.html

Interesting news to dump late on Friday: Nielsen's newest search share rankings show Microsoft gaining at Google and Yahoo. Google and YHOO saw their share drop 1.4% and .2%, respectively, while MSFT jumped 1.8% between Nov. and Dec., 2007.

All of this is newsworthy, because we've become used to watching GOOG's search share march inexorably upwards, while its competitors stumble. But it in addition to the usual caveats -- this is one research firm, and one set of month-to-month data -- the Nielsen data comes with a new asterisk.

Last fall, the firm made changes to its tracking panel, which it says resulted in "more granular reporting, increased accuracy, an expanded Internet universe and more advanced tracking." That sounds great, but the downside is that the company says it means we can't compare its pre-Nov. 2007 data with anything it's done before. Which essentially means that if we want meaningful trend data from Nielsen, we're going to have wait several months.

In the meantime, go ahead and enjoy these apples-to-apples comparisons, for what they're worth.

+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+----------+-----------+ |          |           DECEMBER 2007          |           NOVEMBER 2007          | +----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+----------+-----------+ | Provider |  Searches | Share of | Searches/ |  Searches | Share of | Searches/ | |          |     (000) | Searches | Searcher  |    (000)  | Searches | Searcher  | +----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+----------+-----------+ | Google   | 4,062,536 |    56.3% |      37.9 | 4,253,794 |    57.7% |      40.8 | | Yahoo!   | 1,273,688 |    17.7% |      22.4 | 1,317,919 |    17.9% |      23.7 | | MSN/Live |   995,899 |    13.8% |      31.7 |   880,550 |    12.0% |      27.8 | | AOL      |   339,761 |     4.7% |      15.2 |   332,385 |     4.5% |      14.7 | | Ask.com  |   159,529 |     2.2% |      10.0 |   195,848 |     2.7% |      10.5 | | My Web   |    70,630 |     1.0% |      10.4 |    87,001 |     1.2% |      12.6 | | Comcast  |    34,715 |     0.5% |      10.1 |    39,257 |     0.5% |      10.4 | | NexTag   |    29,019 |     0.4% |       2.9 |    27,714 |     0.4% |       3.1 | | AT&T     |    25,159 |     0.3% |       9.1 |    29,244 |     0.4% |       9.2 | +----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+----------+-----------+ Source: Nielsen Online, MegaView Search

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Oh, How the Mighty Have Fallen: Joost Edition

Source: http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/01/oh-how-the-mighty-have-fallen-joost-edition.html

Joost.pngLast summer, Joost was the hottest thing going. Finally, real TV on the Internet. The traditional networks couldn't stop praising it (the first frantically waving red flag). Joost was going to steamroll sleazy and maligned YouTube, which was only making hay by stealing everyone's content. Joost already had 1 million users, etc.

Well, you don't hear much about Joost anymore--other than about its flaws:
  • it requires a software download,
  • it needs to be turned on (as opposed to web-based video, which you encounter everywhere)
  • its technology never worked right,
  • it doesn't have enough good content
  • people don't actually want to "watch TV" on the Internet (they're fine watching shows, but they want to do their own programming, not watch "channels"), and
  • the 1 million user number might have been misleading. (We always suspected the 1 million was "downloads," not "active users," and we still don't know anyone who actually watches Joost)
  • YouTube, Hulu, et al, are vastly more convenient
Joost has now ditched its CTO, presumably in an attempt to get its technology working. That's a start, but it won't address the other problems.

Over at NewTeeVee, Janko Reottgers suggests five ways to save Joost. With the exception of "build a web version," we don't find any of them compelling. (And even that one won't help, because there already are web versions of Joost out there--dozens of them). We therefore reiterate our assessment from last summer: Joost is the PointCast of 2007.

The Chronicles of Joost:
Joost Loses CTO, Hires Comcast Exec
The Company Hulu Really Will Kill: Joost

Why Nate Westheimer Doesn't Watch Joost
Why We Don't Watch Joost
Prediction: Joost is the PointCast of 2007

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PocketGuitar Lets You Kick Out Riffs With Your iPhone [Software]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/219908574/pocketguitar-lets-you-kick-out-riffs-with-your-iphone

PocketGuitar%20GI.jpgYou were born to rock, and to help you live dream, Shinya Kasatani has released PocketGuitar for the iPhone and iPod touch, which turns your device into a touchscreen guitar. The application looks insanely great, and we cannot believe it has taken humanity this long to realize the true destiny of the iPhone. It makes so much sense now; it is the guitar of the future, sent back to destroy enemies of rock music.

If your not feeling up to an acoustic solo session, fret not, well actually, you will need to fret, but you can do all your fretting alongside music that is already stored on your iPhone. That's right, you can be Hendrix. Man, you are so in to the music, you are Hendrix. That some heavy, insane music philosophy right there. To get your fingers strumming, launch Installer and follow these instructions: Installer > Sources > Add http://podmap.net/apps to your repositories. PockeGuitar is filed under the Toys category. If this takes off in a big way, expect iPhone finger board extension peripherals to drop soon. We can't wait. [PocketGuitar via Mobilewhack]



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Bug Labs announces WiFi-free Hiro P BUGbase

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/219116368/

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Looks like Bug Labs is fixing to release its BUGbase in more than one version due to apparent issues related to solid, stable open source WiFi chipsets and drivers. Picking up the Hiro P Edition monicker (let's hope it doesn't snow crash), this revised first BUGbase will ship without 802.11, but adds a small joystick control, and as recompense for the wireless sacrifice, Hiro P owners will get a free BUGvonhippel module (the hardware breakout box, basically), and the option to snag a pluggable WiFi attachment on the cheap at a later time. For those who want to wait for the full, integrated-WiFi experience, Bug's not yet offering a set schedule for the "regular" base kit, but Hiro P goes on pre-sale at the Bug Labs store for the regular early adopter price this Monday.

 

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AT&T offers SIM-only service, attempts to maintain "most open" status

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/220088325/

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It looks like all that shouting AT&T has been doing lately about its "openness" is starting to manifest itself in the way the company does business. It's come to our attention that the mobile telco has started offering a SIM-only plan, thus providing the ultimate in open options. The idea being, of course, that you can bring any random / crappy / salvaged GSM-compatible handset the provider's way, and it'll let you hook a towline onto its satellites. Of course, you could just get one of those cheapo giveaways and pop out the card, but this is so much more open and free, like San Francisco in '69, a car-less road, some land of your own, and a good old-fashioned whiskey on the rocks. Oh, you still have a sign a two-year agreement... enjoy your freedom!

[Via The Boy Genius Report]

 

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