Google Inc.’s online search engine increased its lead in the U.S. Internet search market in November over October, according to a report released Thursday by Nielsen Online.Users performed 4.25 billion searches through Google in November, representing 57.7 percent of U.S. online searches performed that month, compared with 4.40 billion searches, or 55.5 percent of queries, performed through Google in October.

Google gains in U.S. search in November

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Tags: Google, Search Engines

Rumors of a Paypal like service from Google have been around for over a year, and expected months ago. Today Google has announced Google Checkout, along with a large number of online stores that will be using their new service.

From the official blog:

We’ve heard time and again from users: “I find great stores through Google search, but every time I try to buy from an online store, I have to re-enter the same billing, shipping, and credit card information. There are too many steps. Why can’t it be as fast as a Google search?” This motivated us to improve the online purchase process, and so today we’re announcing Google Checkout, a checkout option that makes buying across the web fast and easy.

In the wake of Yahoo’s recent disappointing earnings, CFO Susan Decker said in an interview, “We don’t think it’s reasonable to assume we’re going to gain a lot of share from Google. It’s not our goal to be No. 1 in Internet search. We would be very happy to maintain our market share.”

While not a surrender flag, it is disappointing to hear that Yahoo! is all but given up trying to compete with Google in the search arena. Latest reports indicate Yahoo! handles 19% of Internet searches, down from 27% last year, while Google handles 60% up from 47% last year.

It’s no wonder users have been switching to Google, with their innovative applications (GMail, Google Earth, etc.) and “Do no evil” slogan. Google has even resisted US Government efforts to force the search engine company to turn over web search information. While competitors such as Microsoft and Yahoo! have already released.

According to the survey, entitled “Should Google Release Information to the Government,” 41% of the respondents who do not want search company to hand over the information said they would stop using Google if it turned over their information on their Web searches. Another 18% said they’re not sure what they would do if Google released the information.

Recently Google has launched two new services for your mobile phone. The first is Gmail Mobile which lets you check your Gmail from anywhere.

Now you can access your Gmail messages from the web browser on your mobile phone or device. Read and reply to your Gmail messages any time, anywhere.

* It’s free. (But your wireless plan might still charge, so you might want to check with your provider first.)
* It’s smart. It can handle attachments like photos and .pdf files.
*

It also has these cool features:
• Automatically optimizes the interface for the phone you’re using
• Opens the attachments you receive in messages, including photos, Microsoft Word documents and .pdf files
• Lets you reply by call to people whose phone numbers are in your Gmail Contacts list

Google has also launched a second service that let’s you take Google Local to your phone.

Combining directions, maps, and satellite imagery, Google Local for mobile is a free download that lets you find local hangouts and businesses across town or across the country — right from your phone.

Detailed directions: Whether you plan to walk or drive, your route is displayed on the map itself, together with step-by-step directions.

Integrated search results: Local business locations and contact information appear all in one place, integrated on your map.

Easily movable maps: Interactive, draggable maps let you zoom in or out, and move in all directions so you can orient yourself visually.

Satellite imagery: Get a bird’s eye view of your desired location.

The US Library of Congress is starting plans for a World Digital Library, with a $3 million donation from Google. They are currently seeking more private funding and plan on building on existing digital projects from around the world.

“We are trying to do a documentary record of other great cultures of the world. How much we will be able to do will depend on how many additional partners we attract,” he said.

Google will work with the Library of Congress to develop stardards for indexing the vast amount of information.

The Indian government has expressed concerns that Google Earth could be used by terrorists to find targets. This echos concerns given by other nations including, Thailand, South Korea, and the Netherlands.

Google said in an email, that they welcome dialogue with the Indian government to go over their concerns. Stating the information in the satellite photos is one to two years old and is not in high detail everywhere. Meanwhile, the Indian president, Kalam, has called for new laws regarding the dissemination of such information.

The Google site contains clear aerial photos of India’s parliament building, the president’s house and surrounding government offices in New Delhi. There are also some clear shots of Indian defense establishments.

What’s the big deal? Are they saying there are no current maps of New Delhi? I would hate to be a tourist in that city. And if I remember correctly, terrorists have been blowing up buildings long before Google maps was released. Sensitive military bases are one thing, but it’s perfectly reasonable to put something on a map that is visible from a city street.

Media reports on Thursday said Google Inc. and cable company Comcast Corp. want to buy a minority state in America Online, which is owned by Time Warner Inc.

Microsoft Corp. also reportedly is in talks to buy part of AOL.

If Google and Comcast are successful, it would mean Comcast could offer AOL content to its subscribers. Reuters reported sources told it Google and Comcast are willing to pay up to $5 billion for AOL properties.

More..

Google has launched a new RSS reader service, akin to Bloglines. It has a few features that Bloglines does not have. In Google tradition, everything is about searching and tagging. It will show you what the author has tagged the story, plus you can add your own tags. Which is pretty cool.

Right now it is very, very slow. More like glacial actually. Probably due to the immense number of people checking out the new service. If they manage to integerate it with Gmail or integrate it with Desktop search, then I will be really impressed.

How’s this for a test. Subscribe to the Yelling Lizard feed.

More money that is. The Mountain View City Council is claiming that Google partnership with NASA is an attempt at tax dodging. And that by building on Federal land, that are getting out of local property taxes worth $3 million a year.

Greg Perry, a member of the Mountain View City Council, echoed that sentiment. “If public land is being used for private purposes, the tenants should be paying local property taxes,” he said. “We have $30 million in unfunded retirement liabilities. We need the money.”

Why Google would be on the hook for the cities under-funded pork projects I don’t know.

Since the NASA Ames research center is a self contained federal entity, supplying it’s own services, Google would not have to pay local property tax. But according to the NASA Ame’s director of external relations and development, “Google will not save any money by building on our property. They have to pay full ground rent based on fair market value and all the municipal-like services we provide like police, fire and garbage.”

The company will also have to build infrastructure such as sewers and roads, and pay for improvements to existing utilities, Marlaire said.

According to city officials, people won’t care that Google would provide 4,000 jobs, a $300 million facility, or that it would make the valley into a new research hub, “if there’s gridlock on local highways and rents jump.”

Yeah right.

When asked how they would make Google pay, Larry Stone - county tax accessor and all around ass, responded, “I don’t have a clue yet. But I will.”

Google has added a National Geographic layer to their Google Earth product.

Have you ever dreamed of Africa while reading National Geographic? The exotic photographs and thoughtful articles take you there with a magical sense of place. Today we embraced that magic by releasing Google Earth data layers that index National Geographic stories, images, journals, and even a live webcam in Africa.

In other news; Google Earth has recently been used to find an old Roman Villa.

While searching around his hometown in Google Earth, Luca Mori stumbled on what looked like the meanders of an ancient river. On the satellite image, it looks like “prominent, oval, shaded form more than 500 metres long.“. However, his eye caught what he described as “rectangular shadows“. He led further analysis only to convince himself that these shadows could be nothing else than a human construction.