Melanie’s Round Up

Google sells Baidu stock

Google disinvests from the Chinese search engine Baidu, of which it owned 2.6 percent stock (about $63m). Though Google bought the Baidu stock before it launched its own engine in China, according to Bloomberg, Baidu stock is still out-performing Google and the other dominant US engines in China. Baidu market share reached 27 percent this year. (Reuters piece)

GBuy expected tomorrow

GBuy–Google’s premiere online payment system — is expected for testing on June 28, or sometime this week. Searchblog’s earlier post on GBuy. WSJ article (sub needed) sums it up: “Consumers who search for items like “shoes” or “strollers” on Google’s search site will see text ads with a symbol or icon designating advertisers that accept GBuy payments. Shoppers normally would have clicked on an ad and been linked to that merchant’s Web site. Now, while they will still be linked to the merchant’s site, they will go through a different checkout process integrated with Google if they choose GBuy for their transaction. Details of the service could still change before Google’s official GBuy announcement.”

X1 desktop search now free

A pioneer desktop search, X1 Enterprise is now free to download, edging Google Desktop. X1 can index over 370 file formats. (X1 earlier on Searchblog, here.)

IM search

Windows Live Messenger plans to add an IM search client. It sounds not unlike the the Korozu Byoms mentioned earlier on Searchblog. (via Resource Shelf)

Web Brain

WebBrain is a visual, interactive search engine containing the DMOZ directory. “WebBrain incorporates over 2.5 million URLs, which are organized into more than 353,000 categories by 35,000 volunteer editors of the Netscape Open Directory Project.” (via Infosthetics) (PC only)

Proctor & Gamble, leads in ads

According to the latest Leading National Advertiser Report, Proctor & Gamble became the largest advertiser in 2005, passing GM. Resource Shelf points out the full PDF shows company line-items for online ad spending.

Y! Groups search expands

Yahoo Groups added date/period, author, subject, and text advanced search options, says Resource Shelf.

Ingenio’s ‘pay-per-call’ service

A new service for experts (from financial advisers to professors) that essentially schedules phone consultations on private numbers with clients based on preliminary vetting for time and prices (based on the expert’s initial preferences). (CNet article)