Rumors on Google, EBay. I don’t buy the first one, I can see the second. I mean, what on earth would the Google culture DO with Reuters? Really, I’ve dealt with both companies extensively, I can’t imagine a worse relationship. On the other hand, they might just buy em and run them like an absentee landlord. Odder things have happened…at Google anyway.
Now eBay buying Skype? You kidding me? Of course that makes sense. Who is the largest paid search advertiser in the world? eBay. (Or at least in the top three). Why? They are a *mature business* which has reached the stage of *paying well for acquiring customers.* Skype has tens of millions of potential customers, AND a way for folks who are buying and selling to talk to each other for free. But the first point is more important than the second, trust me. Think AOL and ICQ. No brainer.
SEW says it’s Google’s 7th birthday, but I’ve heard the date is in fact “sometime in the late summer/early fall,” so expect an official celebration as soon as Google can get their doodle designer to get it into gear….(my book does peg the date, but you’ll have to buy it to find out…)
SEW also notes that Google’s index seems to be swelling. Did someone predict this (read second to last paragraph)?! One reader here at Searchblog has also noticed this…see the comments on the left…
WSJ (free link) does blog search engines….
Google Maps + Katrina info via Slashdot…
Recovery2.0 meet to happen thanks to Jarvis and others, look for meeting at Web 2.0….all welcome who want to contribute, no pass needed – just work with Jeff and let us know.