round up

SalesForce for AdWords

Today Salesforce launched AdWords campaign management technology. The new service allows users to directly buy keywords, place ads, and create performance reports in realtime. link

Spreadsheets makes the cut

In the wake of Video’s upgraded status on Google’s search page, Spreadsheets beta becomes an option for services in Google Mail.

Music Trends in GTalk

Google is releasing new data on Talk users’ music listening tastes in the Labs. Within the Google Talk client, users can activate Google to mine and categorize their music habits. Other Talk upgrades, here.

A dip in Google’s search share

Danny Sullivan discusses the first dip in Google’s market share in search in nearly a year, based on data from comScore and NetRatings: a fluctuation does not a downfall make. Sullivan agrees with comScore’s assessment that Google may have a greater seasonal tie, adding that it may be due to a larger academic audience. Tomorrow he makes sense of a conflicting Hitwise report that Google gained share between June and July 2006.

Gauging Google’s investment in India

“Rumor has it” Google plans to invest $1 billion into expanded R&D in Bangalore, India, in addition to Hyderabad. link

Yahoo Answers API

Yahoo releases an API for Yahoo! Answers that doesn’t require proxy. Answers also adds additional search fields to access content, including by user, topic, and category.

Google Base API

Google Base releases an API for new applications that could create, edit and delete data, or specify queries.

Orkut’s souring relationship with Brazil

Brazil may close Google’s Orkut offices in Sao Paulo in regards to a federal injunction to release user information, reports Search Engine Watch.

Checkout back-ups

Google Checkout glitches caused an unintended sharing of discounts and delays for users. “For a short period last night [Tuesday], the Google Checkout icon was inadvertently assigned to ads for U.S. AdWords clients who are not Checkout users,” Google tells ComptuerWorld. more

AOL cleans house

Following the privacy violation debacle regarding the release of users’ search histories, AOL cleans house by firing the CTO Maureen Govern and two employees. link, Cnet follow-up