I Search Engine Wars

The war of the big two and soon to be big three search engine wars. The two leading contenders are Google and Yahoo. Both are now listed as public companies on the Nasdaq Exchange with Google shares selling at $200.00 and Yahoo shares at $44.00. Google's total estimated revenue for 2004 is $592 million and Yahoo $773 million.

Early reports suggest that paid search advertising sold by Google and by Yahoo's Overture Services are benefiting from the quantity of searches and the prices advertisers are bidding for advertising keywords. Branded advertisers are taking over the banner ad and animated ad displays. There will be a lot more of spending on this type of advertising this year. Not to be outdone Microsoft has produced its own search engine "Microsoft Search" http://beta.search.msn.com/ which provides features that differ it from Google and Yahoo The most prominent difference is the "Near Me" button appearing next to the "Search" button. Clicking the Near Me button effectively runs a local search for your query

"MSN Search also now incorporates additional non-web sources of information in results on a query-specific basis. For example, queries for factual information get "direct answers" from Microsoft's Encarta encyclopedia. For music-related queries, inline results from MSN Music are included, with a link to further information" (searchenginwatch.com).

Through various settings provided on the MSN search interface you can choose your language, change the number of search results or how they are listed (by how recent the material, how popular the site is and how exact you want the match to be). MSN search also provides a "safesearch" option to filter out adult content text and images.

Will Microsoft over take the big two? Yes I think so the Microsoft pocket is very deep and very rich. Will the end result be as pleasing as the beta search? No I don't believe it will: the Interface as it presently appears is clean, simple and uncluttered. Once Microsoft spends the money the entire page will be a clutter of ad banners at the top, flashing ads in the text and a long list of "Google type adwords on both sides of the page. What a pity! (just look at the appearance of Google and Yahoo with their ads spread over everything).

Desk Top Search The big push for 2005 is to get people used to a branded desktop search as a utility that "one can't live without". The purpose of a desktop search utility (at no charge) is to capture more of the search engine market with the brand of a sponsor. The big names; competing for space on your desk top are Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Copernic. The first "branded desk top search" out of the starting gate was Google which has already caught the majority of search engine users through the Google search engine. Not to be outdone Microsoft, a corporation with limitless funds, has created their own Microsoft branded desktop search engine and their own search technology Microsoft search (the 'default' search engine of Microsoft Explorer.

Microsoft desktop search includes four toolbars where users can conduct searches:Internet Explorer, Microsoft Outlook, Windows Explorer and a fourth launched from the Windows task bar.

Yahoo Inc. will enter the desktop-search field in early January. According to the company's top search executive, Yahoo expects to quickly integrate its various online services into the product. The initial "free download" will tie your desktop search into the existing Yahoo web search but, unlike Google, will show local searches within the client (on the desktop), while Web results will be shown within a user's browser.

Copernic Desktop search is a lesser know company but has developed, for some time product (Copernic Agent personal) which can combine the results of up to 16 engines on one page, and has a number of search categories to choose from. Its program, however needs to be purchased. Their latest effort to maintain their brand on your desktop is the Copernican desktop search (now free). Like Microsoft they provide the user with separate toolbars: Web search, e-mails, files, music, pictures and videos, contacts, and previous web search history.

Desk Top Search Utilities and Your Computer's Security All of the above tools have the capacity to instantly search your entire machine including emails (Outlook Express, and Outlook only), all files on your system, past cached web pages and personal information such as financial and medical records. That is: anyone who uses your machine, can accidentally, or deliberately search your computer's personal and confidential information.

"The retrieval of Web history is the biggest cause for concern, said Timothy Hickernell, a vice president at IT research company The META Group Inc. Hickernell issued a client advisory last month warning IT departments about the risks of desktop search." Eweek Jan 10/05.

Google Desk Top Search is most likely to reveal all as it has no discretion as to any files on your own machine, or on other shared machines on your network connection. It indexes everything by default.

Microsoft is "taking advantage of the authentication and user account controls in Windows. In cases where multiple people use a Windows PC, MSN's desktop search controls access so that users can search only e-mails and files from their own accounts, said Christopher Payne, corporate vice president of MSN Search and Shopping."

Yahoo has decided not to index Web browsing history and says it indexes only the content that a user is authorized to access by the operating system. Yahoo has warned its users of one flaw: it indexes archived Outlook e-mail or PST (This file includes all E-mail folders, addresses or anything else that Outlook 97, 2K or XP collects) files regardless of their password protection.

Yahoo did warn of one potential security hole. For users with archived Outlook e-mail, or PST files, Yahoo Desktop Search can index and preview those files regardless whether they are password-protected. Yahoo says it is aware of the issue and plans to fix it in a future release.

Copernic Desktop Search, at the present time, seems not to have any "flaws" aside from the fact that it only searches your hard drive unless you specify "web" as one of the search options.

"The ultimate value in commercial search companies and ad firms going to the desktop is to get the ability to capture more context, and the more context they have, the better able they are to target advertisements and offers to consumers"

II New Internet connectivity alternatives

Mobile media devices: Apple iPod was the best seller for 2004 and will continue into 2005. Apple's iPod allows (iPods use hard disks to store music, rather than flash-memory cards) you to download and play your favorite tunes from the Internet while going about your daily routine. Bandwidth has become cheap and allowed a rapid growth in content. There is more digital content available (better quality sound and video) on line. You can listen to favorite Internet tunes on your cell phone or other inexpensive portable media device.

Wireless Connectivity: Wireless technology will get cheaper, home and office networks will be connected via wireless and replace cables/wires in old or existing networks. New standards for cell phones and the newest G3 standards will allow you to receive TV and video conferences on your cell phone. Digital photos and videos will be taken and transmitted by your cell phone for real time news and event coverage.

The upcoming wide availability of wireless networking, will allow your automobile to become a rolling information and entertainment device enabling you Internet access to determine the latest traffic or road conditions plus downloading and viewing your favourite movie or MP3 file. Cars can now be equipped with proximity alarms to alert you of traffic that is too close, video cameras to warn you of hidden hazards, and in-car mounted cameras to keep an eye on your baby in the rear-facing car seat in the back. Already some of your most expensive cars are equipped with GPS (Geographic Positioning System) and Internet access to help you navigate through some of the more populated area's roads and highways. You can "dial in" from your car to ask for directions and view an inboard map on your dash that will navigate you through a difficult area.

Power Line Networking has been around for a while now. The existing copper wiring in your house can be used as a home network and since most people have electrical outlets all over their house, finding a connection point is easy. But what's new this year is a standard for connecting audio/video equipment. Now you can plug alternate multimedia devices into your wall sockets and receive your music and movies anywhere in your house

III Other Internet developments

Netizens as Content Contributors: The availability of cheap (sometimes free web blogs) will allow anyone to create content, each expressing his or her unique viewpoint. This will be readily available in a variety of formats; written, audio and video.

Comprehensive Media and Electronic Search Capacities: Google is the leader of the pack with its ambitious project "to catalogue libraries at the University of Michigan, Harvard University, Stanford University, Oxford University and the New York Public Library to digitize books in their collections and make them accessible via Google Print."

Growth of Local Web Searches: Major brand search engines will be paying more attention to local (your immediate area) content and you will see the rise of locally based search engines.

A Car Chip is a piece of silicone that mounts under your dashboard. It records up to 300 hours of events in your car. The chip can then be loaded on to your home or office computer system to show you a complete, comprehensive record of all that happens in the car; such as speed and engine performance. Are lights coming on in your dashboard indicating trouble somewhere in the car/ The car chip can decipher the car's error message and tell you what is wrong with the car. (say, your oxygen sensor is malfunctioning). After you've gotten the information you need from it, wipe the memory clean and reinstall it for more monitoring. The advanced version also maintains an accident log, compiling key metrics for 20 seconds before the crash.

IV If you want to pay the premium price this is available now:

For instance, the Acura RL is loaded with lots of cool gadgets that will be trickling down to other cars in the near future. Here's just some of what that baby can do: "--No keys. Your keyless entry system also has a proximity sensor. When you get into the driver's seat, just start the car without inserting an ignition key! --Audio/Video. 5.1 digital surround sound combined with a DVD player and satellite radio. The LCD display turns into a home theater control system, allowing you to customize your music just like your home receiver. --Navigation. A new feature offered by XM allows the real-time reporting of traffic. This info is relayed to your in-dash map and alternate routes to your destination are offered. Oh, and there's the usual point-to-point navigation available as well. --Bluetooth. Get in your car and your stereo becomes your phone as your phone functions are transferred to your car automatically. No more fiddling with your phone or even using a hands-free kit. Answer calls with steering-wheel controls and talk as if the caller is next to you. --Voice commands. Don't want to take your hands off of the wheel to turn the A/C down? Simply tell your car what you want. Control all aspects of your stereo and climate control with your voice." (from www.informit.com January 8 2005)