Product Management: Stuff you may find interesting

Google Now Returns Search Results Based on Location

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 09:34:00 +0000

Google changed the way its search engine processes queries on Monday by making the user's current known location the default for all returned results, giving the search giant a new way to micro-target the ads it displays.

Google search results are now based on a best guess of the user's location, using the IP address. Search users can also specify a default location for Google to use. The new Google location capability works on all computing devices and browsers, a change from previous smartphone technology that required Windows Mobile and Internet Explorer.

Article

Nuance Completes Zi Acquisition

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 09:29:00 +0000

Nuance Communications this week completed its $35 million acquisition of Zi Corp. and will incorporate Zi's mobile search technology into its suite of services.

This ends a sometimes-bitter acquisition process that began last August when Nuance offered twice the trading value of Zi's stock price. Zi resisted the offer, which led to a hostile takeover bid, as well as a patent lawsuit. The deal was eventually consummated for about $17 million in cash and $18 million in stock, and Zi's management encouraged stockholders to approve the deal.

Article

Search will grow thanks to mobile, video and social

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 09:15:00 +0000

Courtesy of the Search Cowboys, an interesting article that suggests Video, Social and Mobile search are going to push the search market even more forward.

More research results can be found on the SEMPO website.

Google sees voice search as core

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:12:00 +0000

Google has said it sees voice search as a major opportunity for the company in building a presence on the mobile web. The company's vice president of engineering made the comments during a wide-ranging discussion at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco.

"We believe voice search is a new form of search and that it is core to our business," said Vic Gundotra.

"My view is voice search could be a strategic differentiator if it works well. It depends on how much better Google's system is compared to, say, Yahoo's or Microsoft's.

Click HERE to read the full article

Twitter - I just don't get it

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Granted, Twitter has its ever growing bunch of followers (excuse the reference), however, I've had a great number of very smart people say to me over the last few months, 'Twitter, I just don't get it'.

As someone who has worked in and around new product development for the past 10 years or so, I've been lucky enough to get paid to dream stuff up, covert lumps of coal into diamonds (in less than three months I may add) and 'see through the clutter very quickly' when asked 'what can you do with this?' by the CxO of the time but even I found difficult to explain what it would mean to (or do for) 'them'. The key point being 'them'.

In all its glorious simplicity (usage, interface, access et al), Twitter is all about 'what you want to make of it'.

Not just about celeb spotting/stalking - for me - it has been about taping into the hidden job market (the large percentage of open job vacancies that are never advertised 'above the line') and a social experiment (based on an article that I'd read about using Twitter as a part of your job search) to see how helpful (as a 'tool') it actually is when deployed this way.

In some respects, it maybe 'just' about self publicity. It may 'just' be about self glorification. It was 'just' be about wanting to be loved, respected or your views listened to however, it - like many other social networking and/or social media platforms - continues to be strangely addictive and presents lots of learning opportunities along the way.

Did you spend anytime thinking ahead which name(s) to take - if not your own - when choosing your twitter name - regarding which online brand (for yourself) you'd be promoting?

Granted, the gold rush for 'real' twitters names is practically over already (yes, I do have garypine for the other Gary Pines out there in the world) though I wonder when the first publicised case of brand or trademark infringement will appear for 'twitter squatting'?

Google adds voice control to BlackBerry mobile app

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:39:00 +0000

BlackBerry owners now get to talk to their location applications.

Google's My Location application for BlackBerry handsets now features voice control functions, allowing users to speak to the device when requesting information. Google 'says' that the system will work for UK and US English, and could help to resolve common search errors like spelling mistakes, and other mistyped information.

I look forward to testing it with my dulcet tones.

Article

Twitter Grew 1382% in 2008; Are You Tweeting Yet?

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:32:00 +0000

In an article by Susan Gunelius, Neilsens latest stats on 'membership community destinations'. Twitter is at the top. From February 2008 to February 2009, it clocked in at a whopping 1,382 percent growth rate.

Using twitalyzer: a step by step guide

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:46:00 +0000

100 Twitter Tools to Help You Achieve All Your Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:20:00 +0000

Twitter has become an incredible tool not just for communication, but for improving your life. College students can use it to expand their social circle, promote their side business, keep their coursework organized, and more. Whether you want to achieve your Twitter goals, or just use it as a tool to achieve others, these twitter tools will help you get there. Courtesy of Will Sherwood, here's the LIST

Guy Kawasaki: The Art of the Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Pine) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 07:46:00 +0000

In a recent blog post, Guy Kawasaki asks the question "How many websites pass this simple test: People can understand what the company does in two minutes or less?". Asked & answered HERE