Google opens Sydney office

There are dozens of Google offices world-wide now, so it is barely newsworthy... except that I live in Australia. Full details.

Google Checkout and other new domains

The domains googlecheckout.net/org/info (.com is owned by someone else at the moment) have all been registered to a company called DNStination, Inc. Don't be fooled, the registrar is MarkMonitor — a company that prides itself on the protection of your corporate identity. There is no way they would let just anybody register a domain with "Google" in it — especially since Google is one of their clients.

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Google now uses free-range eggs

Considering they have always bragged about using Grateful Dead's cook, and Google's founders drive Prius gas-electric cars, and how cost should not be an object, I'm surprised that they haven't always had a policy of using organic produce and free-range eggs. At least the eggs is a start... More here.

Chmoogle told off

Earlier this week, Google formally objected to the company's name because "Chmoogle" sounded too much like Google. From Google's perspective, the fact Chmoogle is also a search engine makes it even more likely people would confuse the two entitites. Chmoogle specializes in locating material about chemistry.

Emolecules, as Chmoogle is now known, claims Google's trying to stop any company from creating a brand name that uses the 'oogle' part of the Google name.

But how does this supposed Google oogle witch hunt explain active Web sites like Boogle; Doogle Photo seems to be going strong, Foogle, or Hoogle?

Google's Rose Hagan, senior trademark counsel, explained during an an interview that Google usually only targets search engines with a similar-sounding name, so Doogle Photo might not warrant their attention.

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Video Ads for AdWords

Announced on Google's blog, there will now be video ads. Given that they cost a lot more to produce, and that they convert better than any other ad type, expect the bids to be high.

Google Pack no longer includes Trillian

Trillian, the instant messaging client, has been dropped from the Google Pack.

Google did not comment on the reason for dropping Trillian. "Google Pack is currently in beta, and the selection of software available through the Pack will continue to evolve," a Google spokewoman said.

Adwords now offers "accelerated delivery"

If your budget is not enough to have your ad showing 24/7, traditionally AdWords has spread out your appearances throughout the day. They now offer "accelerated delivery", which will burn through your daily budget as quickly as it it can starting a midnight, and stop when it runs out.

This is fine for ads that have very random appearances, but I think we'd all much prefer a comprehensive dayparting ability... More.

Google Maps for Australia & NZ

Google overnight sneaked out much anticipated street mapping data for Australia and New Zealand cities within Google Maps in a move that is likely to spur a frenzy of mapping mash-up activity.

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Go to Google Maps and search for Australia

Google Health coming real soon

USAToday reports.... During an interview with Marissa Mayer, Google's Vice President of search products, she was asked why Google does not have more products in vertical markets, such as health. She told him that Health was an interesting topic, and to keep any eye out for it next week.

SketchUp now Free!

Like Picasa before it, Google is giving away the basic version of SketchUp, an application for creating, viewing and modifying 3-D image. Get it here:
http://sketchup.google.com/

OFFICIAL: Google is disorganised

Google is growing too quickly and has become "disorganised" as a result, according to the company's co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

Page admitted that Google is aware of the problem and is working to reign things back in.

"We are a little over the edge right now in terms of our disorganisation, but in six months we will probably have it fixed," he said.

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Major change to Adwords

Broad & phrase keywords are now going to show up for searches that more closely match them (if the keywords are non-commercial), and for searches that are less related than before (if the keywords are commercial).

This is a major change, and could significantly affect the costs and value of the ads Adwords advertisers run.

So far it has only been announced in the Adwords blog. I'm presuming it will show up as a message in the Adwords system, or as an email to advertisers, but knowing Google, maybe we were lucky to even have the chance of stumbling across this info in their blog...

Google upset over IE7 search

It goes to MSN search.

Well, plenty of other browsers automatically go to Google, so Google is being very hypocritical. More here

Microsoft Live Drive v. Google Gdrive

May the best revenue model win! More...

Google is full!

According to news reports and discussed at WebmasterWorld:

As Google grows, so does its need to store and handle more Web site information, video and e-mail content on its servers. "Those machines are full," Mr. Schmidt, the chief executive, said in an interview last month. "We have a huge machine crisis."

Click Fraud Class Action - Update

The refunds, which will be provided in the form of advertising credits, are meant to compensate Google's customers for undetected click fraud, which contributed to the $13.3 billion in ad revenue that has poured into the company since 2001.

Google's offer works out to a $4.50 refund on every $1,000 spent in its vast advertising network over the past 4¼ years. More...

Automated methods of click fraud can never be perfect. If Google were to release their precise techniques, fraudsters would learn how to get away with it.

I believe Google should provide every advertiser with a record of the clicks they paid for - date/time, which site or search engine, which keyword, and which IP address. That way Google could avoid telling us their precise techniques, but would allow us to make claims based on our own observations.

I can think of two reasons why Google would not do this:

1) Giving us keyword data would help us choose better negative keywords, and smart advertisers could spend up to 50% less than they do now.

2) Google doesn't have to.

Chinese not happy with "Valley Song"

A group of mainland citizens has created an online petition against Google's choice for the online search giant's Chinese name.

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Google is Gu Ge in China

The character Gu Ge means Valley Song. While that means nothing in English, the characters are both pleasing to Chinese ears and, importantly, sound similar to the way the English-speaking world pronunces "Google".

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Alexa Drops Google

Alexa Search is now powered by MSN Live. This could mean that A9 (also owned by Amazon) could drop Google in the near future as well. One wonders if the change is due to cost (I would expect Microsoft to offer theirs for cheaper), or relevance? More...