Wikipedia Founder's Google Killer

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales is planning to launch a new search engine that he hopes can compete with top search engines Google and Yahoo.

Mr. Wales plans to launch the new search engine, currently dubbed “wikiasari,” in early 2007, he wrote on a Wikia page devoted to the project. The name combines the words “wiki”—a Hawaiian word meaning quick, and “asari,” Japanese for “rummaging search.”

RED HERRING | Wikipedia Founder's Google Killer

Jaxtr Tests Social Network Calling

Startup Jaxtr on Thursday launched a test version of its calling application for social networks and blogs.

The test comes after Palo Alto, California-based Jaxtr last week brought in LinkedIn co-founder Konstantin Guericke, who was vice president of marketing at the social-networking site for professionals.

Jaxtr’s service will allow people to connect phone calls via social networks or blogs through installation of its web-based widgets. The heavy interest in social networks has brought a need for startups creating such applications, Mr. Guericke said.

RED HERRING | Jaxtr Tests Social Network Calling

Visiting the 'Second Life' World: Virtual Hype?

Virtual appearances in Second Life have generated a real world business for Giff Constable, Vice President of Electric Sheep Company. The 35-person startup helps other companies create social events inside Second Life.

For example, they produced a recent appearance by musician Ben Folds for Sony. Constable believes this is just the beginning.

"Right now everybody has email," Constable says. "You know, 10 years ago, I think a lot of people would have found that a surprising thought. I think 10 years from now, everyone is going to have an avatar."

NPR : Visiting the 'Second Life' World: Virtual Hype?

Google upgrades Blogger for some users

"Google is offering some Blogger users access to a new version of the service which enables user-definable templates, tagging of posts, multiple authors, and faster publication of new posts.

The company said the service upgrade will also integrate use of the blogging service more closely with its other services through changes to the account log-in process.

The new features bring Blogger service closer to that offered by competing blog-hosting services such as Six Apart's TypePad and Automattic's Wordpress."

Google upgrades Blogger for some users - Digital Lifestyle - Macworld UK

Mogopop lets users create, download content for iPods

Mogopop has been announced as a new free online service and website that lets users create, publish and download content for iPods. “Mogopop is a free web-based service where members and visitors can create, publish and download multimedia content for iPod,” the company explains. “This content that can incorporate audio, video, pictures, podcasts, text—whatever our members’ minds can imagine, they can create. Mogopop downloads are like mini-Websites for iPod that anyone can enjoy.”

Gartner: Blogging to peak in 2007

Could blogging be near the peak of its popularity? The technology gurus at Gartner Inc. believe so.

One of the research company's top 10 predictions for 2007 is that the number of bloggers will level off in the first half of next year at roughly 100 million worldwide. The reason: Most people who would ever dabble with Web journals already have. Those who love it are committed to keeping it up, while others have gotten bored and moved on, said Daryl Plummer, chief Gartner fellow.

Gartner: Blogging to peak in 2007 - Yahoo! News

Lulu: The Long Tail of publishing

In one area at least, the new economy is delivering on its promise.

Unlike expensive vanity publishing of the past, today an author need not part with a penny to see their words in print and can even make money.

In just three years, Canadian Internet entrepreneur Bob Young's Lulu (http://lulu.com) has gone from nothing to a turnover of $16 million and is now publishing 2,500 new titles a week by unknown authors from across the globe.

Online vanity publisher is a Lulu - Yahoo! News

Wikipedia founder remakes Web publishing economics

Wikia Inc., is ready to give away -- for free -- all the software, computing, storage and network access that Web site builders need to create community collaboration sites.

Wikia, a commercial counterpart to the non-profit Wikipedia, will go even further to provide customers -- bloggers or other operators who meet its criteria for popular Web sites -- 100 percent of any advertising revenue from the sites they build.

Wikipedia founder remakes Web publishing economics - Yahoo! News

By 2010, movies-over-the-web will be Hollywood’s ‘new box office’

Movies-over-the-web are going to be a big part of Hollywood’s “new box office,” according to the Research and Markets research firm. And Apple is in a good position to capitalize on the trend. In fact, the research firm says that the iPod is also laying the foundation for Apple’s “Television 2.0” business expansion, with the advent of video capability and the sale of video programming on iTunes.

By 2010, movies-over-the-web will be Hollywood’s ‘new box office’

The eBay Model Goes To The Movies

How can independent filmmakers and small film libraries, whose titles are languishing unseen in storage, connect with the new venues for video that are sprouting up? The traditional methods of licensing films--attending film festivals and markets or meeting with distributors--are too expensive, exclusive, and inefficient for almost everyone but major players.

Here's one possible solution: inDplay, a Silicon Valley startup backed by Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers venture capitalist William R. Hearst that aims to connect films with professional buyers through an online marketplace.

The eBay Model Goes To The Movies

You Oughta Be In Webcasts

Scripted Web shows are piquing the interest of Mad Ave and giving filmmakers a new venue...

Welcome to the new wave of Web video. Far from the land of dogs on skateboards and Webcam yakkers on YouTube (GOOG ), this online genre of scripted programs is attracting small but passionate groups of fans. The networks and talent agencies are watching closely, and the phenomenon is giving indie filmmakers new ways to get their works seen. At the same time, this emerging ecosystem is creating a tempting--albeit challenging--play for advertisers looking to cut through the chaotic mass of Web pages on YouTube and MySpace.

You Oughta Be In Webcasts

Verizon Wireless to feature YouTube videos

YouTube videos will be viewable on cell phones for the first time under a deal with Verizon Wireless, which will also allow users to upload videos shot with their camera phones.

The partnership to be announced Tuesday marks the first big distribution deal for YouTube since the young video-sharing Web site was acquired earlier this month by Google Inc.

Verizon Wireless to feature YouTube videos - Yahoo! News

Internet Video - How To Monetize Your Independent Video Content

Good resource for information on How To Monetize Your Independent Video.

Online video pays itself. The opportunities to monetize online video are rapidly increasing. You need not find anymore a distribution house to make your video- or film-making passion pay back for your hard work.

Internet Video - How To Monetize Your Independent Video Content - Robin Good's Latest News

Hunting Incident

176 Newspapers to Partner With Yahoo

Interesting turn of events as "Big Media" turns to Yahoo!, one of the webs' early pioneers, in a deal that could ultimately benefit both to fend off competition from Google, who they fear will take over the world ;-)

“There has been a big question asked for a while as to how newspapers will navigate the online future,” said William Dean Singleton, vice chairman and chief executive of MediaNews Group, one of the members of the consortium. “I think this is the answer to that question.”

176 Newspapers to Form a Partnership With Yahoo - New York Times

The Secret Life of 'LonelyGirl15'

For those who are still curious about the Lonely Girl phenomenon, here's ABC News Nightline's take on it with interviews of its creators and the actress who played the character. The creators also talk about how they plan to continue the saga in the same vein as TVs Lost series. There's also a video interview available on the site and a link to a new report in Wired magazine.

"She was the girl-next-door with depth and enough warm vulnerability to push atop the clutter of YouTube. And the moment she appeared, thousands reached out just to be her friend."

ABC News: The Secret Life of 'LonelyGirl15'

Yahoo Memo Urges Wake-Up Call: Enough of the "Peanut Butter" Strategy!

Here's a great memo written by a senior VP at Yahoo that could very well apply to any business that's struggling for a vision and a direction. It's urging them to go back to their core strengths instead of spending their energies half-heartedly on a multitude of competing ventures. It's definitely worth a read for budding entrepreneurs.

This critical, internal Yahoo (NASDAQ: YHOO - News) memo was being forwarded all over the place late Friday, and made the WSJ Saturday morning. The author is allegedly Brad Garlinghouse, a Yahoo senior V.P.

Yahoo Memo Urges Wake-Up Call: Enough of the "Peanut Butter" Strategy!

NPR Fresh Air: Exploring the Online Gaming World

Audio for this story is available at NPR.

Fresh Air from WHYY, November 15, 2006 · Journalist Julian Dibbell talks about his book Play Money: Or, How I Quit My Day Job and Made Millions Trading Virtual Loot. He explores the world of online role-playing games, where hundreds of thousands of players log on to operate fantasy characters in virtual environments. One of the most popular games, World of Warcraft, has six million subscribers.

NPR : Exploring the Online Gaming World

Apple in deal to let iPod videos play on planes

Apple Computer Inc. said on Tuesday six major airlines will let passengers play video and music from their iPod digital devices on in-flight entertainment systems beginning in mid-2007.

Air France, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, KLM and United Airlines will begin offering their passengers iPod seat connections, which power and charge iPods during flight and allow the video content on the devices to be viewed on seat-back displays, Apple said.

Apple in deal to let iPod videos play on planes | Reuters.com

MP3.com returns to music sharing with new features

MP3.com, the once massive music download site that settled copyright infringement suits with major record labels, said on Monday it is allowing the sharing of music and videos but this time with the authorization of independent artists.

MP3.com returns to music sharing with new features - Yahoo! News