Ask.com Addresses Privacy Worries

Predictions of $900 stock price as engine's market share grows

(NEWSER) - Google is already the US most popular search engine, but new data indicate it enjoyed a substantial jump in traffic this past month. Reuters reports that the search giant accounted for 58.5% of the American market. Google is trailed by Yahoo, Microsoft, IAC (the owners of Ask.com), and Time Warner (owner of AOL) for shares of the search market—and all four of those challengers saw their traffic flatline or drop. More»

(NEWSER) - Microsoft and Yahoo finally officially tied the knot today, with a 10-year deal to integrate their search and advertising businesses, MSNBC reports. It appears Microsoft won't pay Yahoo up front, which is probably a blow to Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz, who promised she'd only join Microsoft for a "boatload of money." Instead they'll share ad revenue, and Microsoft will pay Yahoo a traffic acquisition fee. More»

New Yahoo CEO opens door for search deal, another shot to catch Google

(NEWSER) - A new CEO at Yahoo has many speculating Microsoft will renew its bid for Yahoo’s Web-search unit, the Wall Street Journal reports. But Microsoft’s quest isn’t a mere attempt to better compete with Google in the $12.3 billion paid-search market; it’s the rectification of years of missed opportunities and the killing of its own inner Google nearly a decade ago. More»

Search firm now holds information for less time than Google, Microsoft

(NEWSER) - Yahoo will shorten the amount of time it will keep users’ personal data, Stacey Higginbotham reports for GigaOm. The firm will scrub page views, ad views, and search data after 90 days, though it will keep data flagged as suspicious for twice as long. Google and Microsoft recently proposed changes to data-retention times, but Yahoo’s 90-day window goes further than either. More»

Ballmer says company can be more flexible now in Google fight

(NEWSER) - CEO Steve Ballmer is spinning Microsoft’s failure to acquire Yahoo expertly, telling analysts today that, unburdened by the search giant, the company can be more frisky and adaptable in its fight with nemesis Google, the Wall Street Journal reports. Actions might speak louder than words, though: Microsoft announced yesterday it would give the leader of its online efforts the boot, and restructure. More»