Advances to Google Search for Mobile
December 7, 2015
Google Search plans a couple of changes to the way it works on our mobile devices. TechCrunch tells us, “Google Search Now Surfaces App-Only Content, Streams Apps from the Cloud When Not Installed on Your Phone.” We are reminded that Google has been indexing apps for a couple of years now, as a hedge against losing ground as computing shifts away from the desktop. Now, apps that do not mirror their content on the web can be indexed. Writer Sarah Perez explains:
“To make this possible, developers only have to implement Google’s app indexing API, as before, which helps Google to understand what a page is about and how often it’s used. It has also scaled its ranking algorithm to incorporate app content. (Google had actually been ranking in-app content prior to this, but now it no longer requires apps to have related websites.)”
Also, mobile users will reportedly be able to stream apps from the cloud if they do not have them installed. Though convenient for the rest of us, this advance could pose a problem for app developers; Perez observes:
“After all, if their app’s most valuable information is just a Google search away, what motive would a user have to actually install their app on their phone? Users would have to decide if they plan on using the app frequently enough that having the native counterpart would be an advantage. Or the app would have to offer something Google couldn’t provide, like offline access to content perhaps.“
It will be interesting to see what gimmicks developers come up with to keep the downloads going. The tech behind this service came from startup Agawi, which Google acquired in 2014. The streaming option is not expected to be released far and wide right away, however; apparently Google views it as an “experiment,” and wants to see how it is received before offering it worldwide. They couldn’t be concerned about developer backlash, could they?
Cynthia Murrell, December 7, 2015
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
Facebook Program May Disintermediate Google
June 5, 2015
Soon, Facebook users may not have to navigate to Google for relevant links then copy-and-paste them into posts and comments. TechCrunch reports, “Skip Googling with Facebook’s New ‘Add a Link’ Mobile Status Search Engine.” If this program currently being tested on a sample group makes it to all users, you can impress your “friends” a few seconds faster, and with fewer clicks. Actually reading what you find before you share the link is up to you. The article describes:
“Alongside buttons to add photos or locations, some iOS users are seeing a new ‘Add A Link’ option. Just punch in a query, and Facebook will show a list of matching links you might want to share, allow you to preview what’s on those sites, and let you tap one to add it to your status with a caption or share statement. Results seem to be sorted by what users are most likely to share, highlighting recently published sites that have been posted by lots of people. …
“If rolled out to all users, it would let them avoid Googling or digging through Facebook’s News Feed to find a link to share. The ‘Add A Link’ button could get users sharing more news and other publisher-made content. Not only does that fill the News Feed with posts that Facebook can put ads next to. It also gives it structured data about what kind of news and publishers you care about, as well as the interests of your friends depending on if they click or Like your story.”
Writers Josh Constine and Kyle Russell observe that, as of last year, Facebook drives nearly 25 percent of “social” clicks, and publishers are becoming dependent on those clicks. Facebook stands to benefit if their Add A Link button enhances that dependency. Then there is the boost to ad revenue the site is likely to realize by keeping users inside their Facebook sessions, instead of wandering into the rest of the Web. A move that will both please users and the bottom line– well played, Facebook.
Cynthia Murrell, June 5, 2015
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
Visual Data Mapper Quid Raises $39M
April 14, 2015
The article on TechCrunch titled Quid Raises $39M More to Visualize Complex Ideas explains the current direction of Quid. Quid, the business analytics company interested in the work of processing vast amounts of data to build visual maps as well as branding and search, has been developing new paths to funding. The article states,
“When we wrote about the company back in 2010, it was focused on tracking emerging technologies, but it seems to have broadened its scope since then. Quid now says it has signed up 80 clients since launching the current platform at the beginning of last year.The new funding was led by Liberty Interactive Corporation, with participation from ARTIS Ventures, Buchanan Investments, Subtraction Capital, Tiger Partners, Thomas H. Lee Limited Family Partnership II, Quid board member Michael Patsalos-Fox…”
Quid also works with such brands as Hyundai, Samsung and Microsoft, and is considered to be unique in its approach to the big picture of tech trends. The article does not provide much information as to what the money is to be used for, unless it is to do with the changes to the website, which was once called the most pretentious of startup websites for its detailed explanation of its primary and secondary typefaces and array of titular allusions.
Chelsea Kerwin, April 14, 2014
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
Image Search Might Not Be Enough
April 9, 2015
Did you know there is a Google of image search? No, it is not the image option on the actual Google search engine. Rather it is Giphy aka the Google of GIFs (and a way to kill an hour) is stepping up into the world by buying other startups. TechCrunch reports that, “Giphy’s First Acquisition, Nutmeg, Is A Big Step Towards Mobile.”
Giphy has been interested in expanding its mobile search offerings and they recently acquired Nutmeg, a mobile GIF messaging app that makes it easier to send those fun moving pictures in a text message. Giphy founder Alex Chung and Nutmeg founder Julie Logan have discussed a partnership for the past year and after a recent $17 million round of funding by Giphy it felt like the right time.
“ ‘Nutmeg and Giphy share the same philosophy, but Julie brings a lot of expertise around what we’re doing from the mobile perspective, and that’s invaluable,’ said Chung. ‘The simplicity, the curation and the UX and the UI, drew us to Nutmeg.’ ”
GIFs are a universal Internet language with many of them transforming into memes and making the Reddit rounds. GIFs lucrative market due to their popularity and there is money to be made there.
Whitney Grace, April 9, 2015
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
Swiftype Raises More Money for Web Site Search
March 16, 2015
TechCrunch tells us that search startup “Swiftype Raises $13M More For Its Starter Site And App Search.” Swiftype’s mission is pretty straightforward: they want to create customizable search tools that do not suck (TechCrunch’s own language). You have to admit that it is a bold move, considering many out-of-the-box solutions do stink worse than dial-up from 1995 and open source (while it is free and awesome) requires a bit of developer experience. Swiftype takes the guesswork and makes a tailored solution without the hassle or developer experience.
While Swiftype originally started out for Web sites, they have moved into other areas:
“On the other hand, online publishers might not be the most lucrative customer base, so while co-founders Matt Riley and Quin Hoxie told me they still support publishers (and we still use Swiftype at TechCrunch), they’ve also expanded into other areas, particularly knowledge bases (basically, FAQs and customer support sites) and e-commerce.”
The search company will use the $13 million will probably invest the money to expand its already popular search tools. New Enterprise Associates led the Series B funding and they were used for the original Series A round. Swiftype used New Enterprise Associates to form a long-term partnership.
Whitney Grace, March 16, 2015
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
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