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Google CEO Eric Schmidt: Social networks are still too closed

LOS ANGELES--Speaking at IBM's Business Partner Leadership Conference here, Google CEO Eric Schmidt reiterated his position that social networks are still too closed. "If it's not searchable by Google, it's not open, and open is best for the consumer," he said.

He added that "searchable by Google" means also searchable by other search engines, such as Yahoo. "People should be able to move from place to place, and their data is available everywhere," Schmidt said. "Social networks are a real phenomenon of people living their lives online, and it has … Read more

Google's TV ad program now live

Advertisers now can use Google TV Ads to, well, place ads on TV, Google said Wednesday. The service is out of its invitation-only beta program that began in June, the company said on its AdWords blog.

No doubt this service will get more interesting when the glorious future of integrated video and Internet access arrives, but for now, it just means Google can feed ads to several dozen TV channels nationwide.

As with Google's AdWords service for placing ads on its Internet search page, advertisers bid for placement. A tool shows estimated costs to run a particular campaign, letting … Read more

Schmidt: Google couldn't keep up with new hires

Google slowed its hiring because the company couldn't keep track of what everybody was doing, Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said Wednesday.

"We have slowed our head count growth for a couple of reasons, but the biggest reason is it began to feel like we really didn't have a good sense of what people were doing," Schmidt said in an interview with CNBC. "The systems in the company, literally who's doing what, what are they doing, seemed to lag our ability to hire these great people."

Though the company slowed hiring later in 2007, … Read more

Schmidt says Google still scratching head over YouTube profits

Google CEO Eric Schmidt likely surprised few by confirming Wednesday that his company's video-sharing powerhouse YouTube isn't quite throwing off lots of cash.

It was obvious from Google's earnings reports that YouTube has yet to generate material income. Still, it's worth noting, 18 months after Google acquired YouTube for $1.65 billion, the company has acknowledged that it hasn't "figured out the perfect solution of how to make money."

"We're working but have not yet in my view gotten a breakthrough around monetization," Schmidt said during an interview for CNBC. &… Read more

Schmidt in CNBC interview: We're concerned about Microhoo

In a broad interview scheduled to run on CNBC at 4 p.m. EST Wednesday, Google CEO Eric Schmidt made it clear he's not pleased with the prospect of a Microsoft-Yahoo combination.

In the interview with CNBC's Maria Bartiromo, Schmidt said that given Microsoft's history of antitrust issues, an acquisition is cause for concern, according to a transcript of the interview. He also said a two-week partnership trial with Yahoo went well, and said he expects it to be one of several options Yahoo's executives are considering for their future.

"Well, the long and short … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 714: Dr. M for mayor

Somehow, Dr. M has proven himself so diabolically clever that we kind of love him. In other news, will the next iPhone be unlocked, sell for $199 with AT&T contract, cure malaria, wash your dishes, and defeat Kasparov? It will if you believe the rumors. We like to believe them. It's a happy fantasy world. Also, Wikipedia is broken. Where have you heard that before? Oh, yeah. Here. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 714

AT&T to sell iPhone at a discount? http://techland.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/04/29/ att-to-cut-the-price-of-apples-new-iphone/ http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-9931806-37.html … Read more

Artsy side of search: Designers, pop stars create iGoogle themes

If you thought Google's capacity for high design didn't go far beyond its primary-colored logo, think again.

The iGoogle personalized home pages have been graced with new flair thanks to the introduction of iGoogle Artist Themes, a way for Google members to do digital interior decoration.

It may not help Mountain View on its quest to organize all the world's information, but it can make some of that information look a little prettier. Microsoft did something like this with Zune Originals, trendy designs for its music players.

"We've collaborated with almost 70 artists from around … Read more

Google diving into 3D mapping of oceans

We've got Google Earth and Google Sky. Next up will be a map of the world below sea level--Google Ocean.

The company has assembled an advisory group of oceanography experts, and in December invited researchers from institutions around the world to the Mountain View, Calif., Googleplex. There, they discussed plans for creating a 3D oceanographic map, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The tool--for now called Google Ocean, the sources say, though that name could change--is expected to be similar to other 3D online mapping applications. People will be able to see the underwater topography, called bathymetry; search … Read more

SEC suit recommended against Google director

Ann Mather, a Google board member, could well find herself on the receiving end of a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit regarding stock option transactions made while she was chief financial officer at Pixar Animation Studios.

"On April 23, 2008, Ann was advised by the staff of the Los Angeles office of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it intends to recommend that the SEC initiate a civil proceeding against her, alleging violation of federal securities laws related to certain stock option transactions involving her former employer, Pixar Animation Studios," Google said in a regulatory filing Monday. … Read more