Website design newsletter

Every month we publish interesting news articles relating to website design, search engine trends and other exciting changes happening online.

December 2007

Google Custom Search Engines Go International

Online shopping at work: surveys mixed

Google plans big renewable energy push

Stupidest Christmas gifts ranked

Google Custom Search Engines Go International
20 November 2007

Google has expanded its Custom Search Engine program internationally. Now it's available in 40 languages, and in close to 80 countries worldwide. The Custom Search Business Edition (CSBE), which provides users with complete control over their look and feel, and does not show any ads in the results, is also being made available in those same languages and countries. Unlike the free edition of Custom Search Engines, CSBEs come with a fee. Another benefit of CSBEs is that you can get email support, which is not available in the free edition.

Nitin Mangtani, lead product manager of enterprise search at Google, says that Google has found the predominant use of Custom Search Engines is as a tool to implement site search. Correspondingly, Google plans to setup a web page just for site search applications, though this page is not currently implemented. This should make the setup and management of site search versions of Custom Search Engines easier to manage and deploy.

Source: http://blog.searchenginewatch.com

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Online shopping at work: surveys mixed
19 November 2007

Even with a computer at their fingertips, only one out of five office employees said they plan to shop online for gifts at work, according to a recent survey.

Temporary accounting staffing firm Accountemps surveyed 539 workers employed in an office environment, and reports that 79 percent of professionals said they will not shop online at work. But the 21 percent who will click away won't just be sneaking peeks during down times. The shoppers say they expect to spend on average 2.7 hours a week ordering gifts.

"The holidays place demands on people's time, making it tempting to browse for gifts online while at work," Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps, said in a statement. "But visiting shopping Web sites often is against company policy -- employees should familiarize themselves with their firm rules on acceptable Internet use during business hours and use good judgment in how they spend their time."

However, another survey released Monday paints a very different picture of online holiday shopping at work. The survey, conducted for Shop.org, finds 54.5 percent of office workers with Internet access, or 68.5 million people, will shop for holiday gifts from work, up substantially from 50.7 percent in 2006 and 44.7 percent in 2005.

The survey also found men are more likely to shop from work than women and young adults 18-24 years old are more likely to shop there than any other age group.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com

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Google plans big renewable energy push
28 November 2007

Google said yesterday the web services and online advertising group plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in coming years to promote a new push to encourage cheap renewable electricity.

The project, known as Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal, is hiring engineers and targeted investment financing at advanced solar thermal power, wind power technologies, enhanced geothermal systems and other new technologies, Google said.

Google is, in effect, taking advantage of its growing mountain of cash, global brand recognition and mushrooming market capitalisation as a pulpit to campaign for alternative energy. The company's leaders argue that the time is ripe for investments in innovative research to cut energy costs.

"Our goal is to produce one gigawatt of renewable energy capacity that is cheaper than coal. We are optimistic this can be done in years, not decades," Larry Page, Google's co-founder and president of products, said in a statement.

One gigawatt can power a city the size of San Francisco.

Google is seeking to capitalise on the recent excitement among Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to apply the risk taking that computer, biotech and internet businesses are famous for to the field of alternative energy production.

Google's latest moves come as the price of a barrel of oil nears US$100 and coal, which produces 40 per cent of the world's electricity, faces regulatory and environmental pressures that could drive up prices.

Working with its philanthropic arm Google.org, the company said it plans to spend tens of millions of dollars in 2008 on research and development and related efforts in renewable energy.

Eventually, the Mountain View, California-based company said it will spend hundreds of millions of dollars in "breakthrough renewable energy projects which generate positive returns."

"Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal" is hiring engineers and energy experts to lead its research and development work. It said it will begin on solar thermal technology and will also investigate enhanced geothermal systems and other areas.

Page said Google gained experience in designing large-scale energy projects through its investments in energy-efficient computer data centres. The roofs of Google's headquarters buildings also boasts one of the biggest solar energy installations of any US company.

"We want to apply the same creativity and innovation to the challenge of generating renewable electricity at globally significant scale and produce it cheaper than from coal," Page said in the statement.

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz

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Stupidest Christmas gifts ranked
27 November 2007

Manufacturers come up with stockings full of stupid gifts in time for the holidays with one website dedicated to finding the most idiotic.

Website www.stupid.com, which claims finding a truly stupid gift is an art form, unveiled its list of the top 10 "stupidest" holiday gifts for 2007.

"These gifts are so ridiculously stupid that everyone will want them," said Stupid.com's founder in a statement.

Here is stupid.com's top 10 (not endorsed by Reuters!).

Mistletoe To Go
In the mood for love but on the go? Consider this portable mistletoe. This attractive arrangement of faux mistletoe comes with a suction cup that attaches to your forehead.
The Hillary Nutcracker
Love her or hate her, this is a new take on Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton who, in holiday tradition, is made into a nutcracker.
Slingshot Monkey
The Slingshot Monkey is a stuffed monkey dressed like a superhero. It flies up to 50 feet and screams along the way.
Larry Craig Action Figure
The talking Senator Larry Craig action figure wears a T-shirt with his declaration: "I Am Not Gay." His limbs are bendable and he delivers a portion of his news conference after pleading guilty to lewd behaviour in an airport bathroom.
Uncle Oinker's Gummy Bacon Candy
One of America's favorite smoked-meat products has been reproduced as a candy. Uncle Oinkers Gummy Bacon comes packaged the same way as real bacon and even looks like real bacon.
Inflatable Moosehead
No need to go through the expense and trouble of tracking down a moose and shooting it dead when you can simply buy an inflatable moose head for the trophy wall.
Electronic Yodeling Pickle
The electronic yodeling pickle is a 6-1/2" plastic pickle with a high-tech interior. When you press the pickle's button it belts out a yodel reminiscent of the Swiss Alps.
Poo-lar Bear Candy
It's a plastic polar bear that you fill with candy poop so when you press down on the bear's hind quarters, he poops out a tasty treat.
Get Off the Phone Excuse Machine
If you have trouble getting off the phone from some people, this small electronic device could be the answer. Press a button for "Whoops, there's the door" or "I can't hear you, you're breaking up," and you can get off the hook.
USB dancer
This bikini-wearing dancer plugs into your computer's USB port and audio port and when sound plays on your system, she dances and gyrates around the pole.