Google IPO – Gentle-investors, Start Your Engine
The Google IPO auction has entered its first phase with the call for investors to register their names in order to get an identification number allowing them to participate in the modified Dutch Auction. Under the terms of the auction, potential investors will enter the price they are willing to pay for each share and the number of shares they would be interested in buying. Google has stated their expectation is that bids will come in between $108 and $135 per share, placing the overall value of the company around $36 – 40 Billion. Many investment advisors are questioning the actual value and growth potential of Google however, with the sustained and continued growth of paid-advertising, investors appear to be bullish. If you are interested in registering, visit http://ipo.google.com
Google and Yahoo Sued in California over Gambling Ads
A class-action lawsuit in California has been filed against the world’s two largest search engines and several websites that allow advertisements from online casinos. In a sixty page document filed in San Francisco Superior Court, the lawsuit alleges that sell advertising space under keywords such as “California Gambling”, “Online Casino”, and even “Illegal Casinos”. With the popularity of Google’s AdWords program, the actual number of sites displaying casino or gambling ads is almost impossible to determine. Google and Yahoo continue to make a great deal of money selling advertising space to casino operators even though unregulated gambling is illegal in the United States.
Ask Jeeves Gets Close and Personal with Localized Search
Ask Jeeves has announced plans to introduce a cleaver localized search feature in partnership with CitySearch. Starting in early September of this year, Ask Jeeves users will see a new box appear at the top of search results showing user reviews of local businesses, maps and and rankings for local businesses that are relevant to the keywords entered by the searcher. Unlike competitors Google, Lycos and Yahoo, Ask Jeeves has found a way to avoid the obvious trap of limiting a search engine user’s results to geo-specific listings while still providing a highly valuable service for local searchers.