SearchEngineUpdate with Vanessa Zamora - 07-28-2008 Part I
Abstract: 1. Cuil Launches, To Compete With Google, 2. Google’s Proposed Acquisition Of Digg Fails
Vanessa Zamora
Video Content Producer, SearchEngineWorld
6:45 pm on July 28, 2008 (utc 0)
Transcript
Monday July 28, 2008
Cuil Launches, To Compete With Google
It isn’t the first time an Internet company has taken aim at competing with leading web search company Google, but this time the search service in question is backed by an impressive roster of search experts, including ex Google employees that may provide it the competitive edge needed. Search service Cuil, as its called, will launch today and claims to provide faster, more cost efficient indexing of a far larger portion of the Web than Google, which to date possesses the largest index online. Unlike Google, which places importance on Web links and audience traffic patterns when determining the importance and thus prominence of web pages, Cuil takes into account the context of each page and the concepts behind each user search request to provide more relevant results to users. Cuil also sets itself apart with its privacy policy. User IP addresses are not recorded to their servers and cookies are not used to associate a computer with queries as with other popular search services. As with other companies before it, only time will tell whether Cuil has the technology and user adaptability to fulfill its lofty goal.
Talks of a possible acquisition of social news site Digg by Google have ended, but instead of news of a successful acquisition, Google has reportedly and abruptly ended negotiations. Last week SearchEngineWorld reported that the two companies were in the final stage of negotiations to merge Digg into the Google News group for an estimated $200 million. Reasons for the fallout were not given, although one source attributes the trouble to technological incompatibilities, while another said it was more about differences between the two companies. Digg was informed of Google's decision late last week, according to the report.