Tag: google

Can startups present real mobile search competition for Google?

| May 6, 2015

A new smartphone based search engine called Vurb is focusing on some of the most common queries.

It could be easy for Google to feel as though it is the undisputed ruler of mobile search, especially as it has established the top position on both the standard web and over smartphones and tablets, so far.

However, if one startup has its way, there will be some serious competition heading into the market.

Vurb is a startup that is based in San Francisco. Its founder, Bobby Lo, feels that its new mobile search engine could be the next big thing for smartphone users. The concept behind it is to take a range of different types of common query – such as those regarding movies or restaurants – and group them into basic information snippets and applications for actions that are related to the applicable results. Lo is only one of a growing number of businesspeople who feel that the growth of mobile technology use is the ideal opportunity to be able to present Google with some competition in the search sector.

If these startups can become rivals in mobile search it will be the first threat Google has seen in a decade.

Google - Mobile Search CompetitionUntil now, most startups have been keeping clear of the search engine ecosystem as Google has held a very firm grasp on its central territory. Now, venture capitalists are pouring millions upon millions of dollars into a few dozen startups that are focusing on search on the mobile web. The belief is that the right startups will be able to take an important control over the search market and that Google will not be able to hang onto it to the same degree that it has with PCs.

According to Lo, “There has been no great solution for mobile search.” Last year, venture capitalists placed their money behind 27 different potential rivals to Google in the smartphone and tablet search category. The year before that, there were another 33 that had received those investor dollars. This made 2013 and 2014the most active years in history for venture capital investment all the way back to 1999.

A recent CB Insights report pointed out that the largest increase in venture capital investment has been in mobile search companies, especially when it comes to using “deep links” for bringing apps and the web together.

Google may start shopping to protect against patent trolls

| May 4, 2015

The tech giant is looking to buy out a spectrum of patents to help to stabilize that marketplace.

Google is hoping to be able to help to stabilize the current issues that are occurring within the U.S. Patent system, particularly when it comes to the damage patent trolls are doing to innovation and the progress of technology.

In this effort, the company is making technology news by considering purchasing patents to protect creators.

The U.S. Patent Market is now inundated with those so-called patent trolls, which are shell corporations located around the globe that force actual patent holders into lengthy, costly litigation that typically end up in expensive settlements. That behavior is, according to Google (and many others) holding back the progress in innovation in the United States. Those who would innovate simply don’t find it worthwhile to do so, anymore, as any money they could potentially earn from their efforts would end up paying off costly lawsuits.

Google’s plan of attack against the patent trolls is a new program that is called the Patent Purchase Promotion.

Patent Trolls - GoogleTechnology news reports are indicating that through this program, Google will be purchasing patents simply in order to make sure that trolls won’t be able to get their claws into them and use legal loopholes and lawsuits to earn money.

The deputy general counsel for patents at Google, Allen Lo, explained on the company’s blog that “Unfortunately, the usual patent marketplace can sometimes be challenging, especially for smaller participants who sometimes end up working with patent trolls. Then bad things happen, like lawsuits, lots of wasted effort, and generally bad karma. Rarely does this provide any meaningful benefit to the original patent owner.”

Within this initial phase of the program, Google is hoping to keep the entire process quite basic. Owners of patents can submit proposals to the company as of May 8 and can continue to do so until May 22. Google will the conduct an evaluation and by the 26th of June, each of the patent holders will be contacted. Should the company wish to make a purchase to protect the rights against patent trolls, the payment for it will be made and complete by the close of August 2015 via ACH bank transfer.