experiment

This week, it was announced that Google was making changes to search referral URLs. Basically, where URLs looked like this before: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=flowers&btnG=Google+Search They will start looking more like this:

Google tests a new feature allowing users to prioritize their preferred websites in search results enhancing personalized searches.

Although this fact isn't likely to earn Yahoo a government bailout, it seems that Flickr can count the Library of Congress among its fans.  An experiment the Library was conducting has turned out far better than anyone expected.

Never mind all the economic doom and gloom; the New York Times is thrilled with how its venture into social networking has gone.  A new memo notes some numbers that beat internal expectations, and should sound pretty impressive to outsiders, too.

The last year has been filled with announcement after announcement marking the end of DRM.  DRM-free pioneer eMusic was thriving.  EMI dropped DRM across its entire catalog.

eBay is back advertising on Google’s AdWords network, after completing what it called a planned “experiment” to go one week without relying on Google. (In case you need a refresher,

Google recently released their new Voice Local Search in beta, also known as “GOOG-411″, and I thought I’d kick the tires a bit. They also mentioned it on their new Google Lat Long Blog.

Yahoo has launched a mobile social networking service geared towards teens and young adults. The service allows users to share video, photos and send text messages. Yahoo has not made any major announcement concerning the launch of their new site called Mixd.