Mike Blumenthal

Greg Sterling has a good piece on the The Debate Over User Reviews Matt has a winner on Dear Small Business Owners: Put Down Your Ranking Reports and it applies equally well to local search And Bill Slowski has an interesting patent review: Would You Rent Your Rooftop to Google To Show Ads Upon? (Too …

Blogging From SMX Local And Mobile – Mike the Internet guy is reporting on sessions as they happen Michael Jones (Google) Keynote at SMX Local-Mobile Earth and Maps have 250 million users daily around the world. Yahoo in 15-Nation Deal for Search on Cellphones (NY Times) Under the deal, Yahoo will feature its search engine …

Usability test: Does iPhone match the hype? -Users try out the iPhone, HTC Touch and the Nokia N95 It’s also important to remember that the tests focused on how easy it was to pick up the device and use it right out of the box. “People can eventually learn to use any device,” Ballew said. …

Yahoo’s Kay Skeptical about Local Verticals from the LocalOnliner.com Building a Better Database: Getting Harder All the Time from the Kelsey Group about the difficulties of assembling local data.

Google announces AdSense for Mobile – As part of our ongoing efforts to develop new ways for users to find the information they need anytime and anywhere, Google announced today the availability of AdSenseâ„¢ for Mobile, a program that contextually targets ads to mobile website content. AdSense for Mobile also allows AdSense publishing partners the …

GPhone Update: “Not in the Works” From Local Mobile Search: Like the rest of us, Google knows that the biggest opportunities for e-commerce and Web 2.0 lie in mobile computing and mobile applications. Overcoming the shortcomings of low-end wireless phones, less than optimal wireless data speeds and strictures applied by a community mobile network operators …

The Power of Branding by Greg Linden summarizes a small sample study that quantifies the value of branding in search. This applies equally well to local. Prostitutes Turn to Craigslist, Law Takes Notice (NY times) – Can this type of local marketing be that far in the future for Yahoo or Google? It certainly indicates …

In Saturday’s Wall Street Journal, Russell Adams reports on the increased use of wireless devices of all stripes at Major League Baseball games (and other professional sports venues) for viewing stats, instant replays, ordering food and participating in game time promotions. At some venues wireless devices can be rented for $25 per event. The Mariners …