search

Microsoft has essentially said it's betting the farm on Internet search and Bing. But it may be that it's real target isn't Google, but instead Yahoo.

Microsoft still suffers from Google envy: Steve Ballmer appears ready to make a bet of up to $11 billion that Microsoft's new search engine Bing can overtake its Internet competitor. At best, the bet is a long shot, and throwing away that amount of money could well do Microsoft irreparable harm.

To believe the fevered prose of the ever-unreliable New York Post, you'd think that the apocalypse had come to Google in the form of Microsoft's new Bing search engine. But purple prose aside, Google doesn't have a great deal to fear from Microsoft's newest entry in the search field.

Behold the power and majesty of the almighty Google algorithm. See how it glows even in the brightest sunlight and disappears when you try to touch it. Just don't ask how it works, cuz it's a big secret.

In today's podcast: Google claims entire Internet is badware; Intel sues insurance company over antitrust legal fees; and with Qimonda down, DRAM prices spike

Human error led to everything-and we mean everything-on the Web being reported as dangerous on Saturday morning.

This isn't the start of an acquisition boom, but some tech takeovers just make sense if you have the money.

In choosing former Yahoo exec Qi Lu to run its online efforts, Microsoft chose exactly the wrong person for the job. Lu, an exceedingly accomplished technologist, has a superb background in engineering, and particularly in online search. But he doesn't appear to have a background in business strategy, and because of that, he won't be able to fix Microsoft's problems online.

In Monday's IT Blogwatch, Richi Jennings watches bloggers watch Microsoft rebrand its search efforts. Not to mention shaken, not stirred...

Steve Ballmer wants you to root for the little guy and underdog: Microsoft. In an interview with the BBC, he likened Microsoft to David up against Google as Goliath. There's one problem here: Microsoft's aim with a sling is off-target.

Obama's (and perhaps McCain's as well) not-so-secret plan to give bloggers access to federal data.

New product will roll up your social network landscape and tell you what your friends are talking about.

The social network search engine goes offline.

Cool! It's IT Blogwatch: in which a new search engine, Cuil, tries to usurp Google's dominance. Not to mention hip hip hooray for DNA...

Dan Nystedt reports:

Precipitate is Google's new Spotlight and Google Desktop Search for Mac plugin that allows you to search your online docs as well as your computer for content. I can report that it works well, with some caveats....