June 6, 2008

Yahoo Joins CBS Audience Network

Yahoo has joined the CBS Audience Network as a distribution partner. Yahoo TV will add CBS'x online catalog of full episodes and network programming to its lineup, which already includes NBC, FOX and over 15 cable networks.

CBS will get a boost from the Yahoo TV's audience. With Yahoo, the CBS Audience network will reach 92% of U.S. web users with 300+ video partners.

"As the #1 online TV site, Yahoo! TV is committed to offering our users the most comprehensive television experience on the Internet," said Karin Gilford, Vice President of Entertainment and Lifestyles, Yahoo!. "The partnership with CBS significantly expands our video offerings and provides our users with a consistent and best-in-class viewing experience. It's all part of our strategy to become the starting point for the most consumers on the Web."

"This announcement underscores the value of CBS's open, non-exclusive, multi-partnership strategy for distributing our content online," said Anthony Soohoo, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Entertainment, CBS Interactive. "We are delighted to add Yahoo! to the Audience Network, not only because of their reach, but also because they offer a great user experience for CBS content. This is a win-win in that it bolsters the distribution of CBS content while giving Yahoo! users access to programming that has proven to be among the most popular professional content online."

This won't be the first TV partnership between Yahoo and CBS. In December 2005, Yahoo announced that it would be offering four episodes of CBS sitcoms in what was dubbed the CBS Comedy Bowl.

Posted by Nathania Johnson at 9:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 8, 2008

Y! Live is Dead! Long Live Yahoo! Live

Live from Yahoo! It's Y! Live Night! Or not. Yahoo! Live, the experimental live video service, debuted and crashed and crashed, resulting in a public apology and mea culpa from the 6 engineers who launched the service. The web service is boldly (and entirely coincidentally) named Y! Live in the grand tradition of MSN Live, Live Windows, and Windows Live triumphant product releases.

"Yes, Yahoo! Live is alive! Yahoo! Live is an experiment in personal live video broadcasting, brought to you by our Advanced Products team," wrote Eric Fixler, the aptly-named Y! Live engineer on the Yahoo Developer Network's launch of Yahoo! Live Web Services.

We have only one question: Y?

"Maintenance. Yahoo! Live is an experimental release. We've experienced heavy traffic and are taking a breather to tune things up a bit." according to the message posted on the Yahoo site that can't be seen.

No word on whether Y! Live will be back up in time to live stream the Yahoo Board of Directors decision on Microsoft's hostile bid.

Here's why we should forgive Yahoo's decision not to dedicate more resources to making the launch a success during the most important week in the company's storied history:

"One thing to keep in mind is that although this product comes from Yahoo! (a big company), the team working on Y! Live is only six people deep. We're a really tiny incubation group which is tasked with building innovative new products and get them out there ASAP. Our mantra is to iterate and build with the community, as opposed to unveiling The Next Big Thing on Day One. We hope you collaborate with us as we shape Y! Live into a game-changing product."

6? 6. 6! people. Who needs a Do No Evil motto when you have the Y! Live 6?

Good news: Yahoo! Live ships with API goodness.

Yahoo! your ship didn't come in. It set sail without you.

"First night - killer good times, now making some tweaks." Blog on, Yahoo!

Note to Yahoo Board, (aka Generation "Gap"): the term "killer" is the Gen Y way of saying "peachy keen" and has nothing at all to do with dead web services.

No doubt Yahoo execs will get back to writing a new peanut butter manifesto in a Jiffy.

Write your own peanut butter manifesto here.

Posted by Kevin Heisler at 8:04 AM | Permalink

August 7, 2007

Yahoo Signs Deal With Reality Programming Company

Yes it is Rocket Science - at least that is the name of the reality programming company Yahoo just signed a production deal with, according to AdWeek.com

This contract and a couple of others Yahoo has signed recently reflects the importance the company is placing on developing their portal's content and presence.

Posted by Frank Watson at 11:20 AM | Permalink

March 22, 2007

AOL, MSN, MySpace And Yahoo! Strike Deal for Video

News Corporation and NBC today announced the launch of an Internet video distribution network that will bring as soon as this summer television content to the Internet within hours of its first time distribution. AOL, MSN, MySpace and Yahoo! will be the new site's initial distribution partners. It is also anticipated that the site will include consumer-generated video as well as thousands of hours of full-length television programming, videos and clips. This will include premium content from a dozen networks and major film studios.

This network will offer free long- and short-form video. Each of the distribution partners will show the content via a customized embedded player. The venture promises on-air and on-line advertising opportunities. Initial advertisers already lined up include Cadbury Schweppes, Cisco, Esurance, Intel and General Motors. This distribution network will provide advertisers and users a powerful alternative to YouTube. Is Google worried? According to reports in the LA Times Google executives disdain for the project and have nicknamed the consortium: Clown Co. It remains to be seen who will have the last laugh.

Posted by Amanda Watlington at 3:18 PM | Permalink

September 20, 2006

Yahoo Teams Up With Gore's Current TV

The news is buzzing about the Current TV and Yahoo partnership. Current TV, founded by Al Gore, and Yahoo announced the launch of The Yahoo Current Network. This network is to "combine professional and user-generated video clips" reports the New York Times. The paper says each show will likely "be preceded by a 15- or 30-second commercial," which is the first time Yahoo "included commercials with user-generated content." TechCrunch notes that this video at Yahoo describes a bit more about how the shows will run, and it also describes "VC2," viewer created content (i.e. user generated content). The user contributed videos can earn $100 for each chosen clip and if that clip is broadcast on Current's television network, you can earn between $500 and $1,000, according to the New York Times.

This is all somewhat a bit interesting in the sense that Google has a long standing relationship with Current TV. They launched the Google Current (more also here) show on Current TV a bit back. Plus Al Gore has been an adviser to Google in the past. Gore said, "Yahoo is very different from Google. Yahoo for a long time has been much more in the media space." Yahoo is a media company, Google is a search company.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 8:25 AM | Permalink

August 29, 2006

New Search Patent Filings: August 29, 2006 - Yahoo looks at Interactive TV and VOIP

Yahoo patent filings include one detailing bidding for placement in paid search filed this past April, another that details a very interactive environment for watching television programming, a third describing a method of soliciting consumer reviews, and a granted patent for a Voice Over IP (VOIP) system that doesn't require Telephony Interface Cards.

Microsoft had two new patent applications published, including one which provides a means of suggesting alternative spellings for words, and another that interacts with searchers to help them construct queries.

IBM filed a patent application for building social networks within a business organization, and was granted a patent for a method of checking pages shown in search results for viruses.

America Online looks at the classification of queries in a manner which seems very similar to the editorial opinion decisions made in a recently granted Google patent.

Mobile search company Geovector comes up with a way to make quick hyperlinked image maps from mobile phones with cameras.

Yahoo

System and method for enabling multi-element bidding for influencing a position on a search result list generated by a computer network search engine Invented by Ted Meisel, Peter Savich and Thomas A. Soulanille Assigned to Overture US Patent Application 20060190354 Published August 24, 2006 Filed on April 24, 2006

Abstract

A system and method for enabling information providers using a computer network such as the Internet to influence a position for a search listing within a search result list generated by an Internet search engine. A database stores accounts for the network information providers. Each account contains contact and billing information for a network information provider. In addition, each account contains at least one search listing having at least three components: a description, a search term comprising one or more keywords, and a bid amount. The network information provider may add, delete, or modify a search listing after authenticated login. A search term relevant to the content of the web site or other information source to be listed is first selected. A search listing includes the search term and a description. A bidding process occurs when the network information provider enters a new bid amount for a search listing. The system and method then compares the bid amount with all other bid amounts for the same search term, and generates a rank value for all search listings having that search term. The rank value determines where the listing will appear on the search results list page that is generated in response to a query of the search term by a searcher.

Framework for providing ancillary content in a television environment Invented by Michael Mills, Philip Mckay, Michael Hoch, Kumiko Tanaka Toft, and Rod Perkins US Patent Application 20060184579 Published August 17, 2006 Filed on January 5, 2006

Abstract

The present invention provides functionality for retrieving ancillary content associated with the content delivered to a given user's client device. According to one embodiment, the method of the present invention comprises retrieving the context of a given user and identifying a plurality of characteristics associated with the user's context. The one or more characteristics associated with the user's context are displayed to the user and the user may select from the displayed characteristics. One or more items of content are retrieved based upon the user's selection and presented to the user on the user's client device.

Group polling for consumer review Invented by Norman Shi Assigned to Yahoo US Patent Application 20060190475 Published August 24, 2006 Filed on December 20, 2005

Abstract

Using a computer system comprising clients at which users interface to the computer system and at least one review server that maintains a collection of reviews, each associated with a presentation, a method of collecting the reviews including providing a first presentation to a first user via a first client associated with the first user; maintaining a trust network linking the first user to the other users in the trust network; receiving a request for a review from the first user via the first client; routing a request for a review to the users in the trust network who are linked to the first user in the trust network; and saving at least some of the returned reviews in the collection of review.

Voice integrated VOIP system Invented by Madhu Yarlagadda, Patrick Loo and David H. Nakayama Assigned to Yahoo United States Patent 7,095,733 Granted August 22, 2006 Filed on September 11, 2000

Abstract

An integrated VoIP unified message processing system includes a voice platform that processes data in native VoIP format. There is no use of hardware telephone interface cards (TICs) or software transcoding to transform data to PCM or other formats. Cost reductions are achieved by the elimination of expensive dedicated hardware and scalability is achieved by obviating the need for software transcoding.

Microsoft

Query spelling correction method and system Invented by Justin Harmon, Kyle G. Peltonen and Shajan Dasan Assigned to Microsoft US Patent Application 20060190447 Published August 24, 2006 Filed on February 22, 2005

Abstract

A method and system for providing to a user a set of alternative query suggestions is disclosed. The method, system and computer readable medium product in accordance with embodiments of the invention includes generating an index of all words in a corpus of documents available to the application, generating a popularity table for the index having a popularity value for each word in the index based on occurrences of the word in the corpus, comparing each entry in the popularity table to suggestions from a word generator, compiling a lexicon of word generator suggestion words that are found in the popularity table, submitting each word in the search query to the word generator to determine suggestion words, and displaying to the user one or more of the suggestion words from the lexicon that are more popular than the query word.

Dynamic client interaction for search Invented by Matthew R. Richardson and Robert J. Ragno Assigned to Microsoft US Patent Application 20060190436 Published August 24, 2006 Filed on June 23, 2005

Abstract

A system for guiding a search for information is presented. The system comprises a user interface that accepts a phrase and receives at least one suggestion based at least in part on the phrase. The system also includes a phrase suggestion engine that matches the phrase with the at least one suggestion. Methods of using the system are also provided.

IBM

Method, system and program product for building social networks Invented by Margaret A. Strong and Albert Tien Yuen Wong Assigned to IBM US Patent Application 20060190536 Published August 24, 2006 Filed on February 23, 2005

Abstract

Under the present invention, a user with an existing profile page who desires to have a social network built will first submit a subscription request. If approved, an existing contact list such as a chat list or the like for the user will be compared to existing contact lists for other subscribing users to establish commonalities. Based on such commonalities, a configurable social network of contacts is built. Using a graphical representation of the social network, the user can (among other things) provide or read testimonials about the contacts therein; access the profile pages for the contacts; provide or read "ratings" for the contacts; be provided with levels/degrees of separation between the contacts; validate trusts and business relationships, etc.

Virus checking and reporting for computer database search results Invented by Cary Lee Bates, Robert James Crenshaw, Paul Reuben Day and John Matthew Santosuosso Assigned to IBM United States Patent 7,096,215 Granted August 22, 2006 Filed on January 13, 2004

Abstract

An apparatus, program product and method integrate virus checking functionality into a computer database search environment to assist in protecting a user computer from contracting a computer virus when accessing search results. The generation of a display representation of a result set generated in response to a search request may be based at least in part upon virus status information associated with at least a portion of a plurality of result records identified in the generated result set. Moreover, an apparatus, program product, and method configure a first computer to receive virus status information generated by a plurality of computers, with such received virus status information stored in a virus database that is accessible by the first computer.

America Online

Web query classification Invented by Abdur R. Chowdhury, Steven Michael Beitzel, David Dolan Lewis and Aleksander Kolcz US Patent Application 20060190439 Published August 24, 2006 Filed on January 27, 2006

Abstract

A query phrase may be automatically classified to one or more topics of interest (e.g., categories) to assist in routing the query phrase to one or more appropriate backend databases. A selectional preference query classification technique may be used to classify the query phrase based on a comparison between the query phrase and patterns of query phrases. Additionally, or alternatively, a combination of query classification techniques may be used to classify the query phrase. Topical classification of a query phrase also may be used to assist a search system in delivering auxiliary information to a user who entered the query phrase. Advertisements, for instance, may be tailored based on classification rather than query keywords.

Geovector

Imaging systems including hyperlink associations Invented by Thomas William Ellenby, Peter Malcolm Ellenby and John Ellenby Assigned to GeoVector Corporation US Patent Application 20060190812 Published August 24, 2006 Filed on February 22, 2005

Abstract

Computer pointing systems include schemes for producing image map type hyperlinks which are associated and stored integrally with image data from which they are derived. An object being addressed by a pointing system of is implicitly identified by way of its location and position relative to the pointing system. A geometric definition which corresponds to space substantially occupied by the addressed object is rotated appropriately such that it perspective matches that of the imaging station. When an image is captured, the image data (pixel data) is recorded and associated with image map objects which may include network addresses such as a URL. On reply, these images automatically present network hyperlinks to a user whereby the user can click on an image field and cause a browser application to be directed to a network resource.

My usual reminder about patents: Some of the processes and technology described in patents are created in house, and some are developed with the assistance of contractors and partners. A percentage are never developed in a tangible manner, but may serve as a way to attempt to exclude others from using the technology, or even to possibly mislead competitors into exploring an area that they might not have an interest in (sometimes skepticism is good.)

There are times when a Google or Yahoo acquires a company to gain access to the intellectual property of that company, or the intellectual prowess and expertise of that company's employees. And sometimes patents are just purchased.

Want to comment or discuss? Visit our Search Technology & Relevancy area of the Search Engine Watch Forums.

Posted by Bill Slawski at 2:33 PM | Permalink

April 18, 2006

Yahoo Buys Meedio, Gains TiVo-Like Tech

SiliconBeat reports that Yahoo has purchased Meedio, a company that creates home automation software that runs on TVs, PCs, touchscreens, and wireless PDAs. The official announcement is posted on the Meedio homepage, and it shows that Yahoo bought the Meedio "team". The team includes David Brott, Pablo Pissanetzky, Victor Koosh and Pedro Navarro. Pablo explains he "envisioned a day when it [Meedio Software] could be used as the "new browser"," and he says that day has come. Questions are being asked on how this impacts the Yahoo - Tivo deal.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at 2:16 PM | Permalink

January 6, 2006

Yahoo Go Puts Yahoo Services Into Cell Phones, TV & PCs

Yahoo has launched Yahoo Go (link via PaidContent), a suite of products designed to let people reach information whether they're on their PCs, phones or using TV. The suite will be formally announced by Yahoo CEO Terry Semel at CES keynote today

Yahoo Go Mobile currently works only for Nokia Series 60 phones. It will allow you to sync your contacts, photos and mail with Yahoo. Yahoo says that in the near future, Yahoo Go Mobile will be preinstalled on the Nokia 6682 from Cingular Wireless. Beyond Yahoo Go Mobile, plain old Yahoo Mobile has a wide range of services, some of which involve no special software at all.

Yahoo Go TV is a coming application for Windows XP machines that allows you to see photo slide shows, listen to internet radio stations, search for movie info and clips and find video from the web. What's the TV part, then? It will work with a PC-enabled TV, News.com reports. Or, I suspect, a PC that displays TV in addition to a PC desktop, such as the Windows Media Center does. This application looks to tap into existing Yahoo products but perhaps make them easier for users to be aware of through a more customized software interface.

Yahoo Go Desktop / PC is another coming application that looks incredibly similar to the Google Sidebar. It allows you to apparently tap into and sync more easily with existing Yahoo services such as Flickr photo sharing, blogging on Yahoo 360 and Yahoo Mail. A new "social browser" is also promised, though this seems to be the sidebar or dashboard-like application I mentioned. From various reports, Yahoo Go Dashboard appears to be the name of this.

Yahoo To Launch Go Initiative; Mobile, Connected TVs & Desktop Access over at PaidContent has a nice summary, and v ia Russell Beattie, a number of articles have some additional details.

Yahoo goes mobile over at News.com says Yahoo Go Mobile will work in 10 different countries (I suspect this actually means it will work with 10 different Yahoo country specific editions, such as Yahoo US versus Yahoo UK). Yahoo Go TV is promised for download before April and remote recording of TV shows is planned.

Yahoo Launches Content Service for Phones from the AP covers Yahoo working with Motorola to bring Yahoo Go into its phones, though Google still looks to be the preferred search provider for Motorola, given its deal announced today.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at 9:33 AM | Permalink

December 27, 2005

Yahoo Begins Offering Online Access to Four Episodes of CBS Sitcoms

News from Yahoo today that they are ending 2005 by providing access to four complete episodes of recently aired CBS sitcoms available for online steaming/viewing in what they're calling the CBS Comedy Bowl.

It's part of a trend we will likely see more and more of in 2006 from all of the video search providers (Google, AOL, Yahoo, Blinkx and others), that of exclusive content, often for a specific period of time, that allows viewers the chance to watch a show or shows streamed to their computer.

You'll find two "encore" episodes of "Two and a Half Men" and two episodes "How I Met Your Mother" available here along with info about both shows. You'll also find links on the Yahoo Video Search home page.

The shows can by viewed online by any Yahoo user around the globe. They'll be available until next Monday (Jan. 2, 2006).

Recently, we posted about a story Reuters that was headlined: "Google, CBS in talks on video search, on-demand" or "CBS says in talks with Google for video search." However, if you read the completele story, it clearly pointed out that Yahoo was also talking with CBS. Actually, clips and previews from CBS programs were part of an announcement Yahoo Video Search made in May.

Here's a look at some of the other "exclusive" video stories we posted in 2005:

+ Google and UPN Announce Deal to Stream Video of Recently Aired TV Premiere Note: UPN and CBS are both a part of Viacom. In 2005, Yahoo began providing paid listings on several Viacom sites. + Yahoo Offers "Exclusive" Clip from New Harry Potter Film + Yahoo Gets Fat (Debut of Fat Actress on Yahoo) + Back in 2004, AOL streamed the pilot episode of a WB program, before it aired on television.

Posted by Gary Price at 2:12 PM | Permalink

November 7, 2005

Program Your TiVo via Yahoo

You could see this coming and I'm sure it's just the beginning and not just for Yahoo.

Yahoo and TiVo (another verb for many, just like Google) have announced a partnership that will allow users of TiVo Series2 recorders to program their TiVo box via a special site on Yahoo. You'll need to have an email address and Yahoo account.

From any Yahoo TV episode page, users can click the "Record to my TiVo box" button, the companies said. The request is automatically sent to your home the next time your TiVo box connects. The companies suggest allowing for one hour of lag time if the TiVo is connected to broadband through a standard home network. Dialup users have to wait 36 hours for a request to take effect if the TiVo uses dialup.

More in the News.com article: Yahoo plans to connect services with TiVo.

Postscript: A visit to the Yahoo TV page will show to "schedule now" on TiVo. Instructions here.

Posted by Gary Price at 1:48 AM | Permalink

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