Recently, some Google users have been surprised to see video ads appearing on the search result pages. Google did previously announce that this was something that they were looking at and hoping to trial.

Google uses plusboxes to show that there is a video advert that would complement the search text. The ad begins after the user clicks the message. The video ads are ordinarily quite short, usually around 30 seconds, and are shown using Google Video Player in a 160×140 space. The videos end by displaying a clickable URL directed to th relevant landing page.

Google’s Marissa Mayer told the New York Times that the main search page will include more images and videos as she believes that users eyes: “automatically gravitate to the images more than the text.” The only downside to these ads could be that advertisers will have to pay when a user clicks to view the ad even if they choose not to click through to the site. This opposes text ads where users are automatically linked to the site upon clicking the ad.

Source: blogoscoped.com

 Google’s latest venture is targeting free space on TV airwaves.

After originally being rejected, Google are attempting a renewed pitch to federal regulators for free access to the unused spectrum between broadcast TV channels. Apparently Google suggest that by using these airwaves some consumers could recieve faster and cheaper wireless Internet access.

Google however, are not the only large technology company to be targeting this so called ‘white space’. Other companies such as Microsoft and Dell are also requesting the FCC open these spaces for use by portable gadgets. Richard Whitt, Google’s Washington telecommunications and media counsel said: “This is a large amount of untapped spectrum, and you’ve got people in Silicon Valley and lots of smart entrepreneurs just itching to find ways to use it.”

It is not that FCC officials are not intrigued with these possibilities and they have even begun testing devices but the results have been mixed. Broadcasters argue that the opening of the airwaves could cause interference with TV signals. Broadcasters also believe, that the technology is also simply not ready.

Source: thenewstribune.com