David Weir, BNET

Google, Inc. (GOOG) - David Weir at BNET

Google continues to aggressively improve one its most promising, if less known, products — its " website translation gadget.". As we noted when the search giant launched this tool last September, it can be used to quite literally "put money in your pocket," or — perhaps more appropriately — into your company's coffers. That's because it allows you to post your site's content in over 50 languages, as auto translated by Google. 

Google, Inc. (GOOG) - David Weir at BNET

Google's winning of a patent for its geotargeted advertising system–one basis for what makes its search engine so powerful–shows that Google anticipated the power of local long before the term hyper local became all the rage, especially among Internet news sites . Google applied for the patent, after all, back in , when we were still mired in the post dot com bust malaise and few were talking about all upcoming demand for search and ads at a local level. Though it isn't possible on the basis of this patent to declare that the company has gained a definitive strategic advantage, Google certainly seems well positioned going forward. 

Google, Inc. (GOOG) - David Weir at BNET

Related BNET Media coverage: Jan. 12 Google Throws Down the Gauntlet in China Over Human Rights and Censorship . "In one of the most stunning developments in its remarkable 11 year history, Google (GOOG) today announced that it is prepared to shut down operations in the world's largest country, China, unless the Chinese government ends its censorship of search results there…" . image: CSmonitor.com . In addition to serving as a BNET Media analyst/blogger, David Weir is a veteran journalist and the author of several books. 

Google, Inc. (GOOG) - David Weir at BNET

When you think about it, we are adapting to the Internet, and in many ways, it is adapting to us Thanks to Google, and other smart search engines, we are letting go of some of the behaviors that suited us better in a time of information scarcity, and embracing habits that work better in our new information environment That seems to me to be the bottom line that comes through load and clear from the great majority of thinkers who participated in this survey To read the whole thing for yourself, please visit here In addition to serving as a BNET Media analyst/blogger, David Weir is a veteran journalist and the author of several books 

Google, Inc. (GOOG) - David Weir at BNET

What's At Stake in Google Book Case: Access to History . The issues in the convoluted Google Book case are so complex and involve so many parties — publishers, libraries, states, foreign governments, academics, writers, readers, and the US Justice Department — that federal judge Denny Chin is essentially being asked to decide nothing less than our collective future access to our collective pre digital literary history As is the case with many class action lawsuits, there is a terrible burden put on members of the public and press just to cut through all the legal mumbo jumbo to get at what is at stake here, but let me try 

Apple Inc (AAPL) - David Weir at BNET

Apple vs. Major Media: The iPad Stalemate . No deals have yet emerged from Steve Jobs‘ splashy tour of New York earlier this month, where he met with executives of The New York Times, News Corp and Time Inc to demo the iPad That's because, according to details leaking out from the meetings, Apple and the major publishers remain far apart on the question of how content partnerships would work on the new mobile device 

Google, Inc. (GOOG) - David Weir at BNET

The Bottom Line of Google Book Search "Yesterday was the filing deadline set by Denny Chin, the federal judge overseeing the Google Book Search case, so over the last few weeks the court has received letters, briefs, and other documents from hundreds of parties from around the world…" In addition to serving as a BNET Media analyst/blogger, David Weir is a veteran journalist and the author of several books Weir is a co founder and vice president of the Center for Investigative Reporting, as well as an editorial board member of The Nation 

Twitter, Inc. - David Weir at BNET

You can bet it's coming, but until then, check this new non fiction book out…" Twitter's Real Time Collective Mood Index "We have a little bit of everything out here in California; once we even had a statewide "California Task Force to Promote Self Esteem…" and other values, which is what sprang to mind upon reading about those two University of Vermont statiticians who consider Twitter a "a hedonimeter," a device that measures emotions like happiness…" In addition to serving as a BNET Media analyst/blogger, David Weir is a veteran journalist and the author of several books Weir is a co founder and vice president of the Center for Investigative Reporting, as well as an editorial board member of The Nation 

Cablevision Systems Corporation (CVC) - David Weir at BNET

As Murdoch and Sulzberger Dream of Paywalls, Consider Poor Newsday's Example . Perhaps the only way to figure out what is actually going on in the media industry these days is to not get too mired in the daily, weekly, or even monthly details, because the pace of news has quickened to the extent that even the small army of us here at BNET could never hope to cover everything of interest to the average media exec Take the issue of paywalls 

Newsday, Inc - David Weir at BNET

As Murdoch and Sulzberger Dream of Paywalls, Consider Poor Newsday's Example . Perhaps the only way to figure out what is actually going on in the media industry these days is to not get too mired in the daily, weekly, or even monthly details, because the pace of news has quickened to the extent that even the small army of us here at BNET could never hope to cover everything of interest to the average media exec Take the issue of paywalls