Google ads on eBay, dynamic ads on video games
Here’s a quick rundown of news you may have missed last week, culled from reports by our staff and wire services.
Monday
Last we checked, weren’t eBay and Yahoo teaming up to join forces against their common rival Google? Now, it’s eBay and Google that have a new ad alliance.
Google Checkout, of course, is seen by many analysts as a direct competitor of the PayPal payment service, a huge cash cow for online auction giant eBay.
But that didn’t stop the two companies from announcing that Google will place text ads on eBay’s sites outside the United States. The deal is similar to an agreement with Internet powerhouse Yahoo to place ads on eBay’s U.S. sites.
EBay and Google also will work together to develop “click-to-call” ads which would allow customers to talk directly to merchants via Google Talk or eBay’s Skype Internet phone service. The idea is, businesses would be willing to pay more for these ads because they link them directly to customers who are ready to buy.
Tuesday
Can’t wait to get your hands on Microsoft’s new Windows Vista? Seattle online retailer Amazon.com is taking advance orders for the Redmond, Wash., software mega-behemoth’s next-generation — and pricey — operating system.
How pricey? The full version, Windows Ultimate, will set you back $399, or $259 if you’re upgrading from an earlier version of Windows. An upgrade to Windows Home Basic is listed at $99.95.
The basic version, though, will lack many of the features that will be the reason to upgrade to Vista in the first place. Microsoft expects most consumers to choose Vista Premium, which Amazon.com lists at $239, or $159 for an upgrade.
Wednesday
TiVo — the pioneering but struggling DVR maker — reported a fiscal second-quarter loss that was wider than a year ago, mostly because of legal costs related to its patent suit against Dish Network owner Echostar Communications. On the bright side for the San Jose maker of digital video recorders, the loss wasn’t as bad as Wall Street analysts had expected.
Thursday
Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, the ads and product placements in your video game can now reflect what’s going on in the real world.
Redwood City video game giant Electronic Arts is teaming with Microsoft’s Massive to deliver what they’re calling dynamic ads to players of “Need for Speed Carbon,” set for release in October, and as many as three other games. A billboard in the game, for example, can change over time, advertising a new movie release one day and a soft drink the next.
The real-time ads will be delivered to players whose computers are connected to the Internet or Xbox 360 owners who use Microsoft’s Xbox Live service.
Friday
Rising gas prices are causing U.S. consumers to turn to more-fuel-efficient vehicles, automakers reported.
Toyota, maker of gas-sipping vehicles such as the Prius, said its U.S. sales were up 17 percent compared with a year ago. General Motors also reported gains, but that was partly because of a favorable comparison with August 2005, when sales slumped after GM ended its “employee discount” promotion.
From : KeepMedia
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