DISQUS

I expected the flash based ads on the bottom of the YouTube videos to be more intrusive when people first started complaining. I know that doesn't apply to the SERPs per se, but if Google could pull off something similar here without really upsetting the balance of the page -- I would be impressed.

Netscape's rebirth, if you'd even want to call it that, was little more than a stepping stone for Calacanis. He's obsessed with over-marketing everything. He did really well with Netscape. Once he left though, the decline began. The same is true too though now with his Mahalo project. He's over hyping it, allowing the users and social aspects dictate growth and progress.

A year from now, I'm willing to bet that too will be dead in the water.

Re: USA Today... Good call Jordan! Like banner ads, these will soon be rendered useless. The big news is the "Del.ico.us" redesign. It will take some time to get used to it, but so far it seems solid to me.

While commendable actions like these are a great way to boost consumer interest and loyalty -- I think that they (Apple) have failed in one major way.

They're still branding themselves as a computer company, and they're simply consumer electronics. Aside from the random one percent of the population with a Mac -- everyone and their dog has an iPod or two.

"t really just makes official what should have already been obvious to everyone!" --- Agreed, but for those of us who have been writing a while (Andy!) -- it's almost validating.

The Jupiter report is telling. First, I didn't realize that they had their eyes on viral marketing efforts. Second, I think that most conventional marketers are cloudy at best with viral marketing. In short, their unfamiliarity leads them to strangely high expectations.

"We have more than five years and tens of millions of dollars in investment successfully building the Lulu brand… It is clear we are required to move quickly to protect our intellectual property and defend ourselves"

I feel like I've been living under a rock, as I've yet to come across Lulu until your post here Paul.

I think the key to this is summarized beautifully in your final statement. Google is no longer search, it is advertising. As an advertising company, they couldn't afford to take a hit like this -- and they paid to make it go away.

That's crazy... Any times my DVR crapped out and I needed to catch the new episode of the Office, I'd head on over there. That was really the only reason left to USE iTunes.

Big loss there for Apple in my opinion.

Congratulations Andrew, and kudos on the plans to save the money versus spending it now.

Seeing this is reason enough for me to get on board with the RSS subscription!

The SEOmoz tools are great Andy, but as you indicated -- they can make you go crazy. Sometimes too much of a good thing, can become bad. Trying to focus on every little detail is difficult at best to do.

Thanks Andy -- I've completed my list too, check it out!

Thanks Andy -- I've completed my list too, check it out!