It seems Google is starting to realize that any attempt to keep secrets is pretty futile in today’s era of transparency.

The latest proof of this wake-up call is its announcement that it will eliminate 100 jobs from its recruiting department.

Our first step to address this was to wind down almost all our contracts with external contractors and vendors providing recruiting services for Google. However, after much consideration, we have with great regret decided that we need to go further and reduce the overall size of our recruiting organization by approximately 100 positions.

Which makes me wonder; just how big is Google’s recruiting organization anyway? 100 positions is a lot, so how many do they have left in that department?

In addition, Google is closing many engineering locations and those folks my be also be without a job.

This seems like the kind of news that Google wouldn’t have previously announced, but when you consider that rumors are still circulating that Microsoft might layoff  as many as 15,000 people, it seems Google would prefer we all know the actual number, than let speculation run wild.

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I doubt that anyone (aside from maybe Sue Decker, the Yahoo President who announced her resignation in the official announcement of the new CEO) envies Yahoo’s new CEO, Carol Bartz. It’s going to take more than just business acumen to turn around the company’s failing fortunes—but does Bartz have what it takes?

Popular opinion is divided so far. Henry Blodget is pretty excited about her take-charge attitude and her track record of turning a failing company around.

The more we learn about Carol, the less she seems like the safe choice and the more she seems like the smart choice. We LOVED her attitude on yesterday’s short introductory conference call:

In Yahoo’s conference call this afternoon, she lectured everyone sternly to give Yahoo some “friggin’ breathing room” and also noted that the company “frankly, could use a little management.” (Swisher)

You go, girl.

John Paczkowski of All Things Digital calls Bartz “The ALL CAPS CEO” (as opposed to Jerry Yang, the “ceo”), but notes that some feel she doesn’t have enough experience with consumers or advertising.

Reuters says she lacks Web and deal-making experience.

Bartz, however, does not have an established reputation as a deal-maker and Yahoo investors regarded her appointment skeptically, with shares of the Internet search and advertising company dropping more than 3 percent during the trading day. . .

She is credited with increasing Autodesk’s revenue from $285 million to $1.5 billion during her 14-year tenure, as well as diversifying its business. Bartz, 60, built the company by buying small and medium-sized businesses, including a $444 million buyout of Discreet Logic in 1999.

“She seems to me to be more of a builder than a buyer-and-flipper,” Davis said. “I’m sure that plenty of people wanted to buy Autodesk over the years.”

Analysts lauded her for being a dextrous, capable and committed executive, but said that without any experience in the Internet sector, she would likely find it daunting to turn around Yahoo, which is a distant second to Google Inc in the search advertising market.

Reuters appears to look at her appointment as a sign that Yahoo will not be selling to Microsoft, instead opting to try to turn the company around on its own (and there seems to be some implication that this is a bad thing).

Now, none of us can predict the future, but from what we know about Carol Bartz, what do you think the new CEO means for Yahoo’s future?

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(Hat-tip)

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As internet marketers we tend to concentrate on Google and its product set. Makes perfect sense considering Google is the undisputed King of the Online World.

What’s interesting to see is what Google does as a business. The Yahoo! news site ran an Associated Press story that says the AP ‘obtained’ a copy of the regulatory filing that Google filed December 15, 2008 and it revealed some interesting things about the company and what is going on there.

First, it’s  interesting that it was filed in paper form only. This practice avoids the online aggregators of these public records from being able to post the filing through their normal channels. I suspect these folks will have it sooner than later but the intentionality of Google providing the filing this way is curious. Trying to fly under the radar? Who knows.

The area of biggest speculation is what Google is doing to navigate the economic doldrums we find ourselves in. Google’s Sergey Brin noted back in October that the company had roughly 10,000 interns, contractors and temporary workers in its ranks but this filing only talks of 4,300. Some conjecture circles around whether there have been large cuts on this side of Google’s workforce. Google spokeswoman, Jane Penner has said that the 4,300 number is just a subset of the 10,000 so it would be incorrect to see the difference in these two numbers as a trimming of staff and workers. Spin, spin, spin.

One thing that Google has assured everyone is that they will not be cutting back on research and development. In fact some of the document was not made public due to its contents containing trade secrets. That’s good to hear. Unfortunately for the ‘Googlers’ in Mountain View that has come at the expense of many perks that Google has become famous for including company-wide cash bonuses (the poor staffers had to suffer through a free Android phone gift this year) and some food services.

From a pure business perspective the other area that the company is seeking to improve in is what to do with the $14 billion in cash they currently have. Right now, Google is not exempt from using its money in ways that other big players like Microsoft and Yahoo! are. Google is looking for the ability to use their money in ways that can provide greater returns without being considered its own mutual fund.

While Google is the best and the brightest (for the most part due to their tremendous influence) in enabling people to do business and make a living it is still a company. I think it might be to all of our benefits to remember that and watch what they are up to in that role. Maybe we’ll learn something.

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It appears Google needs to take Google Trends attacks more seriously. Just six months ago Trends was displaying a Swastika as one of the top searches for the day. Yesterday’s trend showed a plane flying into the Twin Towers:

Google’s statement on such attacks is as follows:

The Hot Trends list is automatically generated by machines and algorithms that detect hot or breaking queries. In this case, it appears that the html code for this query was posted on a popular internet bulletin board, which led to quite a few people searching to find out more about this symbol. The Hot Trends list reflected that surge due to people searching with this query.

Perhaps its time to allocate a few more resources to prevent these types of messages from being spread.

via TechCrunch

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Yahoo is finally doing what so many of us have been begging them to do: something Google hasn’t already done. According to BusinessWeek, Yahoo is working with Intel and television makers to bring TV widgets to home viewing.

Yahoo made the announcement last week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Yahoo and Intel announced a range of televisions and related products that would be loaded with the software, in addition to hardware partners and TV-friendly sites.

So what type of widgets can you expect? Have you ever found yourself sitting in front of your TV, your laptop on your lap as you attempt to watch LOST while answering emails and twittering about the latest twist? Imagine the ease of doing all of those things right at your TV.

Yahoo anticipates the TV widgets will go live later this year, complete with about 20 different widgets. Outside developers, including Twitter, the New York Times and MySpace, will be featuring widgets, in addition to the standard Yahoo applications (i.e. weather and stock tracking). Yahoo says that widgets will not be limited to the big brands, and invites any content creators to develop their own widgets.

What can marketers do in anticipation of this release? John Ellett of nFusion offers this advice on his blog, Marketing Has Changed:

How will this affect marketers? For one thing it will open the doors for video content to be produced, sponsored and delivered directly. Think beyond YouTube and more Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom without the network. Consumers love to be entertained and informed. If you can offer this to them in a way that builds affinity for your brand, and do it cost-effectively, you have a chance to separate your brand from the pack of slow movers.

Do you think Internet TV will finally take off? How long do you think it will take Google and MSN to release their own Internet TV platforms?

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