It's Tuesday once again, readers, and time for the bigmouthmedia newsletter to bring some sunshine to your winter days. And, despite the snow seen in the UK this week, we've managed to bring you the best of an action-packed week in search as our favourite search engines gear up for 2008.
The week's biggest news, of course, is the launch of Wikia Search, a new search engine from Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales. Though previously touted by Wales as a potential rival to Google, Wikia Search has met with many critics in its first 24 hours of existence - although, as our bigmouthmedia article reveals, it's not all justified.
Google's current main competitors, however, have had a busy week too, with Yahoo! opening up its Go mobile software to third-party developers and the new voice-activated mobile service from Ask.com. In fact, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas yesterday, Yahoo! announced its new intention to become 'indispensable' to web users in years to come.
On the other hand, news that Google is developing TVs to display internet content, such as photos and videos, has taken the social media world by storm. Whether or not this technology will eventually be made available in China, however - where Chinese authorities have cracked down on online audio-visual content - is another matter!
Bebo was revealed as the top social networking site by Computer Which? Magazine last week, but we also saw the closure of Yahoo! Picks, a 12-year old site that helped users find the highlights of the internet well before the dawn of Web 2.0.
And as security firms warn that net criminals are most likely to target social networking sites in 2008, it's clear that the world at large has truly caught onto the social media bug.
So immerse yourself in our articles, newsletter fans, and let bigmouthmedia take you on a journey through this week's best news...
Yahoo! reaffirms goal to become "indispensable" internet starting point
Yahoo! has reiterated its goal to become the "internet's indispensable starting point".
More than $29bn spent online over festive season
More than $29 billion was spent online over the period from November 1st to December 31st, it has been revealed.
Google developing TVs that display web content
Search engine provider Google has teamed up with Panasonic to develop televisions that display internet content, it has been announced.
Wikia Search, the new human-powered search engine, goes live
Wikia Search - the much vaunted human-powered search engine and competitor to Google - has gone live.
Yahoo! to open up mobile software
In a bid to compete with rival firms such as Google, search engine provider Yahoo! is set to announce that it will open up some of its mobile software and services to external programmers and publishers.
Charity search engine Everyclick.com hoping to increase success
Everyclick.com, a UK-based search engine that raises money for charities each time a user conducts a query, is hoping to significantly increase the amount of money it generates over 2008, the Guardian reports.
Bebo named as top social networking site
Social networking site Bebo has been named as the top-performing website of its kind in a new report.
Ask.com launches Click to Speak
Search engine Ask.com has announced it has introduced free voice-activated capabilities to its Mobile Directions service.
China cracks down on audio-visual content
The Chinese government has announced it is to restrict the broadcasting of internet videos to those run by state-controlled companies.
Net criminals to target social networking sites in 2008
Cyber criminals are set to target social networking sites over the coming year, security firms have warned.
Yahoo! Picks shuts down
More than a decade after its launch, the Yahoo! Picks website has been shut down, it has been announced.
Wikia Search on its way at last
On January 7th 2008, Wikia Search, the newest search engine in town, will be publically revealed
2007 'saw high-tech crime become firmly entrenched'
Cyber criminals are becoming increasingly advanced and 2007 was the year that hi-tech crime became firmly established and entrenched, an expert has said.
