Google Enhances Art Viewing

Now you can go to Google.com, download the software, and type in "Prado Museum" in the search engine and view art as never seen before at the museum. With Google Earth technology, it is possible to enjoy magnificent works of art in a way never previously possible, obtaining details that were impossible. The images available on the Internet are 1,400 times clearer than what would be rendered with a 10-megapixel camera.

Spain's Prado Museum has teamed up with Google Earth for a project that allows people to zoom in on the gallery's main works, even on details not easily discernible to the human eye. This is the first of its kind involving an art museum. It involves 14 of the Prado's choicest paintings. The Prado director said there was no better way to pay tribute to the great masters than to universalize knowledge of their works.

Google in the News Again

Google third quarter earnings topped the analyst views. They shook off the economic doldrums and made a third-quarter profit that topped expectations of the analysts. This supported the internet search leader's theory that is advertising system will prosper even in tough times. Their confidence paid off.

The company, based in Mountain View, California, said Thursday that it made $1.35 billion or $4.24 per share. That's pretty good. Their profit rose 26% from $1.07 billion or $3.38 per share at the same time last year.

Google said it would have made $4.92 per share if it excluded costs for employee stock compensation. That figure surpassed the average estimate of $4.75 per share among the analysts polled by Reuters.

Google Wraps up $3.1 Billion DoubleClick Deal

Google has been working on this deal for awhile and they have finally sealed the deal. Google Inc.'s long anticipated acquisition of online ad service DoubleClick is expected to turn the Internet search leader into an even more powerful marketing vehicle that is fueled by better insights about consumers. They are a very powerful company. This deal was completed on Tuesday after nearly a year of regulatory wrangling and also may intensify the pressure on Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. to resolve their stormy courtship so they don't risk further distractions while Google tries to sprint further ahead in the race for internet advertising. They took control of DoubleClick a few hours after Europe's antitrust regulators removed the final stumbling block by approving a deal that was first announced 11 months ago. Without a doubt, when I think of the Internet, I think of Google first and I am sure many people do.

Yahoo CEO on The Hot Seat

Yahoo's Chairman, Terry Semel,had assured securities analysts and money managers that his company would remain the internet's brightest star. That was just before Google Inc. went public nearly three years ago. Since then Google has so nearly eclipsed its rival, that a growing number of Yahoo shareholders believes the company would be better off without Semel. There are about 80 Yahoo stockholders who own a combined 2 million shares in the company. Semel could very well face a chorus of discontent when he takes the stage at Yahoo's annual shareholders meeting today.