InternetGoogle Reinforces Its Russian Front With Ad Company Acquisition (TechWeb)

TechWeb - InformationWeek - The deal to buy ZAO Begun, a Russian contextual advertising service, marks Google's first publicly disclosed acquisition since last October.

Having paused for half a year to digest the 16 companies it acquired in 2007, Google is hungry again. On Friday, Google said that it had reached an agreement with Rambler Media to acquire ZAO Begun, a Russian contextual advertising company, for $140 million. The deal marks Google's first publicly disclosed acquisition since it bought mobile blogging service Jaiku last October. By acquiring Begun, Google aims to provide advertisers with a broader network of sites on which to place ads. "Google is very committed to giving Russian users, advertisers, and partners the best possible service and experience," Mohammad Gawdat, Google's managing director of emerging markets, said in a statement. "This agreement will result in better search results and more relevant advertising for our Russian users and publishers." According to Rambler Media, which acquired a controlling stake in Begun in August 2007, Begun's contextual ad platform includes 35... [ Read more on www.yahoo.com ]

InternetSony Ericsson Sees 97% Drop In Q2 Profits (TechWeb)

TechWeb - InformationWeek - The handset manufacturer sees weak sales in the mid and high-end markets and plans to cut 2,000 jobs.

InternetBusinesses Fail To Harness Full Potential Of Online Communities (TechWeb)

TechWeb - InformationWeek - The Deloitte survey found that businesses use online communities to generate ideas, discover products, and discuss brands, but many fail to draw a critical mass.