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Ask.com expands network capability with eco-friendly data center

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Ask.comAsk.com today announced that it will house a new data center in Moses Lake, located in Eastern Washington. The eco-friendly server facility will enable Ask.com to support its growing query volume and provide additional computing power for processor-intensive search services, including the new Ask3D. Ask3D combines rich media like images, video and music as well as traditional web links on a single search results page, helping people find what they are looking for faster.

With the new facility, Ask.com will provide an enhanced search experience for users, while furthering its commitment to environmental responsibility. The data center will be located within the TITAN complex, an efficient, highly secure data storage and telecommunications hub. The TITAN facility has zero carbon emissions, and it utilizes renewable hydropower and a low-energy cooling design.

Originally posted on July 11, 2007 @ 8:55 am

GolfLink.com acquires GolfSpan.com

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golfspan.jpgGolfLink.com, the leading online golf information resource, announced its acquisition of GolfSpan.com and its existing video library to build out its site that now includes more than 1,400 exclusive instructional golf tips and videos. The videos feature some of the world’s top 25 instructors, including Jim McLean, Hank Haney, Jimmy Ballard and Chuck Cook. GolfSpan’s featured video instructors have taught hundreds of tour professionals, many who have won on tour, including all four major championships.

“GolfLink’s acquisition of GolfSpan and the newly redesigned site offer the golfing community a uniquely specialized experience with exclusive content, robust information and the specialized tools unlike any other place on the web to serve golf enthusiasts everywhere,” said Doug Colbeck, co-founder and GM of GolfLink’s parent company, Hillclimb Media. “With more than 1,400 tips and videos, GolfLink will continue to be the leading resource on the web for people looking to enhance their skills – from beginners to avid golfers – by continuing to provide the same quality and personalized instruction from the world’s best instructors in a manner that is simple, easy-to-understand and accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

GolfLink currently has more than 100,000 registered members and is the third most popular golf site behind PGAtour.com and Golf.com, respectively, according to comScore’s Media Metrix.

Originally posted on July 12, 2007 @ 8:09 am

Zappos.com acquires 6pm.com

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zappos_6pm.jpgZappos.com, Inc., a pioneer and leader in the online retail shoe industry, announced the signing of a definitive agreement to purchase the assets of 6pm.com from Denver, Colorado-based eBags, Inc.

“We recognize there are a variety of different types of consumers out there. Through Zappos.com and 6pm.com, we want to provide them with the online shopping experience that reflects their unique needs,” says Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com. “6pm.com has done a terrific job attracting a significant customer base. We recognize that success and plan to continue to operate 6pm.com as a separate website.”

“6pm.com quadrupled in size during the three years we owned the website,” says Jon Nordmark, CEO and co-founder of eBags.com. “We feel confident in our decision to sell 6pm.com to an outstanding company like Zappos.com, as this move will allow eBags to concentrate our energy towards continuing to be the Internet’s premier luggage and handbag e-tailer.”

Originally posted on July 11, 2007 @ 1:00 pm

Widgetbox announces in-widget advertising solution

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WidgetboxWidgetbox, the marketplace for web widgets, today announced a unique solution designed to automatically insert third-party paid advertising into sponsored-content widgets. The sponsored-content widgets, typically from publishers, then use the Widgetbox Network to broadcast these widgets, with advertising, to thousands of registered domains. Because the widgets can easily spread virally across the web, in-widget advertising can be widely propagated beyond the boundaries of both the original publisher’s site and the network domains.

“What we are seeing here is the emergence of a new, powerful Internet advertising media with the same defined characteristics as traditional media: editorial and advertising combined together in a format that can be easily broadcast to a wide network of targeted recipients,” said Ed Anuff, co-founder and CEO of Widgetbox. “This is the first step in the emergence of a potentially very large in-widget advertising market.”

In a related announcement, Forbes.com unveiled a set of new content widgets sponsored by Visa Small Business. These widgets, featuring topical editorial content from Forbes.com, can be placed on any blog, website or social network profile with one click.

“Widgets clearly embody the Forbes.com philosophy that our users should be able to choose where, when and how they consume our content,” said Jim Spanfeller, President and CEO, Forbes.com. “Visa Small Business is the perfect launch sponsor, as small business owners are especially time constrained and can benefit from being able to designate their own access points to critical news and information every day.”

Originally posted on July 11, 2007 @ 9:30 am

Zillow.com expands real estate community to the neighborhood

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zillow.jpgReal estate web site Zillow.com today added a number of new community features, opening up the site even further to user contributions. Chief among these additions are individual neighborhood pages in more than 130 U.S. cities (more than 6,500 neighborhoods in all). The pages are seeded with rich local demographic and real estate information, but are built for communities and neighbors to make their own. Anyone within a community has the ability to add photos, events, local news, engage in discussions and ask or answer questions about neighborhood real estate.

“Adding the ability for neighbors to meet, share information and learn about their local neighborhood is a natural next step for Zillow. We started with individual Web pages and Home Q&A for more than 70 million homes, and today we’re bringing the conversation out to the neighborhood level,” said Lloyd Frink, Zillow president. “In the offline world, conversations happen all the time around homes, neighborhoods and communities. With these additions, we’re adding the data, tools and a platform for these conversations to thrive online – and help people become smarter about real estate, for free, in the process.”

Originally posted on July 11, 2007 @ 8:30 am

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