Google Makes Their Mark on Cell Phones

Google Inc. has begun offering yet another new service, "Google Maps for Mobile." This new technology allows cell phone users to retrieve highway traffic data and is currently offered in 30+ larger metropolitan areas throughout the United States. Mobile phone users that have an activated Web Browser are able to choose a destination available from Google Maps. In turn, Google Maps calculates and displays the route with detailed directions and real-time traffic information for that area. The color key for highway conditions is as follows; Red areas indicate congestion, yellow/orange areas reflect slowdowns, and green indicates clear travel with no expected tie-ups.

Other features of this service include bird's eye view images of your selected destination, drag and zoom features that allow you to manipulate the map, and area business location and contact information. The free service can be accessed and downloaded via your cell phone's Web Browser at http://google.com/gmm.

 

Lawsuit over Google Remains

On Thursday, July 27th, 2006, an Arkansas judge granted final approval for the class action case brought about by Lane's Gifts and Collectibles filed in February 2005. Advertisers alleged that Google let third parties drive up their advertising fees by committing "click fraud." Having made no changes to the suit, Judge Joe Griffin lets it stand that Google will have to pay out online credits to customers as well as legal fees. Google has also agreed to put forth more effort in protecting its AdWords customers.

The accusation of not protecting customers against "click fraud" when using keyword advertising services, has also happened to Google's rival, Yahoo Inc. A preliminary settlement took place in June for them on a separate lawsuit. Click fraud can be summed up as a third party (person or automated program) clicking multiple times on an online ad with the intentions of raising the costs for that particular advertiser.

To aid its customers from "click fraud," Google Inc. announced a new AdWords feature. Advertisers using AdWords will be able to see more detailed data regarding invalid click activity when logged into their accounts. Reported fraudulent clicks are filtered in real time thus never resulting in a debit, or charge, to their advertising account.

SAMSA can assist you with setting up a Google AdWords account. Full management of your Google AdWords account by SAMSA's Internet department is also available.

 

The Importance of Backing Up Your Data

We don't always realize how much of our work is stored on our computer or think about what would happen if our information was lost. We don't generally consider the questions, "What if we turn our computer on and an important computer program or application isn't functioning? What if a catastrophic problem results in emails not arriving to their destination?" Having jam-packed days, we go through our normal routine of saving documents and programs to our hard drive and/or a removable saving device occasionally, but that is the typical extent.

We have all experienced the loss of something important that we had been working on and were so proud of, if only we had backed it up before the office network crashed! Designing a back-up plan that is most appropriate to your business, based on a variety of criteria, is a must-do. The rule of thumb is to back up all important documents, files, software, programs, and other applications. There are a variety of devices for doing so, such as floppy disk, CD, or via removable USB mass storage device.

It's also important to take into consideration the components that make up your website. Whether you maintain it or rely on a professional organization such as SAMSA, it's crucial to know how much, if any, and what, is backed up in case of unforeseeable troubles. The list can be long or short, depending on how much data you consider crucial to your everyday operations. Possible items for back-up include web pages, graphics, audio and video files, configuration files, databases, and procedures that describe the how-to's and list settings for the items that keep your site running.

There are some back-up options that stand out greatest for backing up websites, including the idea to develop your site offline and upload it to the host. In this case, web site data can be saved on an additional hard drive or other removable storage device. The second option is to develop your site on the host's computer and download it to yours, where you can then save data.

Regardless what kind of data you are backing up, the frequency in which it must be done depends on the frequency you change it. You may choose to do backing up for certain documents daily, or other data that is manipulated less, monthly. It's also important to periodically check your backed-up data, to ensure it works properly.

Servers and networks are also important to think about when backing up your data. In case of fire, flood, electricity problems, or property destruction, amongst others, it's important to have an off-site storage location. Check out the Remote Network Backup service SAMSA offers to see how they can help you back-up your network.

 

Maps, a New Craze of Web Site Content

At one time, not that long ago, not too many people thought that maps used on websites would be considered content, let alone be a successful technique. Thanks to the success of Google Inc.'s Google Maps, this new craze of taking what is already successful (Google Maps) and making it unique and "one step up" has begun. A couple of sites that have incorporated this new craze have already gained popularity. From a gasoline site that utilizes Google Maps to show where the cheapest stations are by zip code, to a housing site that utilizes Google Maps to help users get a visualization of the area in which houses and apartments are for sale or rent around the United States, the number of maps on web pages is growing.

The craze of using Google and Yahoo's APIs (Application Program Interfaces) to add mapping to web applications and sites is still in its early stages. There are so many undiscovered and unlimited amounts of ideas for incorporating maps to sites that the opportunity for success when using it appropriately on your site is very real.

How are maps considered excellent content? Because they are unique, fresh, and original, exactly what search engines love and what helps to make your site stand out above competitors. You can get the tools needed to build a customized map at www.MapBuilder.net. It is simple to use and you don't need to have a deep understanding of Yahoo/Google Maps API or JavaScript to build and design a map of your own.

See how else SAMSA can help you with your Web Design and Development and Content needs.

 

Google Inc. Prepares to Build in Michigan

California based Google, Inc. plans to open a facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the near future. State Governor, Jennifer Granholm, believes that the new facility which will employ 1,000 people within its first five years will help keep its young, technology savvy college graduates in the state. The project is also expected to help the state emerge from its present economical state and bring about just as many indirect jobs as direct ones.

The facility is being opened to help run Google's booming advertising services. A sales center office will be opened for Google Adwords in which employees will handle the pay-per-click service that is ever popular with Google users. Having already posted job openings for the new Ann Arbor location on its company web site, Google plans to have its new facility project up and running this coming fall.

Google, Inc. chose Ann Arbor because of the exquisite talent found in the area. Because Google, Inc. looks strongly at the raw talents of potential employees, they have high hopes in coming to the town that is home to the prestigious University of Michigan and other high-tech businesses. Google, Inc. presently has a small sales office in the city of Southfield.

Co-founder of Google, Inc., Larry Page, is an East Lansing native and graduate of the University of Michigan.

 

A New Method of Phishing Schemes

With the growth in VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, a new phishing trend has followed. Still coming in the form of an email, (most notably claiming to be the victim's banking establishment) the victim is prompted to call a customer support phone number instead of clicking on a link to a look-alike site. Most people associate calling a telephone phone number as being more secure than clicking a link to a website. This false sense of security has encouraged phishers to use this method since it has great potential for victimizing a large number of people.

Using the latest low-cost and hard to trace VoIP technologies, the criminal makes his or her move. When the victim dials the local or more specific "800" number, the VoIP provider is transferred to a VoIP server on the Internet. Here, an Interactive Voice Response System will prompt the victim to use buttons to answer some general questions and then to provide personal information. Afterwards, the victim may be put on hold "until an operator becomes free." When no one comes, the victim generally becomes frustrated and hangs up, forgetting they have just provided highly personal information. In some instances, a person will speak with you and inform you about problems or the closing of an account if you don't respond with the information they need to "ensure that doesn't happen." Either way, the criminal has collected their information and the caller has become a victim of identity theft.

To help protect yourself from this type of scam:

• Treat all unsolicited emails or calls with skepticism
  
• Call the establishment you are in question about, stating that you received an email and are inquiring.
  
• Before making a phone call, investigate unfamiliar area codes to avoid being charged an international or long distance fee for what you thought was toll free.
  
• Check the establishment's Web Site and your statements or other information to match phone numbers against those in the email.
  
• ALWAYS report suspicious email to the FBI, Federal Trade Commission, or Anti-Phishing Working Group (all can be contacted via their individual Web Sites) to help put a stop to these scams.