SOMEWHAT FRANK

IceRocket Blog Search Engine Acquired

According to a recent press release Think Partnership, a Northbrook, Illinois based company that offers a number of online search and marketing services, has entered into a letter of intent to acquire the blog search engine IceRocket. IceRocket is a real-time blog search engine funded by Mark Cuban which I have mentioned a number of times previously on Somewhat Frank. A price tag on the deal has not surfaced.

Blake Rhodes, CEO of IceRocket, had this to say about the deal:

"I am thrilled that IceRocket is uniting with Think Partnership, enabling us to connect the huge and growing blogging community to the business opportunities and network provided by Think Partnership, especially Litmus Media's Valid Click network and PrimaryAds' affiliate marketing network."

I am not familiar with all the business and services Think Partnership currently provides so I am curious to find out what it intends to do with IceRocket. According to Scott Mitchell, CEO of Think Partnership, Inc.:

"IceRocket will provide Think Partnership with an innovative platform to help our advertisers leverage the rapidly increasing traffic generated by the popularity of blogs."

I think IceRocket has a lot to offer the blogosphere so hopefully Think Partnership will continue to develop and improve IceRocket with additional features and services.

For additional perspectives on the deal check out ValleyWag and WebProNews.com.

Yahoo Improves Maps & Travel Search

Yahoo had a big day today (April 12, 2006)  unveiling some improvements to its current map beta and to its travel search offering. The mapping improvement adds global satellite imagery to Yahoo Maps offering which is a feature that is currently offered by most of Yahoo's direct competitors with the exception of Ask Maps. This improvement was needed as Yahoo and Google are leading the battle for web 2.o mapping supremacy. To demonstrate the new feature I have included a satellite image (below) of one of my favorite Chicago landmarks.

The travel search improvements appear to two fold. First, Yahoo has integrated links from Yahoo Chasefare, a Yahoo travel search product, which aggregates travel deals (flights and hotels) and maps them on a Yahoo map. Second, the Yahoo Trip Planner which I highlighted previously has had some of its user generated content integrated into the travel section to offer travelers resources to help with travel planning decisions. Does Yahoo plan to mirror this user generated content integration strategy in other search verticals by offering links to Flickr or del.icio.us?

A Podcast Promo Grid Only Seconds Away

If you are looking for some free publicity for your podcast you might want to check out seconds11. With seconds11 you can claim a square on the podcast grid (shown above) and potentially gather referrals. Metrics are collected for each podcast on the grid and the rankings can be found here. For more information check out seconds11's recently launched blog.

Freedom Rings At New Museum

I recently had a chance to get a sneak peak at the newly created McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum which opened to the public today (April 11, 2006). The museum is three stories and offers visitors an interactive experience focused on our first amendment rights which include speech, religion, press, assembly and petition.

The museum is located next to the Tribune Tower and is operated by the McCormick Tribune Foundation. t houses a unique sculpture center piece which I previously wrote about. If you are ever in the city of Chicago you might want to check it out on Michigan Avenue. The Museum admission fee is only $5.00, a dollar for each first amendment freedom, and getting through the museum probably will take you about 45 minutes.

I take my first first amendment rights seriously, especially with my activity in the blogosphere,  so I am glad to see a museum dedicated to them.

For more information visit: FreedomMuseum.us. Also check out my Flickr Freedom Museum photo stream from my recent visit.

Pointing Out Popular Podcasts

Big In Japan, the company behind PodServe, has posted the ten most popular PodServe podcasts. I am always in search of new sources of information so I appreciate the post.

I may have to add these three to iTunes:

• Naked Conversations Discussion
• Daily Tech Show
• Big in Japan Podcast

If you looking for some new podcast content you might want to check out the full list of podcasts by going here.

Wearing Your Dancing Pants? Rent Music!

Last week, TechCrunch published part one of a series researching the top online music download services.

Today, TechCrunch published part two of the series. The article, Subscription Music Services Compared: Part 2, examines a handful of subscription-based online music services searching for the best offering. This is the third posted published under my name on TechCrunch. If you like the article be sure to Digg it here!

In analyzing the online music space, I found there is a huge opportunity for a non-DRM, iPod compatible, subscription-based music service with all the popular hits. Is this what Google is cooking up?

Google Earth Maps Maxim Cover

Last week, Google Earth was reported to be getting into the navigation systems of Volkswagen and Honda vehicles. It appears Google has other partnerships in the works as Google has teamed with Maxim Magazine to help promote the latest issue (100th issue) which displays Eva Longoria.

Google has superimposing the cover in the Vegas desert on the latest version of the Google Earth software helping to promote Maxim. I find this to be an interesting partnership by Google. Does this mean that Google will be selling other parts of Google? If I was a betting man I would say, of course it does.   I  wonder how much the state of California costs?

UPDATE: Google may not have had anything to do with Google Earth mapping this Maxim cover after all! It appears Maxim created an overlay file for visitors to add to Google Earth. Thanks to Carlos Pero for doing  some additional investigation that helped bring you this update.

Where Do You Listen to Podcasts?

According to a recent Forrester report only 1 percent of online households use podcasts. 1 percent! I am proud to be part of that single percent. I usually listen on the daily work commute on the crowded elevated train where I need two keep my hands free to hold on.

I would love to find out where the rest of the percent are listening. Is it in a car? On a boat? On a train? Working out? Where do you listen to podcasts?

BuzzShout Out Your Web 2.0 Feelings

BuzzShout, an online listing and repository of reviews of the hottest new companies, has launched in beta allowing users to contribute their feelings on news web offerings. I think it is an good idea however, I find it ironic that the success of BuzzShout hinges on user contributions.

If you have any strong positive or negative feelings about a web 2.0 company be sure to voice them on BuzzShout.

Feel Like Dancing? Let's Buy Some Music

If you are interested in buying some music online you might want to read part one of a two part series called Let's Buy Some Music - Part 1 posted on TechCrunch. The post compares 8 of the online music services in search of the best service to download music to play, burn and share. It is the second post I've written for TechCrunch. If you like the post be sure to digg it here.

Google Earth For Live Driving Directions?

Honda is going to start adding Google Earth to its navigation system to cars in Japan. This should allow users to see satellite images integrated into their car navigation system as they drive. However, Honda is not the only one interested in Google Earth. Volkswagen has also been working with Google to incorporate similar Google Earth features into its navigation system.

Autoblog has some pretty amazing images of what the interface will look like (like the image above). I assume the Honda Google Earth implementation will produce a similar interface.

Dave Matthews Band Jams on iTunes

Dave Matthews Band, one of my favorite bands of all-time, has finally decided to place its music on Apple's iTunes music store. Dave Matthews Band rose to prominence in a "grassroots" fashion and therefore was in a position to ontrol the rights to all of its music. You could not previously purchase an individual Dave Matthews Band track on iTunes. I am pleased to now be able to use the service to back-fill some of my collection which is CD based and contains several home burned live recordings from the early 1990's.

*DMB Firedancer image thanks to Chris Petescia via AmIDreaming.org

Apartments.com Moves Into Blogosphere

Apartments.com, a vertical owned by Classified Ventures, recently launched the first corporate blog in the history of the company to coincide with the Apartments.com Room to Move Contest. The contest offers anyone 21 to 30 who still is living at home or with relatives to tell their story and potentially win $20,000+ in cash and prizes. 

I am excited about the project because it was spurred on by a two hour blogging presentation I made to the product development team about a month a go. As a result, I set up the Six Apart Typepad blog with the help of a few design and production resources and as you can see I made the first post but I have handed the reins over to the talented Lisa D. who is having a blast gathering and creating posts like this one calling the day Smurfy. Lisa has been a fast learner and is excited about blogging. She is doing a great job. She had this to say:

"Believe it or not, I knew nothing about blogging until Frank Gruber (of Somewhat Frank) showed me.  Hopefully this will generate a fantastic response for our contest, early results show that we're already ahead of last year's trend."

This is my hope as well. The contest blog is another wonderful example of a unique business blogging implementation. Also, be sure to check it out for yourself here: Apartments.com Room to Move Contest Blog.

Ballbug Tracks Baseball's Happenings Real-time

I am a pretty heavy blogger therefore I have been using a news aggregator called memeorandum for quite sometime, to stay connected with the top stories of the day. Memeorandum recently has grown to offer Ballbug, which tracks the latest baseball happenings. Check out this post on Somewhat Frank to find out more.

(via Ballpark Frank which I have shut down)

Ballbug: Just In Time For Opening Day

With opening day of the 2006 Major League Baseball season today for most teams, Gabe Rivera launched Ballbug which tracks the latest baseball stories, blog posts and happenings. Being a huge baseball fan, Ballbug just made my life easier.

The launch adds yet another memeorandum vertical to Gabe's line of aggregators and Mike Arrington of TechCrunch wonders which vertical will Gabe tackle next. What will it be tracking ...  Health? Fashion? Travel? College sports?