http://www.puretalkforum.com Post any findings, questions, problems, etc. related to computers, electronics, or any technology. en Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:29:43 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.puretalkforum.com/images/monkeybatter/misc/rss.jpg http://www.puretalkforum.com http://www.puretalkforum.com/f13/yahoo-switches-over-microsoft-s-bing-7289.html Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:24:04 GMT Yahoo switches over to Microsoft's Bing for searches in US, Canada in challenge to Google
(AP) 02:06:11 PM (ET), Tuesday, August 24, 2010 (SAN FRANCISCO)
Microsoft is now powering the search engine on Yahoo's website in the U.S. and Canada.

Yahoo Inc.'s shift to Microsoft Corp.'s technology is part of a partnership aimed at undercutting Google Inc.'s dominance of the search market. The two companies completed the transition Tuesday, 13 months after announcing their alliance. The shift in other countries will occur in 2011 and 2012.

By leaning on Microsoft's Bing search engine, Yahoo plans to dramatically lower expenses and focus on other products as it tries to snap out of a financial funk that has depressed its stock price. Microsoft tried to take advantage of Yahoo's problems with an unsuccessful takeover bid in 2008.

Now, Microsoft is hoping to get better at understanding people's search requests as it picks up more traffic from Yahoo.


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* I am not a computer expert but considered a novice...
I am not comfortable with this collaboration against Google.
A mistake on Yahoo or Microsoft, both ?
I would say Microsoft.
Yahoo will become a anchor to Bing...Comments @ this time ? * ]]> ash1280 http://www.puretalkforum.com/f13/yahoo-switches-over-microsoft-s-bing-7289.html http://www.puretalkforum.com/f13/delta-launches-ticket-window-facebook-7248.html Thu, 12 Aug 2010 21:00:50 GMT Delta launches 'Ticket Window' on Facebook letting passengers buy tickets directly from site
(AP) 4:33:43 PM (ET), Thursday, August 12, 2010 (ATLANTA)
Delta Air Lines Inc. said Thursday it's launched a new "Ticket Window" on Facebook that will allow passengers to book directly on the social media site.

It's the first time an airline has allowed customers to reserve flights on Facebook, although nearly all major U.S. airlines use Facebook and Twitter to promote sales.

Delta plans to expand the Ticket Window to other sites, including online banner ads from which customers could book directly.

The airline said the move, along with a redesign of its website delta.com earlier this week, is part of an overall effort to interact directly with its customers on the Web.

Big airlines like Delta, the world's largest, have been slower than their discount counterparts in catching the wave of social media. JetBlue and Southwest were the first to use social media for communicating with customers _ dedicating staff to promoting their brands across cyberspace and dealing directly with individual complaints or complements on Twitter.

Delta, which is based in Atlanta, said there's still more changes to come on its website to make it more user-friendly. It's also working to improve the ease of use for its airport kiosks. It plans to launch an iPhone application within the next few weeks that will offer customers the ability to check in for flights, check flight status, review schedules, set a parking reminder, review frequent flier account balance and use electronic boarding passes in select cities.


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* Someone tell me if Facebook is a secured site ?
Putting your credit info (checking account maybe optional but nevertheless) on a busy site is certainly asking for it. * ]]> ash1280 http://www.puretalkforum.com/f13/delta-launches-ticket-window-facebook-7248.html http://www.puretalkforum.com/f13/ny-based-website-takes-wagers-students-7240.html Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:12:04 GMT NY-based website takes wagers from students on their own grades
By OSKAR GARCIA
Associated Press Writer
(AP) 02:20:37 PM (ET), Tuesday, August 10, 2010 (LAS VEGAS)
Think you're going to ace freshman year? Want to put money on that?

A website called Ultrinsic is taking wagers on grades from students at 36 colleges nationwide starting this month.

Just as Las Vegas sports books set odds on football games, Ultrinsic will pay you top dollar for A's, a little less for the more likely outcome of a B average or better, and so on. You can also wager you'll fail a class by buying what Ultrinsic calls "grade insurance."

CEO Steven Wolf insists this is not online gambling, which is technically illegal in the United States, because wagers with Ultrinsic involve skill.

"The students have 100 percent control over it, over how they do. Other people's stuff you bet on _ your own stuff you invest in," Wolf says. "Everything's true about it, I'm just trying to say that the underlying concept is a little bit more than just making a bet _ it's actually an incentive."

Your mother may disagree, however, that it's a smart way to spend money _ never mind that it's legal. And a California gambling law expert says she may be right, once you take into account the factors besides skill that contribute to academic performance.

Here's how Wolf says the website works: A student registers, uploads his or her schedule and gives Ultrinsic access to official school records. The New York-based site then calculates odds based on the student's college history and any information it can dig up on the difficulty of each class, the topic and other factors. The student decides how much to wager up to a cap that starts at $25 and increases with use.

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* I for one is not impress with this shtick. * ]]> ash1280 http://www.puretalkforum.com/f13/ny-based-website-takes-wagers-students-7240.html