Monthly Archive for September, 2008

Large Google PageRank Update (September 2008)

We just noticed that another large PageRank and backlinks update taking place in the Google Toolbar. It has been just over 2 months since last PageRank update. We’ve found that many google competitors’ websites PageRank increased quit a lot, including: cuil.com, fireeagle.yahoo.net, delicious.com, maps.live.com and many others.

Google uses PageRank to identify the importance of web pages. Although there are more than a hundred parameters affecting google search results, PageRank is still one of the most critical factors.

Enterprise Collaboration - Cisco Acquired Jabber

Cisco just announced that it acquired an open-source IM protocol, Jabber. Cisco will use this new weapon to fight in the enterprise collaboration market, which is currently dominated by Microsoft Office Communications, AOL AIM, and Google Talk.

Enterprise Instant messaging (IM) plateforms need to be integrated with their business process and existed operation system. In such a way, the communication between people will be improved.

Wired Microsoft PR Continues: Bill Gates / Jerry Seinfeld #2

There is a fundermental rule about advertising - you have to highlight your product in the ads. But, the new Microsoft PR story, which aired tonight, didn’t even mention the brand or any of their products.

I believe that they are trying to send out a message to explain how they have connected with over a billion people. However, the whole ads just make me feel that they should’ve/could’ve/would’ve connected with real people but they didn’t.

Here is the long uncut version:

Best Places to Launch Your Web2.0 Startups

Are you looking for a place to ……..

  • Get your startup founded and get the snowball rolling;
  • Get yourself a mentor who will see your business from a different perspective;
  • Get significant media attention (VCs, fellow entrepreneurs and press).

TechCrunch50 (once a year)

  1. Number of applicants: 1000+ groups.
  2. Number of accepted groups: 50+.
  3. Founding: ?.

DEMO (3 times a year)

  1. Number of applicants: 1000+ groups.
  2. Number of accepted groups: 70+.
  3. Founding: ?.

Y Combinator (twice a year)

  1. Number of applicants: ?.
  2. Number of accepted groups: 20.
  3. Founding: $5000 + $5000n, where n is the number of participating founders (i.e. 2 founders get $15,000, 3 get $20,000).

SeedCamp (once a year)

  1. Number of applicants: 400+ groups.
  2. Number of accepted groups: 5.
  3. Founding: Up to EURO 50,000.

TechStars (once a year)

  1. Number of applicants: 300+ groups.
  2. Number of accepted groups: 10.
  3. Founding: Up to $15,000.

Google Chrome VS. FireFox 3, IE 8, Safari 3

Google Chrome Beta, was released on September 2, 2008, focuses on applications rather than web pages.

  • Strength - It is fast, secure and multi-processing structured.
  • Performance - Chrome uses V8 JavaScript engine to generate javascript code dynamically and hide class transitions automatically. It also uses multi-processing architecture, which allows the browser to shut down a single Tab or a plugin wherever problem occurs but to keep the whole browser alive.
  • Security - Chrome warns users when they attempt to visit a harmful website based on google’s phishing and malware blacklists, which is being updated periodically.
  • Usability - The Tabs are placed at the top of the window in order to make the navigation faster and smoother. Additionally, Chrome displays 9 most visited web sites and sites most often searched on the home page. This concept was first introduced with Opera’s Speed Dail.

IE8 Beta, released on March 5, 2008, was targeted for web developers and designers. It behaves significantly diffent compared to IE7 and IE6.

  • Strength - It is the default browser in Windows
  • Security - InPrivate, allows IE8 not to save searching and browsing history, cookies and form data. In another word, it clears the browser cache by default.
  • Usability - Search Suggestions, Web Slices, Tab Color Grouping
  • Performance - Accelerators, Automatic Crash Recovery

Firefox 3 final version was released on June 17, 2008 after 8 alpha, 5 beta and 3 release candidates.

  • Strength - Thousands of add-ons, themes and the community of developers / designers behind it.
  • Usability - The download manager and bookmark storing system are redesigned, and they looks easy to use. Also, it separates the themes for Mac, Linux and windows, and that means users will have a more native look and feel on different operation systems.
  • Performance - It employs Gecko 1.9 to enhance the existing layout engine. It passes Acid2 test and gets better results on the Acid3 test compared to Firefox 2. Basically, it means that Firefox 3 is more CSS and javascript friendly.

Safari 3 final release of the Windows version was offered on March 18, 2008.

  • Strength - It is the default browser in Mac, and it has an elegant interface.
  • Performance - It supports for CSS Web fonts and animations and improves support for SVG and HTML 5 media. Performance improvements.
  • Usability - As-you-type text search, Quartz-style font-smoothing

Performance Comparison:
Average page loading time (Bizroof Application) :

  • IE 8: 1.2 seconds
  • FF3 1.1 seconds
  • Safari 1.0 seconds
  • Chrome: 0.6 seconds

Acid3 Scores:

  • IE 8: 17/100
  • FF3: 70/100
  • Safar: 73/100
  • Chrome: 74/100