Google’s Marissa Mayer: Social search is the future
At an event in August, Marissa Mayer, Google’s leading VP in search, said social search hasn’t shown much promise, but if it does, Google would be in a good position to incorporate it. I wrote about that here.
In a recent interview with VentureBeat (see Q&A below), she says she considers social search to be an essential part of the leading search engine in coming years.
She hints Gmail may be used to identify your friends, using… Continue Reading
In vitro fertilization effort gets backing from Google’s Mayer, others
Unfortunately, in vitro fertilization is an expensive and error-prone way for infertile couples to have kids.
Now Gene Security Network, a Portola Valley, Calif., company, claims to have greatly expanded the range and accuracy of embryonic genetic testing — and presumably the odds of having a healthy baby.
It’s one of the first investments we’ve seen from Marissa Mayer, VP in charge of Health and other search products at Google. Sequoia has also invested. See the full… Continue Reading
Gene Security Network aims to bolster IVF genetic tests
(UPDATED: See below.)
Many infertile couples undergoing in-vitro fertilization rely on genetic screening of their fertilized embryos to improve their chances of delivering a healthy baby. But that technique, known as preimplantation genetic screening, has recently taken some hits on the scientific level, with one recent study finding that it not only fails to improve fertility rates, but may actually worsen the odds for older women. (See this WSJ story for details.)
For one thing, the procedure itself,… Continue Reading
Web 2.0 week: IM-email integration trend, Google GPS, Google Ventures, Reality Digital & more
Roundup of a busy week:
Instant messaging and email are merging, Yahoo kicks it off — Yahoo will be integrating IM through its email, Yahoo executive Brad Garlinghouse revealed during the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco. In retrospect, we’re wondering why this trend hasn’t happened earlier.
Email is limiting, providing no way to see whether the person on the other end is present or not (that person may not want to show you they are present,… Continue Reading
Roundup of best Silicon Valley news: YouTube, FON, Ning & more
Catching up:
YouTube is making $7.5 million a month –Everyone has been guessing whether YouTube is profitable, given the high costs it faces hosting all its videos. This guy says YouTube is doing $7.5 million a month in ads, and is profitable.
FON, the company that wants to encourage people to share their WiFi routers, having problems? — The general manager of US division has left. We’re beginning to think this Fon idea my be too clunky to fly…. Continue Reading