Tag Archives: online industry news

The case between Google and Oracle has centered around Google's use of lines of code that were originally written for Oracle. Google used the code to develop the Android operating system and has argued that it is not a violation of Oracle's copyright because the code, which allows for communication between devices and software, was available for fair use. In other words, Google claimed they were just innovating on top of existing technology, not attempting to make a profit off of anything Oracle created. Oracle, on the other hand, claimed to have the sole right to use that code and said that Google's use of it without permission violated their rights.

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Are you an impulse buyer? If so, you know how it feels to see a new product that immediately grabs your attention. You may just see one ad or spot the item in person, while walking around the store, and know that you have to have it. For some, impulse buys are reserved for small items that they can afford to regret. For others, price is no object, as they will buy anything that they want and trust their instincts. Either way, there's one thing that is true about these consumers: They're in the minority. Studies have found -- as you likely suspected if you're not an impulse buyer yourself -- that the majority of consumers will take the time to do their research in advance of almost any purchase.

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Throughout human history, technology has changed slowly. If you were able to take a person from 1000 A.D. and put them into 1200 A.D., they'd be fine. They'd recognize everything and feel that the world was similar to the one they'd left. If you took a person from 1821 and put them in 2021, though, it would be chaotic. They wouldn't recognize anything. They'd have no idea what a computer was -- much less a smartphone -- and they'd assume the world was far larger than it really is. Medicine, transportation, communication -- all versions of technology would be staggeringly different.

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Targeted ads are everywhere. Do one Google search for a new guitar, and all you see are guitar ads for the next few weeks. It may not even matter if you bought the guitar. Your browsing history allows Google to create targeted ads specifically for you, based on your searches and interests. If you've accepted that this is how it works and how it will always work, you may be stunned to learn that Google has said it will stop the practice. As has been noted, this is being done even though targeted ads are a core part of the search giant's business model. This move could change online advertising forever.

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When Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in his garage in 1994, thanks in large part to a quarter of a million dollars from his parents, he had no idea how huge it would get. In the decades to come, Amazon single-handedly changed the way people shop. It expanded from being just a bookseller to moving all manner of products. Most recently, it has even shifted into digital products, publishing companies, television and movie studios, and much more. Amazon is one of the most highly-trafficked websites in the world and Bezos has become one of the richest men on the planet as a result.

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