Sanders Media

Google’s dominance in the search engine market is well documented. However, there are quality alternatives. Here are a few.

1. Bing: This is Microsoft’s long anticipated Google rival. After their previous search engine attempt, Live, did nothing to dent Google’s market dominance, they tried again with Bing. The early results are promising. Bing has some great features that will surely steer some users it’s way. Take a tour of Bing here.
2. WolframAlpha: This is mainly a computational search engine. In fact, WolframAlpha calls itself a computational knowledge engine. For instance, enter the name of your city, and  you’ll find several bits of data. You can do the same with your birth date. It is a very useful source of raw data. It can even do calculus.
3. Yahoo: This has been around the longest among Google competitors. In fact, Yahoo once dominated the search market. Fantasy Sports, Shopping and Weather are among the useful services you can find here. Yahoo continues to try new things to make up ground on Google, so new features are surely coming.
4. Ask.com: This site was originally known as AskJeeves.com. They have added functionality that includes standard search functions. Ask.com is a good source for How-To’s and research information.

Of course, I’m leaving out a few others. Feel free to email me with your suggestions. Google is still the leader, and doesn’t appear to be letting up. However, there may come a time that you want to try something new. These are a good start.

In this tenuous economy, PR and marketing take on even greater importance. For me, the computer industry is interesting to watch. Most PC makers have slashed the cost of owning a new computer. There is one exception; Apple.

They have always tended to shy away from pricing wars, instead banking on the quality of their product. This has given way for the other PC companies to cry foul at the expense of owning a Mac. Steve Ballmer, CEO at Microsoft, is one of Apple’s chief critics. Here are some of his recent comments:

“Paying an extra $500 for a computer in this environment—same piece of hardware—paying $500 more to get a logo on it? I think that’s a more challenging proposition for the average person than it used to be.”

I find several flaws with the Mac-Is-More-Expensive argument. I’ll highlight two. First, look at the total cost of ownership. Macs break down far less. Also, since the hardware stays relevant longer, people spend less on upgrades. Second, Macs are generally more secure. Now I won’t say they are impervious. Far from it, in fact. However, most spyware, malware and viruses are built for Windows. You can read a more complete debunking of this myth here.

I am not here to convert anyone to a Mac. Your choice in computers is a personal one. I just have a problem with misinformation. If people have the truth, they are better able to make wise choices. When buying a computer, that can be a PC or a Mac.

I am an avid gamer. I started out with the original Sega Master System, and I am currently using the XBOX 360. Years ago, I never could have imagined where gaming would be today. With broadband internet now the norm, the Internet has entered our lives outside of the computer. 

Microsoft recently updated the XBOX 360 operating system and it’s internet service, XBOX Live. With this update comes the ability to stream content from your Netflix account. My XBOX 360 is no longer merely a gaming device. While you could download content before, it’s never been as easy as it is now. I watched three straight episodes of The Office without leaving my living room.

The Internet is getting more powerful all the time. It is truly amazing to see how lives can be transformed by being connected. I am excited by existing technology, and I am enthusiastic about the innovation to come.