Real Time Search
When someone says ‘real-time,’ the first thing that comes to mind may be status updates on Twitter, GPS-capability on your mobile device, or the ability to perform an Internet search and get the information you need immediately – but we’ll be addressing the social networking craze and massive growth in the mobile sector later; when we say real-time, we’re talking about a sensibility.

The advent of the Internet, PDA’s, and Social Networks has revolutionized our lives. No longer are we content to visit the library when we have a question – we consult Google. Just left the theater and loved the movie? Update your Facebook status. Witnessing a riot and want to alert the world? Tweet it.

Amidst all of this real-time sharing, the Big 3 are scrambling to keep up. While real-time search has been integrated by Google and Yahoo/Bing, it’s hard to say what this will look like in a year from now, and if search engines can’t prioritize real-time data without damaging user experience, people will migrate elsewhere in their search for information.

What does this mean for advertisers? Pay attention. People are the new media, and they are sharing information via various online outlets. Throwing up a PPC campaign the way one used to may no longer be enough; advertisers may be forced to capitalize on real-time communication by integrating mobile and social ads into their marketing mix while adjusting the way they approach regular search.

Verizon Wireless customers will soon be able to get their hands on the much anticipated Google Android phone called the Droid. The companies officially unveiled the device at an event here. Like most smartphones of its class, the phone will cost $199 with a two-year contract. And it will be available to consumers starting November 6 09.

The device offers voice-activated search that allows users to speak a query and the Google-powered search engine will deliver Web results or results from the device such as contacts, music, and photos. The voice search also works with the new turn-by-turn directions for Google Maps. It allows users to view geographic information, such as My Maps, Wikipedia entries, and transit lines on the map.

The phone has Android 2.0, a 5-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. It has a Webkit HTML 5 browser, and it's powered by a 550MHz processor and a 1,400mAh lithium ion battery offering 6.4 hours of continuous talk time and up to 11 days of standby time.

And as expected, the device is about 4.6 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by 0.5 inch thick and weighs 6 ounces. And it has a 3.7-inch, 16:9 touch screen with 480x854-pixel resolution. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, a micro-USB port, and comes with a 16GB micro-SD card.