Marketing Pilgrim

Yahoo may have had Ellen and Tom Cruise, but Google trumped that with a cameo appearance from funny-man Robin Williams.

As expected, Google announced Google Video and Google Pack at today’s CES keynote. Engadget has a play-by-play recap of the Larry Page’s presentation, including the skit with Williams…

“Another thing we want to announce. It’s always been a dream of Sergey’s to have Google implanted into your brain, and we’ve got someone to demo that …”

Robin Williams boots up midstage and does the funniest act he’s done in years of a Web-connected human constantly disrupted by porn spam. We can’t do it justice except to quote, “Larry, do you realize you sound like Mister Rogers?”

Danny notes two new software products included in Google Pack..

Yahoo officially launches Yahoo Go.

Introducing Yahoo! Go – a new suite of products and services for your PC, mobile phone and even your TV.

So wherever you go, your photos, your music, your email, – your life – is right there with you. Ready to go.

Here’s a link to the “About Google Pack” page. Looks like you at least get something extra with Google Pack.

The version of Norton Antivirus in the Google Pack includes 6 months of protection updates that enable the program to identify and remove new threats. If you’d like to continue receiving these updates after 6 months, you’ll need to purchase an update subscription from Symantec. Purchasing a subscription is optional.

There’s also a Google Updater to keep your software nice and fresh.

Via SEW.

Well kind of live. Engadget is “Barry Schwartzing”* Terry Semel’s keynote speach. Not a live stream, but better than nothing.

* Barry Schwartzing – def – to blog a conference session as it happens.

I’ve been giving Google Pack some thought. Could the initial goal of making Google Pack available for download, not be the ultimate goal?

Earlier this week, we heard rumors that Google may announce a Google PC, that turned out to be untrue, with Google stating…

“…we have a number of PC partners who serve their markets exceedingly well and we see no need to enter this market; we would rather partner with great companies.”

Maybe this quote, and the initial rumor, are indicators of what Google may ultimately have planned for Google Pack. My guess is that Google may aim to encourage its “PC partners” to start offering Google Pack pre-installed on your next computer. Either running alongside typical Microsoft offerings or totally replacing them.

From the press release…

Intel Corporation and Google today announced plans to work together in bringing Google Video to the new Intel® Viiv™ technology platform. This planned collaboration is intended to give consumers an easy way to search, manage, and consume the huge amount of video information available on the Internet from the comfort of their couch.

“Google looks forward to working with Intel to bring Google Video to consumers who use the new Intel Viiv platform,” said Susan Wojcicki, vice president for product management at Google. “Both companies believe open standards are critical to provide rapid growth in digital entertainment. Our goal is to work closely with Intel to make Google Video content available on new digital devices in the home.”

By now, you should know that blogs tend to do very well in the search engine results. InternetRetailer reports that Ice.com is seeing great success with their search marketing efforts, thanks to their blogs.

Weblogs it has created as an information service for consumers have become a “blessing in disguise� in improving Ice.com’s search engine marketing efforts, executive vice president of marketing Pinny Gniwisch tells InternetRetailer.com.

“Through our blogs we’ve seen our keyword rankings go up,� he says. “That was not part of our plan for the blogs—we wanted them as a service to customers—but it happened. It was a blessing in disguise.�

Company blog anyone?