Internet search giant Google, quiet since going public in August, introduced a feature Wednesday that lets users search through pages of books online.

Google is taking aim at online retailer Amazon.com, which offers similar technology on its e-commerce site and which recently invaded Google's turf by launching a rival search engine, A9.

Google is offering the print.google.com service to publishers for free. They can send their books to Google's offices in California, where staffers will scan specific pages and place them into the index. Google profits by adding its text-based advertising on the new book pages. For example, a search for books on rock climbing features ads for rock-climbing gear.

View: Google Print
News source: USAToday


Cont...

At present the new venture is being called "Exclaim," but this is apparently only a temporary name and is likely to be replaced before the firm starts trading. Cousens is joined in the new venture by Europlay Capital Advisers, the Los Angeles based firm which is headed by industry veterans Sean Brennan and Mark Dyne and has advised on a number of major industry deals in recent years.

It's expected that along with the Cheltenham and Manchester studios - accounting for some 160 employees - "Exclaim" will also take possession of several of Acclaim's products in development, including Interview with a Made Man and Heist.




There are 8 additional comments
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Quote this comment Reply to this comment #1 Posted by KTamas on 07 Oct 2004 - 13:49
hmmm....interesting idea.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #2 Posted by greg098 on 07 Oct 2004 - 14:29
*yawn*
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #3 Posted by Ashl on 07 Oct 2004 - 15:32
How do you actually use it out of interest?????
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #4 Posted by teste on 07 Oct 2004 - 15:57
according to the blurb on the print.google.com page
QUOTE
Finding books is easy. Just do your usual searches on Google and whenever a book contains content that matches your search terms, we'll show that book in your search results.


Although i've not found any thus far (maybe the feature is not fully turned on yet until google finishes the press junket they are having in germany today), it looks promising...

interesting fact on their info page however
QUOTE
Does Google keep track of the pages I'm viewing?

In order to enforce content viewing limits, we must keep track of page views by users. We do not associate any of your searches, or the specific pages you view, with personally identifiable information about you, such as your name or address. We're only concerned with the number of pages you've viewed in the particular book you're looking at. As always, we strongly encourage you to read our Privacy Policy (and everyone else's) to be fully informed about how your confidentiality is protected.


and this
QUOTE
What can I do with books that I find?

Well, you can browse a few pages, learn more about the topics explored by the book, buy it, or commit a selection to memory. To further protect your book content, printing and image copying functions are disabled on all Google Print content pages.


interesting don't you think ?
Quote this comment #4.1 Posted by Jstphish on 07 Oct 2004 - 21:54
Search for Origin of Species and you get this. I just happened to *know* they would have that. Funny thing is, I can't find the Bible on it yet and that is the best selling book of all time.
(2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #5 Posted by Jstphish on 07 Oct 2004 - 21:59
This really isn't any better than Amazon's book viewer. It only lets you read the first couple of pages. I'm not saying this is bad just not as good as everyone thinks it is. Of course, unless they are able to publish the entire book by authors consent. Then it would be better than amazon's.
Quote this comment #5.1 Posted by phire_nuk3r on 08 Oct 2004 - 03:45
Its not the first couple of pages, it shows 2 pages before and 2 pages after the page with the search term you searched for.
Quote this comment #5.2 Posted by Jstphish on 08 Oct 2004 - 15:00
Ahhh, now it makes sense. Thanks for the info.
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