Not home early enough to read a bedtime story to your kids?

Microsoft has launched a neat online interactive storytelling application on Windows Live Messenger in conjunction with Chorion, the entertainment company, to allow parents to read stories to their children remotely from another location.

“Time for a Story” is a free animated application and lets children interact with pictures on the screen while hearing their parents’ voices and seeing their face on the screen via a webcam.

Children can interact with the pictures on screen, whilst hearing their parent's voice and seeing their face on the PC. The new tool provides three classic Noddy stories, with other classic characters expected to follow in the coming months.

Alex Marks, head of marketing for Microsoft Advertising said: 'By bringing relevant and interactive content to consumers, brands are able to connect and engage in far deeper and more meaningful ways.

Read the full story here

- Sam

Microsoft’s Atlas Launches Engagement Mapping and E-ROI

New reporting methodology from Atlas has been launched today. Engagement Mapping, which calculates the value of all online media exposure, allows marketers to uncover deeper marketing insights such as the value of every advertiser to consumer touchpoint, new user behavioural insights across sites and channels, and the more accurate measurement of online conversions.

Atlas identified that Search is frequently given the credit for encouraging the desired user click, as it is often the last action driving a consumer to a particular site, whereas the consumer could have been exposed to several different advertisements in the time leading up to this ultimate action. Engagement Mapping has been created to measure this build-up of exposure and is time-credited to provide more accurate mapping.

In beta since spring 2008, Engagement Mapping and E-ROI are being presented as additional services from Atlas, rather than replacing their existing offering. It is available to all clients at no extra charge, so for more information and a demonstration do get in touch with your local Atlas representative.

- Sam

How Search will Revolutionalise Social Networking

This is the future!

Check out this interesting article on the impact of search on social networks, looking at how social networks are in effect the search engines of the future, hence the significance of the Microsoft Live Search deal with Facebook.

http://www.micropersuasion.com/2008/09/how-search-will.html

- Sam

Google Launches Free Browser in its Ongoing Battle with Microsoft

Following straight on from Microsoft’s announcement of its latest version of Internet Explorer with its “InPrivate” setting, (which can block third parties accessing users’ browser habits), Google has announced it is launching its own free web browser in 100 countries, Google Chrome.

Google Chrome will also feature its version of "InPrivate," "Incognito Mode," which it says is for “times when you want to browse in stealth mode, for example, to plan surprises like gifts or birthdays. Webpages that you open and files downloaded while you are incognito won't be logged in your browsing and download histories; all new cookies are deleted after you close the incognito window. You can browse normally and in incognito mode at the same time by using separate windows.”

Microsoft's Internet Explorer currently accounts for 72% of the installed browser market, followed by Mozilla Firefox (of which Google is a key partner) with 20%. Google and Firefox recently renewed their partnership agreement until 2011 which contains a clause for Google to be the default search engine within Firefox.

There is whisper that Google’s next step is to partner with OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to create Windows-free PCs. Google’s strategy of launching internet based applications, such as its Google documents and spreadsheets, aims to shift its users’ habits away from Windows applications, but of course means it is increasingly reliant on browser technology, as acknowledged by Google vice-president of product management, Sundar Pichai, "We realised that the web had evolved from mainly simple text pages to rich, interactive applications and that we needed to completely rethink the browser. What we really needed was not just a browser, but also a modern platform for web pages and applications, and that's what we set out to build."

Check out the official Google Chrome blog site here.

- Sam

Microsoft’s latest version of Internet Explorer challenges click-through advertising

Microsoft has launched an updated version of Internet Explorer (8) to include “InPrivate” settings which allow users to visit websites without disclosing their browsing habits, thereby eliminating unwanted ads.

“InPrivate,” available on Explorer 8 and currently only in Beta version, lets users see in advance what content is being delivered from third party sites. Users can then choose to block the content, including advertising and software. Web cookies are then deleted when the tab is closed.

It certainly proves a challenge to the advertising models of its rivals, including Google’s DoubleClick, which delivers targeted advertising to users based on their browsing behaviour.

- Sam