By: Matthew G. Nelson | Source: clickz.com

In a first of its kind deal between a major search provider and a large wireless carrier, Sprint has tapped Microsoft to provide search and pay-per-call ads to its subscribers.

The deal will make Microsoft’s fledgling Windows Live Search for mobile product available to Sprint wireless users. Along with Sprint ring tones, games, screen savers and other services, Sprint users will be able to use the Windows Live Search technology to perform local area searches, according to the companies. Ingenio is providing the pay-per-call infrastructure.

“This is really the first major deal where a brand name Internet search provider and a carrier are getting in bed in a major way,” Mark Donovan, VP and senior analyst with M:Metrics, a mobile metrics research firm. “Sprint has been beaten up in the public markets recently because of their performance, but they’ve been doing very well in being a leader in data services, in getting their subscribers to do more than just talk on the phone."

Meanwhile, Microsoft is trying to show off its strength in search and compete with Yahoo and Google in the mobile space, where both competitors have recently unveiled advertising initiatives. The Sprint arrangement is Microsoft’s first partner collaboration on mobile sponsored links, though the company previously offered mobile ads via its direct channel at mobile.live.com, according to a spokesperson. It has also done display advertising pilots in the US and Japan.

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By: Min Zeng | Source: googleblog.blogspot.com

Last week, I was trying to buy blue lightbulbs for a party at my house, and I ended up calling ten different stores before I found one that carried them. Now with the new calling feature on Google Maps, I can do this quickly and easily, and never have to lift a finger to dial.

Here’s how it works: Search for a business, like a hardware store, on Google Maps, and click the ‘call’ link next to its phone number. Then, enter your phone number and click ‘Connect For free.’ Google calls your phone number and automatically connects you to the hardware store.

There are two things that I really like about this. The business’s phone number is automatically stored in your caller ID so you can easily call back in the future. And by checking the box to remember your phone number, you can make future calls from Google Maps with just two mouse clicks (and picking up your phone, of course).

We’re providing the ‘call’ link as a free service to all businesses. These aren’t ads and don’t influence the ranking of businesses in the search results. We foot the bill for calls (local and long distance), but airtime fees or other mobile fees will still apply if you use a mobile phone number. Currently, the calling feature works if you live in the U.S. and are looking for a business located in the U.S.

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By: Marshall KirkPatrick | Source: techcrunch.com

Yahoo! has agreed to acquire MyBlogLog for an estimated $10 million.

In the second social media acquisition by Yahoo! story in the last 12 hours, news has emerged that Yahoo! has agreed to acquire MyBlogLog. MyBlogLog is a blog community and analytics tool used here on TechCrunch (see sidebar) and many other blogs around the web. Just recently out of beta, the site gained traction in a hurry. We first profiled MyBlogLog in October. The company is rumored to have gone for about $10 million. Requests for comment haven’t been replied to yet.

Last night we also learned that Yahoo! has agreed to acquire online contest site Bix, a company led by Epinions founder Mike Speiser. Katie Fehrenbacher reports that Yahoo! has also confirmed today that they have acquired Swedish mobile company Kenet Works in a deal that closed several months ago. We’ve been told Yahoo! will come out with a monster release at CES in January as well.

MyBlogLog, it looks like a very smart piece of business by Yahoo. I’m sure plenty of people are going to come out and point at the hammering Yahoo’s received in the stock market, at the lack of a lucrative business model in MBL, etc etc. But at the end of the day, MyBlogLog has all the features Yahoo’s gunning for in the social media wars - strong community base, a geeky coolness, plus a kickass product.

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