TECHNOLOGY, Dragon Go Update Improves Voice Search Capabilities

Released just two months ago, the voice-driven search app Dragon Go is finding more things to talk about with its latest update.
A search app from Nuance, Dragon Go lets you say what it is you're looking for directly into your iPhone (or third- and fourth-generation iPod touch, if you've got an external microphone). The app not only recognizes what you're saying, it can turn that statement into a search query and automatically produce results from specific content providers such as Google, Wikipedia, Yelp, and others. All told, Dragon Go features more than 200 content providers who can supply the answers to your voice-driven needs.
Thursday's 1.1 update added support for more utilities, including Ask.com and WolframAlpha for general search results. That powers a new question-and-answer feature in Dragon Go, allowing the app to better respond to specific questions.
The Dragon Go update also introduces support for Spotify and Netflix, giving users access to streaming media. A Spotify Premium user could request a song and have it play on demand. (Such a request would also allow users to pull up a music video or download the song from iTunes.) For those more into watching shows, asking the voice app to play a TV show will instantly find the best place for streaming episodes of that program.
As well as entertainment, Dragon Go can also come in useful when you're on the move. The update improves its Yelp integration with a new map view accessible from within the Yelp tab. That supplements the app's earlier ability to look up reviews for nearby restaurants.
Finally, the latest version of Dragon Go adds Google+ support. You can tell the app to look up profiles of specific Google+ users. Previously, Dragon Go had offered Twitter and Facebook support.
Dragon Go is a free download from the App Store. You'll need iOS 4.0 or later to run it.

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TECHNOLOGY, Search Engine Blekko Hauls in $15M Russian Investment

Russia's biggest search engine, Yandex, has invested US$15 million in U.S. search startup Blekko, as part of $30 million funding round.
The Russian search engine acquired a minority interest in Blekko and CEO Arkady Volozh will join the board of directors. Yandex is Russia's leading search engine and most visited website.
The other $15 million in the round came from Australian investor MLC Private Equity and CMEA Capital, PivotNorth Capital and US Venture partners.
Yandex invested in Blekko because the company is interested in its search algorithms. "We love Blekko and think it's a great product – a quality search engine that organically combines search algorithms with expert opinions. We believe the outlook for this approach is strong and that the Blekko team is poised to make it a success," Volozh said.
Blekko was founded in 2007 and its search engine was launched in November 2010. Blekko lets users create their own search engine that provides results about a specific topic. This so-called vertical search engine aims to do that by drilling down into Web content using what the company calls "slashtags" -- subject-specific search terms that are put at the end of searches preceded by a slash "/". Using this system Blekko wants to cut out spam sites and help searchers find what they are looking for faster.

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EU Court Backs Use of Rival Trademarks in Search Advertising

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Companies using their rivals' trademarks as keywords for search advertising can sleep a little easier following a European Court of Justice statement on Thursday that such use would not normally be construed as infringement.

The court was ruling on a case brought by international flower delivery service Interflora against British retailer Marks & Spencer after M&S purchased variations on "interflora" as keywords on Google's Adwords search advertising service.

Although it offered its views on whether such actions would constitute infringement, the European Court of Justice said that this particular case was up to the national courts to decide.

Nonetheless, the clarification of the scope of trademark protection online will be welcomed as this lawsuit was just the latest in a number of cases that have sought to define the limits of search-engine advertising under European Union law.

The court considered two functions of trademarks: to identify the origin of goods or services, and to establish reputation and customer loyalty. It said that the trademark's function of indicating origin is only "adversely affected where the advertisement displayed on the basis of the keyword search does not enable reasonably well-informed Internet users to ascertain whether the goods or services referred to originate from the proprietor of the trademark or from a third party."

However protection for trademarks with a reputation deals with "dilution" (detriment to the distinctive character of a trademark with a reputation) and "free-riding" (taking unfair advantage of the distinctive character or repute of the trademark).

The Court said that the selection without "due cause" of words identical to another person's trademark that has a reputation may be construed as free-riding. That is particularly likely to be the conclusion in cases in which the Internet advertisers offer goods which are imitations of the trademarked goods. But where the goods offered are not mere imitations and cause no detriment to the trademark's repute (tarnishment) such use falls as a rule within the lines of fair competition, the court said.

Follow Jennifer on Twitter at @BrusselsGeek or email tips and comments to jennifer_baker@idg.com.

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