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PayPal takes aim at Groupon

Daily Deals monger Groupon may have to brace itself for rough waters ahead as internet payment giant PayPal announces its intention to enter the daily deals market. With more than 103 million users worldwide, PayPal hopes to leverage its database of consumer information into targeted e-coupons and daily deals that will prove more relevant than the ones currently being delivered to their inboxes by competitors like Groupon and LivingSocial. According to Bloomberg News , the eBay owned company will make its foray into the land of daily deals in early 2012. PayPal will also work to edge out the competition by offering deals to users’ smartphones based on their location. For example – PayPal will alert users to available offers as they near a store or restaurant. PayPal president Scott Thompson is hoping by targeting user location and buying habits the company can close in on its target revenue goal of $7 billion (

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Google gets Siri-ous about virtual assistant

Not one to ignore the success of others, Google has acquired app-maker Clever Sense, sparking rumours it may be planning to build its own Siri-like software. Makers of local recommendation app Alfred, Clever Sense utilises artificial intelligence to generate recommendations for users based on their dining choices. The app searches for other customers and reviewers with similar tastes and uses their preferences to generate suggestions for users. “Today, we are excited to join Google and start a new chapter in curating the world around us,” Clever Sense co-founder Babak Pahlavan wrote on the company website . “Together with the Google team, we will accelerate our efforts toward this shared vision. “Google helps local businesses connect with potential customers, and its worldwide presence can bring the value of Clever Sense to a much larger audience.” While Alfred does not have a voice recognition function, similarly to Siri, it makes use of internet search to provide recommendations to user queries, and learns user preferences and tastes over time. “Discovering local information is extremely important to both users and businesses, and the acquisition of Clever Sense will benefit both,” Google said in a statement . “The Clever Sense team is at the forefront of developing a recommendation engine that connects the online and offline worlds by delivering personal and sophisticated information to users at the right time, the right place, and within the right context. “By combining their technology and expertise with our team and products, we’ll be able to provide even more people with intelligent, personalized recommendations for places to eat, visit, and discover.” Rumours that Android is developing its own voice recognition software have been circulating for some time, and the acquisition of Clever Sense’s Alfred may be the missing piece of the puzzle for the smartphone platform in its efforts to go head-to-head with the iPhone

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Google gets Siri-ous about virtual assistant

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Video Search Engine Blinkx Launches Personalized Ads

Reuters reports that video search engine Blinkx is refining its marketing strategy to target the specific viewing habits of its users. According to the report, the company has launched a new platform with personalized ads that are shown to each user based on their past search habits.

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Video Search Engine Blinkx Launches Personalized Ads

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Google Maps Adds Local Suggestions

Google Maps has added local suggestions to its list of services, according to CNET News. On Thursday, the service expanded its beta program of local suggestions within Google Maps from locations such as Germany, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to many new countries including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

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Google Maps Adds Local Suggestions

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Google Posts Information on Government Requests

On Wednesday, Google released an online map which lists requests from worldwide governments to remove content from its Web sites or hand over information about users of Google products including its search engine, YouTube and Blogger.

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Google Posts Information on Government Requests