SurveyMonkey Buys Wufoo
SurveyMonkey is expanding it’s offerings by acquiring the online forms start-up Wufoo, details on this transaction have not been released, but it is estimated that the price was around $35 million in combined cash and stock.
Other recent purchases include the telephone-polling firm Precision Polling, SurveyMonkey also bought a minority stake in the U.K based survey provider, ClickTools on Salesforce.com’s AppExchange.
Yahoo Buys IntoNow
Yahoo has bought the Palo Alto start-up, IntoNow, designed to make an iOS app allowing users to “check in” to T.V. shows and movies they’re currently watching. It works by using a built-in microphone on either an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch that recognizes TV shows or movies playing nearby and then allows users to view the show and share it with others via Facebook, Twitter or their IntoNow account.
This app just launched in January, and 12 weeks later, it sold for millions (between 17 and 30 million according to reporters). The app was produced by a team of only 7 people, the CEO being Adam Cahan, former employee of Google and MTV.
Google Buys Talkbin
Talkbin was acquired by Google less than five months after the company was founded. Talkbin allows customers to provide immediate feedback to local businesses through mobile applications and businesses can then read and respond to comments through a web app.
The word is that the app has been temporarily shut down by Google, but plans to reopen the service to businesses in the future.
New Version of Google Analytics Released
The new version is currently available in beta to all Analytics users in all languages. Users will now be able to see a link in top right corner of their account when they sign in. New features have been added, and Google promises that they are just the beginning.
5 things you can try in Google Analytics v5 :
- Create an additional dashboard to focus on your important metrics
- Set up an Event Goal to track interactions like downloads and video engagement
- Graph and compare any two rows over time with Plot Rows
- Check out your favorite report (Did it move? The Report Finder can help)
- Flip between your different profiles and sites while staying focused on the same report
Google Offers is Accepting Signups
If you live in New York City, San Francisco/Oakland or Portland, Oregon, you can now subscribe to Google Offers to receive discounts via email. For those who just can’t wait for the Offers service to come to their city, Google is also collecting email addresses so that you can be notified if and when the service will be available. It appears however, as though no deals have been released yet.
It will be interesting to see how this service competes with Groupon and the other 500+ copycat deal sites currently available.
Google vs. Groupon
After talk that Google was trying to buyout Groupon for as much as 6 billion and Groupon rejected, Groupon has now reportedly bought a Google executive to act as their new Chief Operating Officer.
Facebook Deals being Tested in 5 US Cities
Facebook is finally entering the social shopping realm with it’s newest venture Facebook Deals. The most popular social site in the world with over 600 million users has been talking about launching a group buying feature for awhile now, but are finally starting testing in five major cities. They have a lot of competition with giants such as Groupon, Living Social and now Google Offers, but with it’s current existing user base, there is almost no way they can fail.
