21 hours ago I received an e-mail from adsense-noreply@google.com about the planned retirement of Google’s AdSense Referral program. It’s really not an urgency but they’re giving AdSense users a clue to start cleaning up unnecessary and future useless code so to speak. The last appearance of Referral links will stop showing in the last week of August 2008.

I didn’t really profit that much from this program, actually not from the whole AdSense at all, hence it’s not influencing me in any way. Last time I checked my total income through AdSense was only $0.91, which really is to be ashamed of. However, I know some people who earned hell of a benefit from it, and this news could find them unprepared.

The newly implemented strategy is totally different comparing to the old Referrals. Google has acquired DoubleClick Performics, hence their Affiliate Program will be functioning as part of the Google Affiliate Network. From all this inflection, considering that Google is always “constantly looking for ways to improve AdSense by developing and supporting features which drive the best monetization results for our publishers”, there was a sentence that caught my eye for a second while, reading through that email letter:

Affiliate Network will now operate as the Google Affiliate Network for advertisers targeting users located in the United States.

I’m not aware if AdSense Referrals worked the same way only for US advertisers, as I told you I wasn’t much of an AdSense fortunate, but the above statement tells me more or less that users from other countries won’t profit anything using this newly implemented program. At least not for the beginning, probably later on it’ll widen it’s possibilities. Thus, this means that as long as I’m leaving in Kosova, I shall not plan on using this service, instead search for other alternatives. Period.

Whatsoever, there is a sign I’ve usually noticed when a company gets acquired by a bigger one. They usually lack the time to update they’re website once they get pwned. The same detail I noticed at Performics Affiliate Marketing page (see for yourself if page is not altered yet). The Google Affiliate Network logo used there is of the highest resolution possible, they didn’t even think of resizing it. Probably it could be a matter of “feeling proud to be Google” thing or either “I don’t want to use Microsoft Paint to destroy Google’s Logo quality”. Either ways it looks not nice.

Last but not least, AdSense for Search & AdSense for Content are not altered from this deflation. So consider continuing to earn income, if until now you did so. I wish I would though.

We all love it for it’s simplicity, or at least I do. However, some source claims that Gmail soon will get built-in themes available for it’s users.

I’m not even going into wondering of how the themes will look like or how many of them will be, but what pushes me to write about this, is the thought of why didn’t they make it earlier. Google’s engagement has certainly been much higher upon dealing with troubles caused by other competitors and other particular things rather than worrying about Gmail themes. Plus it could be intentional but the BETA tag still remains there, 4 years and 3 months since it’s initial launch a lot could have been accomplished, considering the fact of Google having 19,156 full-time employees under its giant empire, yet it remains there.

Ultimately, users are able to change the look & feel of GMail, but that in an indirect way of approach, through a GreesMonkey script, using a Firefox extension called Stylish with one, two, three or more user created styles, and again through another Firefox add-on.

If you ask me, there’s no certain need to do that, whether or not Gmail is skinnable makes no real impression to me.
Its functionality is what I like the most.

Ever wondered what a Web2.0 application looked like? Or probably you used one but never thought it is one of that kind. WebWare.com is the site where computer users can learn about new and useful Web applications, hence they’ve announced the top 100 winning Web 2.0 applications based on over 1.9 million user votes.

Each of these web applications has been classified in categories like: audio, browsing, commerce and events, communication, productivity, publishing and photography, search and reference, social, utility and security, and video. Unsurprisingly over 15% of all are Google’s products, following comes Yahoo! then Microsoft. There are a lot other apps which I haven’t heard of and not even tested yet, a lot of fun is waiting in front of me, however, I’m also glad to see WordPress on the list, because it fully deserves the award, oh yeah, and Firefox as well, yeah and Vimeo too, and Flickr, and Last.fm, and Gmail, and… (running out of air, need a breath!).

“Microsoft may own the desktop, but not the Web. Online, Google has solid productivity apps.”

Early today I noticed that Flickr has extended it’s functionality with a new feature of video uploading. At the very first stage of this new opportunity, according to users comments on the Flickr discussion groups and other online communities I realized that this has not been applauded so much, even worse it’s being criticized and seen as irrelevant. Some said rumors claim that it’s another Yahoo move to compete with Google, initially I too may have looked at it that way but referring to some available important details I can claim differently. First clue comes from the fact that only those members with a account are able to upload videos, also the possible duration of a video file is no more than 90 seconds, whereas Youtube’s limit is far beyond this limitation. The second clue came from Heather Champ, a Flickr staff member. She claims that people are understanding this step as a competition of Yahoo against Google, but that’s not the reason why this function has been implemented for Flickr users.

If I had any credible reason to think that the addition of video was coming from the original flickr development team and not Yahoo! I might feel more reassured regarding it’s implementation.
Everything that you see on Flickr comes from the original Flickr development team — they’re all still here (+ all the wonderful team member who’ve joined us as we’ve grown larger).
Video is a conversation that’s been happening since I joined the team (that was when they first came down to California) and one that they most likely had back prior to the acquisition.
As it stands now, I just see this as Yahoo! trying to compete with Google (rather than flickr adding a feature that would truly enhance the photo-sharing experience).
I am categorically declaring (in bold) that video on Flickr isn’t being introduced to compete with Google. Ever. Period.

Really.

I couldn’t agree with her more, could be possible that we do think the same way. Definitively I have to congratulate for the well integration of this new feature, it’s being showed exactly the same way an image does, all you have to do is click the play button and it’ll play right away, nevertheless I don’t see any strong reason of whether was this necessary to put or was it best to focus on photography features only.

On the day of launch they prepared a promotion video, a funny little thing to attract members in a cool way, but not all the user videos will have humor in them.

A FAQs page is available for all to get a closer look about the possibilities along with video uploading, so be sure to check here if interested. In the other hand if you would like to say your opinion about this loud and proud, check the video feedback discussion topic and speak for your self.

Eventually, Flickr has gained it’s reputation in matters of photography, everyone loved Flickr for what it “was“, every extension was pretty much well welcomed, but the last changes are doubtful if yet will make that prestige grow or head downwards.

Update: I am surprised of how fast new Flickr groups has been created regarding videos and flickr video feature in particular. A user called Aster-oid has expressed his opinion against the uploading video on flickr opportunity calling it as unacceptable. Click here to read the details.

Update: A serious ongoing discussion is floating on the flickr video discussion page, jump right in if you want to be updated with different opinions. In the other hand if you’re against this very new feature be sure to sign in the petition against Flickr Video.

Ne episodin e 10 te emisionit HelixTECH elaborova disa prej lajmeve me te fundit si: komentet e Google Inc. mbi oferten e Microsoft per ta blere Yahoo Inc., shtyhet leshimi i versionit final te SP1 per Vista, RapidShare se shpejti para gjygjit gjerman, ne anen tjeter gjykata italiane legalizon shkembimin e audio fajllave permes internetit, dhe ne gjysmen e dyte te emisionit mysafiri im i posacem Tahir Hoxha elaboroi mbi konceptet e Web Design, web technologjite dhe mjetet qe duhen per te konstruktuar nje web faqe.

[display_podcast]

Ne epizodin e nente te emisionit HelixTECH elaborova mbi deklarimin zyrtar te Microsoft rreth blerjes se kompanise Yahoo dhe tendenca e Microsoft per t’i bere ne kete menyre konkurrence te drejtperdrejte Google Inc., Microsoft nuk ia arrin qellimit per te perfituar nga Vista aq sa ka planifikuar, Aaron Kaplan “Ne largojme Vista, ne instalojme XP”, Windows 7 arrin me heret sesa pritet nderkaq gazetaret dhe entuziastet te verrshojne per hulutime rreth Windows 7, Microsoft mburret me fitimet e vitit te kaluar 2007, Vista SP1 RC Refresh mundesohet edhe per publikun, policia franceze largohet prej produkteve te Microsoft, se shpejti ne treg Grand Theft Auto IV, FujiFilm Fine Pix leshon aparetet fotografimi J10 dhe J50, thashetheme se IBM deshiron ta bleje gjigantin e prodhimit te procesoreve AMD, nje virus i ri shperndahet permes telefonave te markes NOKIA permes MMS, nje virus i ri pritet te infekton miliona PC aneembane botes i cili shkatrron hardiskun me konkretisht Zero Sector te hardiskun dhe shperndahet permes emailave me subjektin Invitation raportuan keshtu McAfee dhe Symantec, Nokia ofron telefonin me te lire ne treg me cmim prej 35$, policia gjermane monitoron rrjetin e Skype, dhe se fundi Kosova udheheqese e listes se vendeve ne rajon per nga numri i kycjeve te internetit.

[display_podcast]