Baidu Goes Barack

Baidu, the leading search engine in China, is also embracing Barack Obama. They have added a caricature of Barack Obama and the donkey that symbolizes the Democratic party to the Baidu logo on their homepage. When the logo is clicked Baidu takes you to a profile of Barack and provides more link to stories and videos of Barack.

Baidu Voice Search Uses Live Operators

China's 920 million telephone users have a new way to search online for information. Baidu.com (BIDU) just announced its new voice-activated search. Upon dialing 400 666 8585 the call will be answered by a Baidu engineer who will performance the search and offer search results based on the request. Search results can be provided back to the search requester (user) using voice or sent via SMS to the user's mobile phone.

Baidu Launches Online Video Ads

Baidu, has launched "Baidu TV", an online video advertising service, expecting it to be a new profit driver to help widen the gap with its rivals, Chinese versions of Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Yahoo (NASDAQ: YHOO).

Baidu TV is the result of a partnership between Baidu and Ads it! Media Corporation, a Chinese online video advertising platform provider.

Baidu will provide advertisers access to about 160,000 domestic websites under the Baidu Union, where they can post online video ads.

Ads it! mainly deals in advertising-related technical and marketing issues.

"Baidu has been dedicated to developing its core business by maximizing its customer resources ... Baidu TV is a logical step in that direction," said Shen Haoyu, Baidu vice-president, business operations.

Baidu's revenue mainly relies on text ads, but this is "far from enough, and it should try to find more niche markets to fuel growth", said Tian Xin, search engine analyst with iResearch Consulting Group.