Do a search on Google, and you might get an unexpected surprise. A warning notice at the top of your results is warning you that your computer has been infected with malware. The screenshot below shows an example of this happening from a simple search.

This problem has been causing concern, with the source and type of malware not being given within the details. Google blogs:

This particular malware causes infected computers to send traffic to Google through a small number of intermediatary servers called “proxies”. We hope that by taking steps to notify users whose traffic is coming through these proxies, we can help them update their antivirus software and remove the infections.

This is malware and so un-wanted and potentially threatening, menacing enough that Google are giving search results warnings, but Google is describing the problem itself as an exercise in data analysis. The posted blog doesn’t confirm that the malware is, of course, only a threat to Windows systems and neither does the help page make that clear. The option to ‘Fix’ the problem is merely a suggestion that the user should run an anti-virus program, but without telling the user what malware the anti-virus should be detecting.

If you do get one of these warnings on your computer (running Windows) and don’t already have anti-virus software, it would be a sensible time to get yourself some and run it through your system. However it would also be a little more helpful if Google provided some more details on the type of malware present.

Google, when asked about further information have mentioned;

“We detected a large number of variants of the malware. As a result, naming is not so straight-forward. From a user’s perspective, it is more important to understand their computer is infected and that they should take steps to fix it. You may have noticed that there is a feedback form in our help center for people to report what they have found.”

Therefore as a base procedure get yourself some decent anti-virus software if you own and operate a Windows computer. Malware isn’t new, nor have users of Windows computers been oblivious to it. Indeed, Windows itself will warn you of the need to protect against malware in various ways. I’m pretty sure Windows 7 at least warns you if you don’t have any anti-virus software installed. Get some and post your results to Google if this problem occurs, hopefully this will help clear up the problem efficiently and quickly.

It appears that recently Google has been testing a new AdWords placement at he bottom of search engine results pages. Some search engine users have spotted this testing and in the below example there where four AdWords at the bottom of the search results.

The search engine giant is constantly testing new ad placements and formats in an effort to improve its response to certain search criteria. These test are usually shown to a small demographic to begin with and successful ones are eventually rolled out to the general public. If you spot any of these tests please keep us posted.

The New York Times ran a recent article on Microsoft regarding its search engine being regarded as an underdog. Despite being an interesting article, it also raised some interesting questions. A few being:

• How long (in years) before Bing breaks even?
• What currently defines Bing and what may define its success?
• How likely is it that investors will oust Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer because of the failed (and money losing) Online Services and what would be the outcome?
• What are the features and tools of Bing that may break through Goole usage and cause it to decline?
• What would happen if Bing peaks at 25 percent?

How Long is ‘Long Term’.

Having launched two years ago, Bing, has made a respectable gain within the search engine market during that time. Commanding 14.4 percent of search query volume in the US (per comScore). This however has mostly come at the expense of other search providers: AOL, Ask and Yahoo. The search engine has not been able to erode Google’s dominant market share of 65.5 percent. It has however managed to make Google adapt in several ways, especially to the integration of social signals.

Microsoft’s head of search has said, “To break through, we have to change the game. But this is a long-term journey.” This is true but how long is that? 10, 15 or even 20 years? It is probable to say the Bing must break or otherwise demonstrate real success before it hits ten years old. However if it doesn’t what would be the implications? Shut it down – not very likely.

Bing doesn’t match Googles earlier growth.

After its initial four years of search engine services, Google was already a leading search engine among a field of around 10. After a following year, Google was dominant with over 50 percent of the worlds search engine queries.

Admittedly the search engine market today is a far cry from that of a decade ago, but matched with Google early growth and trajectory, Bing is way off.

With wide anticipation that Bing will pass its partner search engine, Yahoo within the next year, people have to ask since Bing is providing Yahoo’s organic and paid search is the achievement something to be proud of? If Bing’s growth comes at the expense of Yahoo, it is then mostly counterproductive, because Bing itself is damaging its Bing-Powered sites.

Seeking the Wedge

From this point it is a challenge to imagine what Bing might bring in features or specific capabilities that would improve its situation as dramatically as required for a larger market share. Bing Travel has been mentioned as a differentiator, but with Google beginning to build its own travel service (following its ITA acquisition) that doesn’t seem to be the way forward. The ‘strategic verticals’ of Bing between travel, local, health, shopping etc have still to yield the benefits and usage growth that Microsoft was hoping for.

Even with Bing releasing new and innovative products ( iPad app, facebook integration etc) none of these products have had the stopping power to slow Google. With Google+ recent release the advantage Bing has with its ‘social search’ through its relationship with Facebook will be diminished even further.

Android Tax and Antitrust affect

Recently Microsoft has been exhorting the US and EU to impose restrictions on Google due to the alleged anti-competitive practices. However some of these practices (such as sending traffic to its own properties) are used just as readily by Bing and Yahoo, therefore making any potential restrictions around that practice equally problematic for Bing.

The outcomes of active antitrust investigations across Europe and within the US are uncertain but are unlikely to result in any real upheaval of the current market balance and share. However it is also unlikely that Google will emerge damage free from the allegations.

At the same time as all this, Microsoft has been trying with limited success to get mobile hardware producers (HTC, Samsung etc) to pay licensing fees on Android handsets in deference of Microsoft patents used within the handsets. This is Microsoft’s attempt to generate revenue (potentially billions) and eliminate the perceived gap between Android with its free software and Microsoft’s priced system.

The success of Android and the dominance of the iPhone have help increase Google search dominance beyond its share on the PC. And though not an apparent part of either the European or American antitrust investigations I see Google’s control over Android being potentially vulnerable in the long term.

Upping the Intensity

Bing’s high intensity effort is paying off and the search engines market share is increasing however not at a level that Microsoft needs if it is ever going to truly challenge Google over a ‘long term time period’. Bing will need to continue to develop novel tools and features and improvement will need to be continued on current features (Improve Bing News to rival Google News etc)

Microsoft will also need to continue to purchase other internet systems, but at increased frequency and at a much reduced cost (Skype was a whopping $8.5 billion). Microsoft must recognise sensible marketing purchase and aim to beat Google during bidding to prevent losing out to Google (The Dealmap went to Google, Microsoft should have upped the bid).

Bing also needs to focus on developing its search system to be usable by both ends of the user spectrum, from the early adopter’s right through to new users. It must be appealing to all user groups to ensure growth in its market share and managing this is very difficult.