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Talk of the day

By TIMES WIRES
Published April 26, 2007

Is MySpace reaching out to Hispanics? Si

MySpace has launched the beta version of MySpace en Espanol, a site aimed at America's 42-million Hispanics, the social-networking site said Tuesday. MySpace said the entertainment content and artists on the new site will be geared toward the U.S. Hispanic population, and it will offer a Spanish-language instant-messenger service. "We're moving rapidly to build communities that reflect and respect the lifestyles of our diverse members," Travis Katz, senior vice president and general manager of MySpace International, said in a statement. "MySpace en Espanol opens the community even wider, giving our Hispanic members the choice to share their experiences, connect with family members, and plan their social lives in either Spanish or English." The site is at latino.myspace.com.

Google clicks its way to the top

Google Inc. passed Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. to become the owner of the world's most-visited group of Web sites, a research firm said. Google's sites had 528-million visitors worldwide in March, a 13 percent gain from the same month a year ago, ComScore Inc. said Wednesday. Microsoft had 527-million, while Yahoo had 476.3-million, the research firm said. The popularity of searching the Web and new sites such as YouTube helped Google grow faster than both its biggest rivals. Visitors to Microsoft's sites rose 4 percent from a year ago, while Yahoo's sites had a 1 percent gain, according to ComScore.

Vonage calls out Verizon in new ads

Vonage Holdings Corp., whose advertising budget is typically half its revenue, will try to win consumers' support with new ads that accuse Verizon Communications Inc. of stifling competition for phone service. The "Free to Compete" ads will appear in newspapers, on a Web site and in letters to customers, Vonage said Wednesday. The Web site urges people to sign a petition for Verizon to drop its patent-infringement case against the unprofitable Internet phone company. A U.S. district court ruled the company had to pay Verizon more than $58-million in damages and 5.5 percent of future revenues from phone lines. The print ads, appearing in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today, show three hands holding up phones under the text "Let Freedom Ring." On Tuesday, Vonage won permission to sign more customers until the court hearing on June 25, reversing an injunction that prevented the company from using the disputed technology during its appeal. Vonage had argued that barring it from doing so might force it into bankruptcy.

Martha crafts deal to sell at Michaels

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. will begin selling arts and crafts products next month in more than 900 Michaels stores in the United States and Canada. The Martha Stewart Crafts line will include papers, binders and other materials to create scrapbooks and family albums. Sales begin May 1 under the exclusive arrangement with Michaels Stores Inc.

[Last modified April 25, 2007, 23:07:22]