This week’s main headlines and opinions from the world of web search and search engines:

• How not to rate a search engine

  I’ve come to realize that it’s extremely difficult to convince someone that you’re better than another engine with words, features, or few carefully chosen queries. (Mark Johnson Apr 24 2009)

• Wolfram Alpha Getting A Public Preview On Tuesday

  A new type of search engine created by computer scientist Stephen Wolfram (TechCrunch Apr 24 2009)

• Yahoo’s communications chief leaves company

  Yahoo’s head of communications Brad Williams has stepped down (Market Watch Apr 25)

• Did Google Just Build its Own Version of Digg?

  iGoogle gadget with functionality similar to Digg, called What’s Popular. (Mashable Apr 25 2009)

• Twitter Power Search

  Explore Tweets organized by Twitter and other services. (Beyond Search Apr 26 2009)

• Microsoft’s Online Advertising Revenue Drops 16%, Time to Give Up?

  Microsoft reported its first ever year-over-year quarterly drop in revenue, in its entire 30-year history! (Marketing Pilgrim Apr 24 2009)

• Google Introduces Product Search Option For iPhone and Android Devices!

  Users will be able to receive Google Product Search results nicely formatted in their phones (PageTraffic Apr 24 2009)

• Live Search cashback “exponentially growing”: 5M pageviews and 10k purchases every day

  Microsoft’s pay for search program (LiveSide Apr 25 2009)

• Using Analytics To Measure SEO Success

  Jill Whalen over at Search Engine Land Apr 23 2009

• Is AOL Gearing Up To Create Automated Search Spam?

  On Webmaster World discussion (SE Roundtable Apr 23 2009)

• New ‘Local Search Volume’ Addition to Google Adwords Keyword Tool

  This is a nice feature for building local campaigns and focusing your keyword research to be specific to your country. (Site Visibility Apr 22 2009)

• Yahoo Shuts Down History: GeoCities To Be Closed

  Free hosting service to be shut down (SE Roundtable Apr 24 2009)

• What’s Your SEO Code? – Musings on Outing other Websites for Fun and Profit

  The first rule of SEO club is that you don’t talk about SEO club (Stuntdubl Apr 24 2009)

• How To Overhype Your Search Engine

  Danny Sullivan Apr 24: I’ve seen any number of search start-ups promise to revolutionize how we search.

• Microsoft Soon to Release Global Live Search Local Listing

  A few days ago, Microsoft launched a new version of Live Search Maps. (PageTraffic Apr 25 2009)

• Google Korea Gets Spicy

  Korea has obliged Internet users to make verifiable real-name registrations to post comments on Web sites (Beyond Search Apr 24 2009)

• Google Toolbar Labs

  Google introduced two versions of Google Toolbar which introduce experimental features before they make the general release. (About Apr 24 2009)

Here’s a Google video on how to request reconsideration for being listed in Google. May be useful if you have broken the rules and gotten your site banned: