Regarding the AdSense Update...

If you haven't yet got a Google AdSense account for your site, now may be time to do so. AdSense is becoming increasingly popular with small and middle-sized websites who wish to cash in on their site popularity. And with the latest updates that have been made to the AdSense service, there is now no excuse not to join.

If you didn't already know AdSense is Google's context targeted Ad delivery program. Basically the Search Engine giant is giving you the chance to display the adverts that you may have seen to the right of your search results on your own site. Whenever someone clicks through one of the Ads you get an undisclosed, but worthwhile, portion of the money the subscribers to Google's AdWords program are supplying Google to promote their site on paid listings. The script is easy to customize, simply adjusting the settings in your Account settings and then pasting the raw code into your site.

However I expect that most of the people reading this article already have a good idea about what AdSense is and what it does. What you are really interested in is what Google has done to change its service, right? Well when I logged on to the AdSense site a few days ago, the first thing that popped up was a copy of the new TOS (Terms of Service). I read through it, and clicked accept to agree with the new terms and conditions. When I got into my account page I was greeted by two welcome sights: A new type of Ad box, and even better yet a new payment method.

The new 'Ad Links' box are not just the typical textual Ads. Rather they give you site-targeted topics, which a visitor can click on to go to a list of related advertisements. What this means in real terms is that rather than four or five adverts on a page you can give your visitor access to maybe 50, all of which could earn you money. This is a very exciting development, and one that could potentially benefit everyone.

There are some downsides that I have to point out however. At the moment the maximum size of the 'Ad Links' box is 200*90, with a maximum of five topics. This is fine for people who use the smaller Ad Units, but for those who use the biggest rectangle possible this could be a problem. The other fact to consider is how long it may take your visitors to adapt to the new layout. I have no evidence to back this up, as I've only been experimenting with the new system for two days now, but it does seem that, in the short term at least, you will be seeing a decrease in revenue from your AdSense account as the visitors get used to the new layout.

The most beneficial changes Google has bestowed on us, however, has to be the changes in the payment system. A real boon to the non-US based publishers such as myself has to be the supply of local currency cheques. Now you can elect to receive your check in Pounds Sterling, Indian Rupees, Euros, Turkish Lira or any of 43 local currencies. There is also the option to sign up for the beta of the new EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer) payment option, which will deposit money directly into your back account.

So those are the changes that Google has made to its AdSense program. But as ours IS to wonder why, maybe I can make a comment of the possibility of why this update has come this week. Is it coincidence that at the same time as Google was updating its program Yahoo has announced its own textual Ad serving service, based on its Overture Paid Inclusion search engine? Personally I don't think so. But competition is almost always a good thing, and who knows, maybe Yahoo may even spur Google into giving people the Ad tracking capabilities that many publishers have been crying out for.

Daniel Robson runs http://www.shock-therapy.org where he hands out his freeware as well as loudly voicing his opinions on pretty much everything.

recurring maid service Northbrook ...

In The News:

Americans average 10-plus hours online daily, according to recent survey, splitting time between streaming shows on TV and browsing websites on multiple devices.

Boost your smartphone privacy instantly with these security tweaks for iPhone and Android that limit ad tracking, hide notifications and prevent unauthorized access.

Platforms like Hoax Tech and JS Click Cloaker help cybercriminals bypass detection systems using machine learning to selectively display scam content to victims.

A new battery recycling technique transforms old lithium-ion batteries into high-performance components that retain 88% capacity after 500 cycles with minimal waste.

Google's Android operating system can warn users about earthquakes before the shaking even begins – and there are ways to do it on your iPhone, too.

Meta's new gesture control wristband might just be the most seamless way to control a computer yet. And no, it doesn't require surgery, a camera, or even a touchscreen. All it needs is your wrist.

Long-haul trucks are now being upgraded with a surprising twist, thanks to California-based startup Revoy. Their electric boost doesn't replace diesel but works alongside it to cut emissions and fuel costs without major disruption.

PayPal and Venmo just rolled out something big: AI-powered scam alerts for Friends and Family payments.

As data centers multiply across the United States, energy demand is increasing at a rapid pace. This has not escaped the notice of large investment firms from Wall Street.

The Unicode Consortium, the nonprofit organization that maintains the Unicode Standard to ensure emojis work across devices, has announced Unicode 17.0, which includes nine new emojis slated for release this fall, in September 2025.

OpenAI is one of the world's leading AI research labs. Founded in 2015, it's behind some of today's most talked-about tools, including GPT, DALL·E, and ChatGPT.

Ever catch your dog staring at the screen during movie night and wonder if they're actually watching? Turns out, they might be. A new scientific study from Auburn University found that many dogs really do engage with television, and not all pups react the same way.

Stop the scammers from making contact in the first place. They're getting your parents' contact information and much more personal data besides, from somewhere.

The Walker S2 robot from UBTech autonomously exchanges its batteries in just three minutes, allowing continuous operation in car factories operated by BYD, Nio and Zeekr.

The FX Super One electric MPV from Faraday Future offers flexible seating, zero-gravity recliners and an AI system that creates a personal connection between driver and vehicle.

Practical solutions for reducing unwanted charity mail, political texts and email spam by opting out of shared lists, replying "STOP" and using data removal services.

Delta's new AI pricing system eliminates static airfares for personalized rates based on individual data, raising questions about fairness while promising optimized revenue.

AI data centers are straining the power grid across 13 states, contributing to a $9 billion increase in electricity costs, and PJM customers face monthly bill increases of $25 or more.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the music industry as AI-generated bands like The Velvet Sundown earn substantial streaming revenue, prompting lawsuits from major record labels.

Microsoft phishing scams use fake security alerts and links that redirect to credential-stealing pages with warning signs, including urgent language and unusual senders.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tesla vehicles manufactured since mid-2021 with AMD Ryzen processors can now access Grok 4, xAI's witty conversational assistant designed to make drives more engaging.

Understand how technology affects mental health through five concepts, including blue light exposure, screen time management and algorithmic bias.

Electric vehicle maker Lucid adds hands-free driving through an over-the-air update for Air sedan owners with the DreamDrive Pro package and Gravity SUV support coming later.

Protect your home network from hidden dangers, including router vulnerabilities, ISP tracking and smart device weaknesses with proper encryption, firmware updates and VPN technology.

Regarding the AdSense Update...

Pay-Per-Click Advertising