The Wall Street Journal
Google Inc. on Friday said it bought Metaweb, an Internet information database start-up, in order to improve its core Internet-search business.
In a post on the company's blog, Google said Metaweb had a free and open database of 12 million "things" such as movies and locations that could help Google's user get quick answers to difficult search queries.
The deal's terms weren't disclosed.
Google handles the majority of Internet users' search queries but is facing competition from Microsoft Corp.'s Bing search engine, which research reports say handles more than 10% of queries. Later this year Bing will power searches on Yahoo Inc.'s websites.
Google is in the midst of a buying spree and earlier this month announced a $700 million acquisition of ITA Software, whose software powers many of the Internet's most popular travel search and booking websites, such as Kayak.com and Orbitz.com, as well as Bing's travel search feature.
In a post on the company's blog, Google said Metaweb had a free and open database of 12 million "things" such as movies and locations that could help Google's user get quick answers to difficult search queries.
The deal's terms weren't disclosed.
Google handles the majority of Internet users' search queries but is facing competition from Microsoft Corp.'s Bing search engine, which research reports say handles more than 10% of queries. Later this year Bing will power searches on Yahoo Inc.'s websites.
Google is in the midst of a buying spree and earlier this month announced a $700 million acquisition of ITA Software, whose software powers many of the Internet's most popular travel search and booking websites, such as Kayak.com and Orbitz.com, as well as Bing's travel search feature.
