Adobe and Yahoo put contextual ads into PDFs

Adobe and Yahoo have launched Ads for Adobe PDF, an opt-in service that enables online commercial publishers to drive new revenue by including timely, contextual ads next to Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF)-based content. The service has the potential to offer readers access to more free content, enhanced with ads that match their interests. Ads for Adobe PDF Powered by Yahoo! is available initially as a beta program.

* No need to worry the ads won't actually be inside the PDF document itself. Instead they'll be shown in a panel on the side of the Acrobat Reader.

The new service allows publishers to generate revenue by including contextual, text-based ads next to Adobe PDF content, with Yahoo! providing access to its extensive network of advertisers to match a broad range of subject matter. For advertisers, Ads for Adobe PDF Powered by Yahoo! extends reach by delivering advertising across a new channel of content, while also providing the ability to track advertising performance, just as they can today with ads placed on Web sites.

“By partnering with Yahoo! on this innovative advertising service we are creating opportunities for publishers to build new businesses around unique content that previously was just given away or not available to a mass online audience,” said Rob Tarkoff, senior vice president, Corporate Development at Adobe. “As advertisers look to touch new audiences, readers can look forward to some exciting Adobe PDF content coming their way.”

“This partnership with Adobe creates a previously untapped opportunity for advertisers to connect with qualified audiences, while opening new revenue streams for publishers, and helping deliver additional relevant content to consumers,” said Todd Teresi, senior vice president, Yahoo! Publisher Network. “Creating new value with Ads in Adobe PDFs is a natural step forward in Yahoo!’s ongoing strategy to enable an array of digital connections between advertisers, publishers, and consumers.”

Google launch MAPS 2.0 with My Location technology.

Google today announced the release of version 2.0 of Google Maps for mobile, its innovative and widely used mobile mapping and local search application. New in v2.0 is a beta version of Google's "My Location" technology, which uses cell tower ID information to provide users with their approximate location, helping them determine where they are, what's around them, and how to get there.

With Google's new My Location technology, users who don't have GPS-enabled mobile phones will now be able to take advantage of the added speed and convenience afforded by location information. The My Location technology also complements GPS-enabled devices, as it delivers a location estimate faster than GPS, provides coverage inside buildings (where GPS signals can be unreliable), and doesn't drain phone batteries as quickly as GPS. Whether users are trying to locate a restaurant in an unfamiliar neighborhood, get directions to the nearest hotel while traveling, or just find a place to grab some coffee while shopping for the holidays, Google Maps for mobile with My Location can help them get what they need quickly and easily.