China's Baidu to offer blog service
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-06-29 09:22
China's Internet search leader Baidu.com Inc. plans to launch a new service,
Baidu Space, which Chinese media said would offer Web logs like those from
Microsoft and Google.
"There's a product named Baidu Space," Cynthia He, a spokeeswoman for Baidu,
said on Wednesday. "I can't describe the product or give a date (for the
launch), except that it will be very soon and we are very excited. But we'd like
to keep a little mystery for now."
Chinese media reported the service would offer Web logs, often known as
"blogs," making Baidu the latest player to jump on the domestic blogging
bandwagon.
Global giants Microsoft, Google and Yahoo Inc. already offer blogging
services in China, in a crowded sector also populated by a bevy of homegrown
players with names such as Bokee.com, Blogbus.com and BlogCN.com.
The number of bloggers in China is expected to hit 60 million by the end of
this year and 100 million by 2007, according to a recent Xinhua article, citing
a media industry report done by prestigious Tsinghua University.
China is the world's second biggest Internet market by users, with more than
100 million netizens, according to the Xinhua report.
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)
|
