The time consumers spend with their mobile devices to search the Internet, use apps, and play video games or music has doubled in the past two years, according to eMarketer. Excluding the time spent talking on the phone, consumers will spend nearly 52% more time using the mobile phone, an average of 82 minutes per day longer -- up from 34 minutes in 2010, the data firm estimates. 

Google released a dedicated search app for Windows 8, which provides a link to Google services, such as Gmail and Drive. It will provide an alternative to Bing. Microsoft plans to release the next version of Windows Friday.

Search engine bots have become attracted to new content. Marketers know that the newer the better. Zach Bulygo and Sean Work provide suggestions to keep content on the site new, such as updating every weekday with articles and advice. Good content requires marketers to look for the thread that connects people to topics. Images and make-you-feel-good posts are popular, too. 

When all was said and done, The Guardian reported the accidental email that sent Google's earnings a bit early wiped $22 billion from the company's stock value last week. The stock bounced back, slightly, but the mishap highlights the vulnerability of companies and their data. While leaks of financial figures are rare, The Guardian points out that Google blamed financial printers RR Donnelley for filing its draft third-quarter results without final authorization.

A lawsuit brought on by Vringo against AOL, Google, IAC Search & Media, Gannett, and Target began with two patent filings by Andrew Kennedy Lang -- now CTO, but formally of Lycos, who sold the rights back in 1998 and then repurchased them recently: Patents 6,314,420 and 6,775,664. The patents are essential to AdSense and AdWords, according to Ed Liston. He links to the patents, but also highlights other issues that Google is facing. 

Competitors buying brand names are often seen as keyword squatting, even when it comes to politics. Marty Weintraub tells us Mitt Romney backers bought Facebook and Twitter ads designed to divert clicks from users searching for information on the keyword "Obama." He explains that Obama's Facebook search ads are done well. Sponsored listings begin to appear when the searcher types "Barack," but a click on the ad leads to the official Romney Facebook page.

Rand Fishkin looks at old link-building practices and link-earning strategies to help marketers move into new tactics that could help sites remain relevant in the search engine results pages to drive traffic. He believes Google is trying to eliminate the practice of link-building and renew the practice of link-earning, pointing to so many marketers embracing content marketing.  

Anony Mous brings us a little Friday light humor, asking what would happen if those involved with the Presidential debate used "Mad Men" quotes in their speeches? Mous analyzes what Romney and Obama might sound and look like if they used the words of Don Draper and his friends.

BloomReach closed a $25 million Series C funding round led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA). Existing investors -- including Lightspeed Venture Partners and Bain Capital Ventures -- also participated in the third round, bringing BloomReach's total funding to $41 million to date.

Feeling comfortable with making a payment from your mobile phone via a tap or a wave? Search for a store based on location before a coupon guides you in. eMarketer estimates this type of payment -- also known as "proximity mobile payments" -- at point of sale in stores in the United States should rise 234% by the end of this year. Total transaction volume should reach $62.24 billion by 2016. The data firm bases the estimates on several assumptions.