"Clients have been telling us they've been overwhelmed by the incredible explosion in data about search. Their biggest need is more clarity in how to use it," says Rod Lenninger, executive vice president of iCrossing.

In the same way the Internet roiled the travel industry, it's eyeing real estate as the next big sector for radical transformation.

Advertisers may be intrigued by the podcast, but assessing its ROI hasn't been easy. Many subscribers use services like iTunes, which means they're not going to dedicated Web sites to download each new episode. So the conventional metrics offered by Web hosters aren't leveraged.

As user-generated content gets hotter, companies are looking for a way to get involved without getting burned. LiveWorld, based in Los Gatos, Calif., designs, builds, and moderates branded online communities for clients such as Dove, HBO, and Mini USA.

As the Internet titans - Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo - battle for control of the PC desktop with toolbars, instant-messaging apps, search, and other downloadables, marketers looking to get a piece of the desktop for themselves might consider a product like IncrediMail.

If you're as frustrated with e-mail spam and bouncebacks as most marketers today, here's something to counteract your slipping open rates.

We've been patient, but when exactly are we going to get that long-promised interactive TV experience - TV shows with clickable elements that marry primetime and the Web? While you're waiting (and waiting), try the new ad units at Instant Media's broadband HDTV service I'M Interactive (im.com).

Known to some as the eBay of the Internet advertising marketplace, the Right Media Exchange is a one-stop bazaar for buyers and sellers of Internet ads where two billion impressions are traded daily, representing 100,000 unique ads.

Sprint Nextel, the once-lowly carrier known for dorky phones and sloppy service, is making itself over as a content powerhouse.

Jeff Bell is responsible for worldwide marketing strategies for Microsoft's Xbox and Games for Windows businesses. His team focuses on Microsoft Game Studios games; the Xbox and Games for Windows platforms and brands; Xbox Live; global marketing promotions; and customer relationship management.