SA takes up Google challenge

Professors across SA are partnering with Google to introduce students to the world of online advertising and hundreds of South African marketing students are ready for the challenge, reports iafrica.com.

The Google Online Marketing Challenge is a hands-on exercise that will give undergraduate and post-graduate students direct experience of online advertising while they study.

Student groups will receive the equivalent of $200 (around R1 400) to spend on Google AdWords advertising, working with a local business of their choice to devise effective online marketing campaigns.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs will need to work some magic to hit his sales target of 10 million iPhones this year, reports TheStreet.com.

Since the iPhone's launch in June, Apple has sold about four million devices, including 2.3 million during the important holiday season.

To reach the 10 million mark, it needs to average 2.5 million phones in sales a quarter over the next four quarters - or 200 000 more than what it sold during the big holiday season.

The world's biggest music companies, including Warner Music Group and Sony BMG, denied they have agreed to license songs for a free download service that was launched by Qtrax on Monday, says Reuters.

Qtrax told Reuters and other media outlets last week that it had deals with the major labels representing about 75% of all music sales, to let users download free songs in a new service to be supported by advertising revenue.

But, by Monday, Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Warner had publicly denied they had agreed to back the new Qtrax service.