Yahoo Inc. on Monday unveiled a new section aimed at helping consumers cope with the onslaught of new technology that's reshaping modern life.
The new service, dubbed "Yahoo Tech," represents the Internet powerhouse's latest effort to grab a bigger piece of the rapidly growing Internet advertising market.
The section will include 19 different categories devoted to an array of products, including laptop computers, cell phones, digital cameras and high-definition television.
Sunnyvale-based Yahoo is trying to present the information in a down-to-earth way, so readers won't need a doctorate in electrical engineering to understand what kind of technology best fits their needs.
"We want to free people from the tyranny of 'geekspeak,'" said Patrick Houston, general manager for Yahoo Tech.
The section will feature product recommendations from Consumer Reports as well as PC World and PC Magazine.
Besides collecting information from around the Web, Yahoo also has hired four high-tech advisers to share their insights with daily updates. Each adviser will cater to audiences based on stereotypes — "The Mom," "The Working Guy," "Techie Diva" and "The Boomer."
Yahoo will also expand its video offerings in the tech section serving up a weekly segment called "Hook Me Up" that will be hosted by Becky Worley, who formerly covered technology for CNN and ABC's "Good Morning America."
By launching its technology section, Yahoo is hoping to become an even more attractive advertising vehicle for the makers of computers, phones, cameras and other gadgets as they jostle for a competitive edge.
Although Yahoo has been among the biggest beneficiaries as advertisers shift more spending online, the company's revenue isn't growing as rapidly as its biggest rival, Google Inc.
For instance, Yahoo's first-quarter revenue rose 34 percent to $1.57 billion while Google's revenue for the same period surged 79 percent to $2.25 billion. The slower growth has hurt Yahoo's stock, which has slipped by 16 percent so far this year.
