<font size="3">Yahoo Begins Rolling Out Its Own Search Technology </font>

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Internet media company Yahoo Inc. (YHOO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said it was switching to its own Web search technology and dropping its use of competitor Google Inc.

The widely anticipated announcement marks the unwinding of a long-term relationship between Yahoo, operator of the world's most-visited Internet properties, and Google, the No. 1 Web search provider.

The friendly partnership evolved into an intense rivalry as Google's popularity soared and Web-search advertising revenue, which traffic providers like Yahoo share with search companies, boomed.

"The transition has obviously been underway for many months. It doesn't come as a surprise," said Jonathan Rosenberg, vice president of product management at Google, which is expected to go public later this year.

Yahoo recently has made major investments in the sector with acquisitions of search provider Inktomi and Overture Services, a key Web-search advertising company.


Rest of Story: Reuters.com