Google Inc, which dominates the market for web search, is developing a service that could extend the reach of its lucrative keyword-based advertising by linking such ads to e-mail. Google faces competition in its search business from e-mail providers including Yahoo and MSN.Adding an e-mail service would boost Google as its technology lead in the search market appears to narrow and it prepares to answer to growth-hungry shareholders. Google has for years said it would not turn its site into an internet portal like Yahoo or MSN. However, since it opened, Google has added discussion groups and is testing a shopping site called Froogle, and a news site. —Reuters
