An algorithm on a server would check for an unusually high number of searches on news sites for the same term. When found, it would send an alert to:

This desktop gadget, which would flash a red light icon and display the associated search term.
-- Voice, Sep 28 2011

Google Trends http://www.google.com/trends
[Klaatu, Sep 29 2011]

Exclude entertainment industry news.
-- rcarty, Sep 28 2011


//This desktop gadget, which would flash a red light icon and display the associated search term.//

and...?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 28 2011


This sounds very similar to "trends" on Twitter.
-- Wrongfellow, Sep 28 2011


To the Batmobile, Robin!
-- RayfordSteele, Sep 28 2011


Bun (+), but [rcarty] got this mostly right. I'd only like to know if Beaber OD'd or something so some amount of weighting of different topics would be good.
-- MisterQED, Sep 28 2011


// entertainment industry news //

Oxymoron.
-- Alterother, Sep 28 2011


"...rogue planet takes out moon, film at 11..."
-- Grogster, Sep 29 2011


At 7:30pm EDT, everyone search Google News for "pancakes".
-- swimswim, Sep 29 2011


Result (thousands of hits):

|
2
|
1
|_____________
7:30pm^

-- rcarty, Sep 29 2011



random, halfbakery