I recently attended Google I/O on Wednesday May 27th (I was invited to cover Google I/O since I run a popular Android site, and Google's Android platform for mobile devices was front and center at this Google Developer Conference). I wore my SEOmoz shirt from SMX Advanced 2008 and received (along with the other 4,000 attendees) a free Google Android Ion Phone.

Later I was having lunch with Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Land as well as MG Siegler of TechCrunch and Matt Cutts, so it presented an opportune time to ask them about Michael Gray of GrayWolf's concern. Mr. Gray was recently arguing that TechCrunch should nofollow the Sponsor links such as at http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/05/13/contenture-wants-to-fail-whale-your-ad-network/

MG stated he wasn't aware of it, and when Matt looked at the offending page he said he didn't have an issue with it since it wasn't within MG's control.

Michael was not happy with this answer, as now he went on to say Google itself is actually violating their own paid links guideline with the free Android Ion phones provided at Google I/O.

Michael's logic is that the phone (valued at approximately $400 - although sold on EBay for nearly $800) is a way of Google "paying" people to generate buzz and thus link to them.

Andy Beard even chimed in with his post.

Do you think Michael Gray is getting carried away, or does he have a point in either or both paid link concerns?

I was going to ask Sergey Brin about this but instead asked about his thoughts on Microsoft constantly changing search engine names as it relaunches officially at SMX Advanced in Seattle this week. There was laughter throughout the room when Sergey responded that he is happy with the name Google, which was picked up on several sites, including TechCrunch.

What do you guys think? In the meantime, my Ion phone and I will be presenting at SMX Advanced this week, representing Internet Marketing Inc - please come say hi if you are attending.