Although the name Baidu literally means "hundreds of times," this Chinese company's search engine is used many millions of times every day. The Chinese equivalent of Google, Baidu boasts a whopping 79% share of the search-engine market in China. Its search engine was also recently added as an option on iPhones and iPads in China, which should further cement its leading position. In recent times Baidu has branched out from internet search, launching its own internet web browser and smartphone. However, like Google, almost all of Baidu's revenue is generated through search advertising. The company has recorded solid, double-digit profit growth over the past year. -- N.S.