Well, this is meta: a newsletter item about a press release announcing future publication of the newsletter. I don’t think reading it will cause a tear in the space-time continuum, but then again, it might. Click here if you’re brave enough to find out.

Criteo launched a new Predictive Search product that automatically optimizes paid search bids in Google Shopping campaigns based on user intent, device, and behavior as well as non-individual factors. One key enabler is Criteo’s Universal Match technology, which tracks anonymized users across all devices, browsers and apps. Criteo applies the same technology to personalize dynamic email, retargeting, social and mobile app advertising. So think of this as today’s good news story: yes, there are solutions to the challenge of identifying cross-channel behaviors.

This deal is about linking ads more directly to shopping results. SPINS is buying a company that sits between where ads run and where purchases happen.