In its simplest form, Google News Alerts, now in beta testing, lets users create alerts based on keywords. They receive messages from Google daily or as news develops.
Although cumbersome, the Google Advanced Search tool can also be used to craft a more specific alert that limits the news sources or searches for news based on exact phrases. However, results from the advanced search must be manually copied into a field in the News Alerts configuration page.
Since it's still in beta, News Alerts has some rough edges. The alerts can't be edited, and every alert--users can define up to 50--requires a click in a separate confirmation E-mail that Google sends to the designated in-box.
Users may try out News Alerts by visiting Google's Web site.