Product innovations provide customers with new ways to
stay connected and informed, offer new revenue for mobile industry.
Today at 3GSM World Congress 2007, Microsoft Corp. announced three new
Windows Live™ for mobile services that provide search and communications
capabilities to help people access their world of relationships, information and
interests from their mobile device. Now available in the United States and the
United Kingdom, Live Search for Windows Mobile® and Live Search for
Java provide customers with advanced local search and mapping capabilities on
their mobile device. In conjunction with the availability of Windows Mobile 6,
Microsoft also introduced Windows Live for Windows Mobile — a rich set of
Windows Live services including e-mail, instant messaging and search — uniquely
designed to work with Windows Mobile powered devices.
“People want to stay connected and informed wherever they are, and our aim is
to deliver easy-to-use, familiar mobile services that keep people connected to
the people and information they care about,” said Steve Berkowitz, senior vice
president of the Online Services Group at Microsoft. “Live Search for mobile and
Windows Live for Windows Mobile are the latest examples of our commitment to
enhancing the mobile search and services experience for our customers, and
helping mobile operators, OEMs and advertising partners access new revenues and
differentiate their products in this competitive mobile market.”
Live Search for Windows Mobile and Live Search for Java
Live Search is now available as a software client application on Windows
Mobile and Java devices. These Live Search applications represent the latest
innovation in mobile search from Microsoft, providing customers with fast,
easy-way access to local listings and maps. New capabilities include a unique,
category-based search, which virtually eliminates the need to type text into the
phone; an option to “map all results” so several listings appear on the same
map; aerial imagery; and local traffic status in selected U.S. cities. Live
Search for Windows Mobile provides additional new capabilities including
satellite imagery, GPS integration and the ability to send search results to a
friend.
The new Live Search applications will be available in the United States and
the United Kingdom to customers using Windows Mobile powered devices, Nokia
Series 40 and Series 60 devices, the Motorola RAZR/SLVR family, and assorted LG
and Samsung devices. Live Search for mobile provides Windows Mobile and Java
customers the following capabilities:
| • |
Category-based local searching. Live Search for mobile
offers the new option to search for local businesses, points of interest or
services right on a mobile device without any typing. Based on their location,
users can browse categories such as restaurants, hotels and accommodations, and
shopping. Searches return local results with address and telephone details and
provide easy options to save to contacts, map directions to or from, search
nearby, map all locations, or call. Customers can also enter specific search
terms to find information about a business listing, residential listing or
business topic, and with integrated contact information users are able to send
listing results to a friend. |
| • |
Maps and directions. Global positioning capabilities
built into Live Search for mobile enable users to search and explore routes from
their current location. Users can enter virtually any start and end point to
retrieve routes with turn-by-turn directions and display maps with road or
aerial views. For the best user experience, Live Search capabilities from
Microsoft use new Virtual Earth™ technology to provide rich, responsive local
searches with maps, directions and imagery; aerial imagery is available for
Windows Mobile customers. |
| • |
Traffic. Real-time traffic data is available for more
than 25 U.S. cities, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Seattle and Washington, D.C. Traffic conditions are reported on local maps with
simple green, red and yellow gradients. |
Customers interested in the Live Search for Windows Mobile and Live Search
for Java applications can go to http://mobile.search.live.com to view a complete
list of device availability and download the software for their device at no
cost. Users can easily download the Live Search client directly to their mobile
phone by going to http://wls.live.com on their phone’s browser.
Live Search for mobile provides partners and advertisers with the opportunity
to create new revenue through demand for data plans and new devices as well as
mobile advertising. By providing highly relevant, location-based sponsored
content, Microsoft® Live Search helps increase the value of mobile
search for consumers and advertisers. Local search is one of the top advertising
platform opportunities based on user interest; Microsoft is continuing its work
to provide the best local search experience for customers and partners.
Continue At Source