Windows Live beta goes live
Rating: for show-offs
Windows Live mobile search in BETA went live today. I haven’t tested it yet, but there are some interesting new features: you can pull information of RSS, e-mail or blog feeds. Satellite photos of where you are going are included and installation of the mobile application is via SMS by texting 95483 (WLIVE).
It seems that ease of use has been a priority for Microsoft, but it doesn’t stop there. The search service is diverse, so that you find and locate places as in local search, but it goes further, you can find out where the taxis are and if they are available – so long as the taxi company is registered, of course.
And if you can’t see the bar, you can still find out if there is queue for drinks as the search can count the number of mobile sending signals in a specific area. This might be for the ultra-lazy – but it does have that wow factor that people in a bar might use just to show off!
Where does this put Microsoft in the battle for mobile search? Love them or hate them, these services sound good and really hit the button as far as making mobile a truly integrated part of everyday life goes.
The biggest potential hurdle to the success of such micro-location services is attaining the critical mass that is needed to make them truly useful and appealing. On the other hand, reaching critical mass is something Microsoft has excelled at in other spheres.
I’m in the US next month and promise to see how user-transparent the Windows Live experience really is.
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