Windows Live Search for Mobile; it’s (a)LIVE!


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Just got word from Steve Garrity, one of the project managers for Windows Live Search for Mobile that the beta version of Windows Live Search for Mobile has just been released for an open beta.
According to Steve you can check it out at http://ideas.live.com or for the bold ones among us who actually DOWNLOAD applications to our phones (you know all three of us plus the millions of Berggi users out there) you can go direct to http://wls.live.com and download the steaming hot new application direct to your phone
Steve went on to say that the handset support for J2ME isn’t extensive yet, but it should run well on Nokia Series 40 & Series 60 phones, the Motorola RAZR/SLVR family, and assorted LG & Samsung devices (but not all)… For Windows Mobile, any device running WM2003 or greater should work.
I tested the application on my Nokia N91 and felt that among the new offerings from the Windows Live Group this is really one of the most polished yet and it shows that while Microsoft seems to be perennially late to the game that doesn’t stop them from building momentum slowly at first but with ever-increasing speed. In many cases this momentum crushes the opposition as we’ve seen more than once in the past few years. Certainly it is true that one should never underestimate a company with $43 billion in the bank, nearly 100% market penetration in key areas and the ability to recognize where a market is heading.
The fact that Ray Ozzie spent his limited time at the recent Web2.0 Event in San Francisco talking about smart phones should give pause to anyone that plans to enter into or effectively compete with the Redmond giant on US turf. Personally I believe that any company that wishes to be in this market has less than two years to enter, grab market share and attempt to retain it as “The Softies” do what they do - incrementally improve their products while eating their competitors lunch.
It’s not necessarily that I want to see this happen. As many of you know I’m a big fan of the Symbian OS in its many flavors and of late have come to really love the Maemo Linux running on Nokia’s 770 Internet Tablet (more on this device soon). It’s just that I’m a fairly pragmatic person when it comes to software innovation and I’ve seen some sneak peaks at what’s on the horizon. My advice. if you’re going to move in the US market, MOVE NOW.
Tags: search, windows mobile, nokia, symbian, redmond, beta Categories: Announcements, Analysis, Windows Live Mobile Bookmark this post with del.icio.us
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