August 31, 2006
Microsoft has completed the beta version of its Windows Live Search and created some new features
that it hopes users will love.
As anyone who works in the software industry knows, the only real way to find out if you’re successful is to run a beta
test, and see what people think of your new product.
That is just what Microsoft is in the process of doing. Since introducing its beta in March on Windows
Live the company have been experimenting with all sorts of things and now has begun testing at a larger scale from MSN.
Microsoft wants to take a moment to introduce you to some things the blogosphere has started noticing from the
testing. Check out the features, and keep an eye on both its MSN service and its Windows Live service.
It’s a fair bet that you’ll see more changes coming soon. If you like them, hate them, or have any feedback,
please send them.
Image Search
As Robert Scoble, Don Dodge and Brady Forrest noticed, Microsoft has updated its image search beta. This
update has improved relevance, an expanded index of images, faster AJAX code for the user experience, and
a scratchpad for working on a collection of images. Also, check out the new “related names” feature by searching
on anybody you consider famous like Barry Bonds, George Bush, Bill Clinton or Oprah Winfrey.
Video Search
As TechCrunch, LiveSide and Elizabeth Montalbano noticed, Microsoft has taken its first foray into searching video.
It’s an early-stage service with some licensed content from Truveo but give it a try on anything in the news like
Kentucky, gas prices or Atlantis launch. There's more and more content coming online in video form so the company is
excited.
Macros
Microsoft has done a major improvement to its macros feature it first introduced in March and it thinks of a
macro as building your own search engine in three minutes. When you create and save a macro, it creates a
permalink for your search engine so you can share it easily and add it to your favorites. You also get an
integrated experience with its dynamic search bar that allows you to use your macro with one click. Microsoft
also introduced an easy wizard-like experience to make creating a macro a snap. You can check out the ever-growing
gallery of user-created macros.
New User Experience
Since most searches happen right on the Web tab, Microsoft invested a lot in user research and iterative testing
to make this experience fast and useful. You can see its new look that includes an improved set of fonts,
colors and sizes. It also introduces a tool it calls the “search bar”. It provides a smart and consistent way
to scope your search to different types of content including new beta services. The search bar starts out with
a core set of the most common searches, but as you pick additional items from the “more” menu or use Macros, you’ll
see that they get promoted so you can return to them easily.
Source: Microsoft MSN
