Since 2007, when it first announced a Windows Mobile client for its Live Search search engine -- formerly known as Windows Live Search or MSN Search -- Microsoft has steadily added features to it. In October of last year, for example, it added voice input, the ability to use GPS data to provide location-aware local search, and improved its 3D imagery. For more details, see our earlier coverage, here.

Version 3.0 adds new features, including the following, according to Microsoft:

• Mapping contacts -- Users can view a map or get directions to addresses in contact lists or address books
  
• Viewing Virtual Earth collections -- Custom maps can show locations or events created on a PC by the user, friends, or broader community
  
• Searching the Web -- The Live Search for Windows Mobile client can now launch Internet Explorer directly
  
• Viewing the weather -- An icon in Live Search for Windows Mobile can now be clicked on to view weather conditions and a four-day forecast

According to a blog posting by Gary Voronel, program manager for Live Search for Windows Mobile, many of the improvements in version 3.0 result from a feature in the past release that allowed users to send feedback directly to the engineering team. "Since then, we've received tons of messages from users," he says, adding that being able to obtain weather information was the most common request.


Version 3.0 of Live Search for Windows Mobile adds weather information and other features
A visual comparison of version 2.0 of Live Search for Windows Mobile (left, above) with the new version 3.0 (above, middle) shows some of the changes. New "collections," "web," and "weather" icons have been added. Clicking on the weather icon obtains an instant view of current and predicted weather conditions (above, right). The "Gas Prices" icon -- previously included in some earlier Live Search clients, opens up a localized search of gas stations and lists prices when clicked on.

Further information

The updated Live Search for Windows Mobile runs on Windows Mobile 2003 (SE), Windows Mobile 5, and Windows Mobile 6. It can be downloaded for free by pointing a phone's web browser at wls.live.com. An FAQ is available here. To access the Live Search for Windows Mobile team blog, go here.

In addition to the Windows Mobile client for Live Search client, clients are also downloadable for J2ME (Java) phones and for Blackberry (beta). Unsupported phones, such as the iPhone, can use the service via their Web browsers, at m.live.com.

---

Related stories:

• Yahoo! aims web services at mobile phones
  
• Yahoo! Go 2.0 goes Windows Mobile
  
• "Zooming" Windows Mobile UI ships
  
• Microsoft refines Live Search client for Windows Mobile
  
• AOL offers Windows Mobile client software
  
• Video showcases Windows Mobile 6.1 features
  
• Microsoft pushes content to Windows phones