| New Windows Live services target mobile devices |
Feb. 14, 2007
Microsoft unveiled three new Windows Live services for mobile devices, this week at 3GSM. "Live Search for Windows Mobile" and "Live Search for Java" offer advanced local search and mapping, while "Windows Live for Windows Mobile" includes mobile email, messaging, and search, according to the company.
The Live Search client applications for Windows Mobile and Java provide users with fast access to local listings and maps, Microsoft said. Listed new capabilities include a category-based search that "virtually eliminates the need to type text" into the phone, an option to "map all results" so that several listings appear on the same map, aerial imagery, and local traffic status in selected U.S. cities. Live Search for Windows Mobile additionally includes satellite imagery, GPS integration, and the ability to send search results to another device, according to Microsoft.
Category-based local searching aims to enable users to browse categories -- such as restaurants, hotels and accommodations, and shopping -- based on their current location. Searches return local results that include address and telephone details, and provide easy options to save to contacts, map directions to or from, search nearby, map all locations, or place a phone call, Microsoft said.
Real-time traffic data is available from Live Search for more than 25 U.S. cities, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Additionally, traffic conditions are reported on local maps, using green, red, and yellow gradients to depict the current traffic situation, according to the company.
Microsoft says the new Live Search applications will be available in the U.S. and U.K. to customers using Windows Mobile devices, Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 devices, the Motorola RAZR/SLVR family, and assorted LG and Samsung devices.
Additionally, Windows Live for Windows Mobile will provide users with a set of services -- including Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Messenger, Live Search and Windows Live Spaces -- "uniquely designed" to work with Windows Mobile software, the company added.
Live Messenger offers functions to send messages via voice as well as text, join multi-party chats, and send and receive files based on a presence-enabled contact list, Microsoft said. Live Mail lets users manage both Windows Live Mail and Hotmail accounts, and new email is automatically sent to the mobile device. Live Spaces brings the company's global blogging and photo service to mobile devices, allowing users to access links to other users' spaces within contact cards and send photos and videos directly to those spaces from a mobile device.
Microsoft says it offers a "robust partner and developer program" that helps ISVs (independent software vendors) create applications for the Windows Live platform. The company says its developer program provides SDKs (software development kits), testing guidelines, that support ISVs' efforts to develop Windows Live mobile applications for Windows Mobile, Java, Symbian, and Palm devices, and deploy them with mobile operators.
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