Reports are surfacing that Microsoft will be rebranding its search engine one more time. The first rebranding was that of MSN to Live, and now Microsoft is expected to rebrand Live into Kumo. Microsoft has already registered the domain Kumo.com but there is no estimate on when, if assumptions are correct, Microsoft Kumo will be launched.Kumo is a Japanese word meaning 'Cloud' or 'Spider'. The transition from Live to Kumo may signify Microsoft's further attempt at establishing true cloud computing and perhaps even mitigating the growth of its competitor, Google.
Microsoft's current plans for Live, as evident from home.live.com, seem to be a social networking aggregation of contact information, email, calendar and photos. Perhaps we'll even see the addition of a streamlined interface between Facebook and Live.
A major criticism of the Live brand is that once it was launched it deteriorated in public recognition as a search engine brand due to the emergence of software that carried the Live title (i.e. Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Photo Gallery). Perhaps, with yet another change in branding, Microsoft will finally be able to put their search engine in the position they desire it to be.
That's terrible.
And before that, it was .Net.... I really don't think it matters what they call it... people will still come to the same conclusion.
Microsoft is going to implode from all this corruption. I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet.
Well because they were MSN in some cases for close to a decade. MS isn't going to stop people calling them that in a day and it's going to take a hell of alot longer is MS themselves can't settle on names for their services. It's not just the live vs Kumo name for search, hotmail has jumped around from Hotmail to live mail to Live Hotmail now all the while changing the name of the desktop client too creating a huge amount of confusion and all within maybe 24 months.
Seriously it's not surprising people are sticking to the MSN tag given MS can't make up their mind what they want to call many of these services themselves. MSN will fade in favor of "Live" when the branding recognition is stronger, at the moment but MS seems to be struggling to create any clear cut brand definition.
Microsoft is going to implode from all this corruption. I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet.
You obviously don't work for Microsoft to know anything about the people there.
Your anology doesn't work here. Plus, other portal sites have mixed content and services together since their inceptions - no schism needed.
What MS should understand is that they need to add value to the quickly depreciating Windows brand and only release Live products as optional updates like their doing now, but sans the Live branding. The Live brand lends itself outside of Windows to brands like Office, Xbox etc; it's just a mess and truly has no meaning. Saying "Live" means a set of services is crap because there is no correlation, much less an abstract meaning behind it.
If MS wanted to rebrand something to get their kicks, they should:
1) Release an update to the MSN brand/logo
2) Embrace broadband technology by releasing a hi-fi, tricked out design to all MSN properties
3) Hire expectional bloggers to compete against the big boys
4) Create tools to compliment mega services like FB and Flickr and not try to compete with medicore services like Live Spaces, SkyDrive, and so on.
It was MSN, .NET, Live!, now Kumo... how often are people expected to keep up with Microsoft's marketing? Marketing should be raising awareness, not be confusing and annoying.
Bye, bye MS. Yahoo is going to outlast you.
I use google as my primary search engine because it gives me the most relevant results every single time. Top that and I'll happily make the switch, but even if you called it the "Kushan r0x0rz t3h b0x0rz" search engine, if it doesn't fine me the results I'm looking for, I wont use it.
Also anyone else think that the live search initial page is ugly. Looks ok on a small rez screen but not so much on 1680x1050.
Also anyone else think that the live search initial page is ugly. Looks ok on a small rez screen but not so much on 1680x1050.
Have you tried recently? I mean actually tried? Live search results are on par or better than Google's now IMO, especially because you don't get as much spam search results as on Google.
And no - I actually think that the live.com page is pretty, with a fresh high quality photo every day. But what's beautiful to me does not have to be the same to you...
=)
Live's results aren't anywhere near as good as what Google's can provide, that's why I tried to use it as my default browser but had to go back to Google.
like:
Windows Live Profile (upcoming social service) to "Cloud Life"
Windows Live Messenger to "Cloud Messenger"
Windows Live Space to "Cloud Wall"
etc etc.. specially i would like to start my browser with "Cloud Life" front page. Which would mixture of Facebook like social feeds & current My Windows Live (my.live.com).
Almost as bad as Live.
"Hey, dudes! Check out my rad new Windows Live Profile with my new Windows Live Video Module. I'm online now, so send me an instant message on Windows Live Messenger!"
... How much more friggin hideous can the branding get?
Almost as bad as Live.
"Hey, dudes! Check out my rad new Windows Live Profile with my new Windows Live Video Module. I'm online now, so send me an instant message on Windows Live Messenger!"
... How much more friggin hideous can the branding get?
alternatives:
"Hey, dudes! Check out my rad new 'CloudLife' with my new Videos. I'm online now, so send me an instant message on Cloud!"
Live can be pronounced as "I want to live forever" or "The new system is going live"
Kumo can be pronounced as "Cum-o" or "Koo-moe"
Maybe they should try something like "google2.com" or "betterthanyahoo.com"
Live can be pronounced as "I want to live forever" or "The new system is going live"
Kumo can be pronounced as "Cum-o" or "Koo-moe"
Maybe they should try something like "google2.com" or "betterthanyahoo.com"
On the other hand, anyone who knows how Japanese works knows that there is only one way to pronounce kumo, because there is only ONE pronunciation of u and o (none of that long/short vowel stuff).
But even though google can be pronounced several ways, I'm content to say it like joogle, cuz it sounds like a cross between jew and frugal, and that's awesome.
Not only is it a ridiculous name, it's a ridiculous business decision. Nobody will ever think to a Microsoft service when they hear (or read) Kumo. This is just more evidence that Microsoft is getting desperate.
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