Live Search for iPhone

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Microsoft Live Labs recently announced Seadragon for iPhone which indicated Microsoft's interest with the iPhone. Microsoft's Live Search team has now joined that list and has released Live Search for iPhone, though the announcement was made in the MacRumor's forum last week unlike the official announcement of Seadragon.

Live Search for iPhone is not an iPhone app like the Google Mobile App but the Live Search team has tuned their mobile website for iPhone. It's an iPhone-friendly version of the Live Search site which means that the entire search site is now tailored for the iPhone's screen.

Some of the features announced are:

iPhone Friendly: The entire search site is tailored for the iPhone's screen
Personalization: You can add widgets like a local weather forecast or stock quotes to your Live Search homepage
Saved locations: You can now save favourite locations like Home and Work
Walking directions: Live Search now supports walking directions as well driving directions
Mobile web results: Mobile web results now appear on top of results with a quick description
Encarta answers: Encarta answers automatically appear on top of results

As the default search engine cannot be changed in iPhone (other than to Yahoo), the only thing Live Search lovers can do is to set it as their homepage or bookmark it.

Image Courtesy: MacRumors Forums

(4 replies) #1 Intelman on 23 Dec 2008 - 08:24

How many iPhone users will use this? I can't imagine many.

#1.1 creamhackered on 23 Dec 2008 - 08:29

I would guess most will use Google

#1.2 Glendi on 23 Dec 2008 - 10:05

As many people who own an iPhone and use Live Search on their computer as well.

#1.3 dlegend on 23 Dec 2008 - 10:34

Glendi said,

And those who find out that using live search on an iPhone is possible.

#1.4 y_notm on 23 Dec 2008 - 14:26

Intelman said,

Been using this for about a month now, often for Traffic Updates since Google's traffic is always horribly, horribly wrong in the Maps App.

(3 replies) #2 thealexweb on 23 Dec 2008 - 12:49

So the default search is yahoo or is it google?

#2.1 QuarterSwede on 23 Dec 2008 - 13:38

thealexweb said,

Google is the default just like in OS Xs Safari.

#2.2 suyashs on 24 Dec 2008 - 08:05

QuarterSwede said,

You can set it to Yahoo in preferences, but you can't install any other search providers.

#2.3 thealexweb on 05 Feb 2009 - 21:52

suyashs said,

I can understand the bundling of some engines over others but locking down the platform, that's mean.

(1 reply) #3 +majortom1981 on 23 Dec 2008 - 13:10

IF its anything like the comparison to google and live search on windows mobile the live search has better gps positioning.

#3.1 Matt on 23 Dec 2008 - 21:16

majortom1981 said,

QFT. Google maps blows compared to microsoft's live maps. thats one thing i miss about my old windows mobile phone.

(2 replies) #4 -Bryce- on 23 Dec 2008 - 14:07

well it is ugly just like anything microsoft makes for mobile phones.

#4.1 thealexweb on 23 Dec 2008 - 14:25

-Bryce- said,

It does look... very primitive.

#4.2 guruparan on 23 Dec 2008 - 19:53

As ugly Apple did Safari for windows ;-)

(2 replies) #5 BigBoy on 23 Dec 2008 - 14:39

Yeah too bad it is not an app... Live Search for Windows Mobile is one of best apps MS makes, Google's search does not come close.

#5.1 LTD on 23 Dec 2008 - 15:32

BigBoy said,

Check out the Google Mobile App.

http://www.google.com/mobile/apple/app.html

#5.2 guruparan on 23 Dec 2008 - 19:52

LTD said,

He said that Google search does not come close..he didnt mean that there is no app from google for windows mobile..

Either way, livesearch for windows mobile is really good compared to the others..

(3 replies) #6 Anim8or on 23 Dec 2008 - 22:07

A person who uses Live Search shouldn't even be using an iPhone in the first place.

#6.1 +Brandon Live on 24 Dec 2008 - 08:28

Anim8or said,

What?

#6.2 cJr. on 24 Dec 2008 - 18:39

What a ridiculous comment! I despise Google myself (although sometimes have to use it for relevancy). Live Search is so much better (especially their Maps and Image searches!)

#6.3 +Lexcyn on 24 Dec 2008 - 21:08

cJr. said,

LOL. Are you serious?

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