Main Search Engines

Main Search Engines http://www.blogverticals.com/viewcompilation/5 Main Search Engines en 2008-07-03T22:57-08:00 Ask.com is Grillin' and Chillin' for the 4th of July http://blog.ask.com/2008/07/askcom-is-grill.html For some the 4th of July is all about fireworks and going to the beach. Grilling fans know better. It’s all about grillin' and chillin'. So, Ask.com decided to get to the “meat” of the matter and find out who... This Summer: Get Going with the New Upcoming http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000597.html <a href="http://upcoming.yahoo.com/">Upcoming</a> has a new look and is ready to help you get out there and explore more. The team has launched a revamped version of the site, which showcases a sleek new interface and an increased range of event types. The new interface makes it easier for new users to find things to do, but still lets existing users tap into the Upcoming community you're used to. So you can continue to connect with friends and find out what's going on nearby. We're also increasing the number and types of hyper-local events available so you can find smaller-scale, more local events even closer to home. We've added events like farmers' markets, craft fairs and street festivals to the tens of thousands already available. Our events cover more than 8,000 cities worldwide and they're still integrated into other Yahoo! sites like <a href="http://local.yahoo.com/">Local</a>, <a href="http://cm.my.yahoo.com/">My Yahoo!</a>, <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide">Travel Guides</a>, and <a href="http://new.music.yahoo.com/">Music</a>. So if you're still looking to make plans for the Fourth of July, give it a try on Upcoming by typing in 'fireworks' and 'San Francisco Bay Area' on the site. You'll be one step closer to eating good local barbeque and wearing outlandish America-flag-printed apparel on Friday. Or, for a <a href="http://search.yahoo.com/">Yahoo! Search</a> shortcut to other events over the long weekend, try '<a href="http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=Chicago+festivals">Chicago festivals</a>.' <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ysearchblog/2625870265/" title="Upcoming revamp by y.searchblog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/2625870265_641cf58476.jpg" width="500" height="466" alt="Upcoming revamp" /></a> Vince Maniago & the Upcoming Team Powerset joins Live Search http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/07/01/powerset-joins-live-search.aspx We're excited to announce that we've reached an agreement to acquire <A href="http://www.powerset.com/" target=_blank mce_href="http://www.powerset.com/">Powerset</A>, a San Francisco-based search and natural language company. Powerset will join our core Search Relevance team, remaining intact in San Francisco. Powerset brings with it natural language technology that nicely complements other natural language processing technologies we have in Microsoft Research. More importantly, Powerset brings to Live Search a set of talented engineers and computational linguists in downtown San Francisco. This is a great team with a wide range of experience from other search engines and research organizations like PARC (formerly Xerox PARC). We're buying Powerset first and foremost because we're impressed with the people there. Powerset CTO and cofounder Barney Pell is a visionary and incredible evangelist. When he introduced our senior engineers to some of the most senior people at Powerset — Search engineers and computational linguists like Tim Converse, Chad Walters, Scott Prevost, Lorenzo Thione, and Ron Kaplan — we came away impressed by their smarts, their experience, their passion for search, and a shared vision. That shared vision is to take Search to the next level by adding understanding of the intent and meaning behind the words in searches and webpages. We know today that roughly a third of searches don't get answered on the first search and first click. Usually searchers find the information they want eventually, but that often requires multiple searches or clicks on multiple search results. Two specific problems are the most common reasons for this: <UL> <LI>Differences in phrasing or context between a user's search and the way the same information is expressed on webpages. Search engines don't understand today that "shrub" and "tree" are similar concepts. We don't understand that "cancer" sometimes refers to a disease and sometimes refers to a horoscope and when a query or a webpage refers to which. </LI> <LI>Lack of clarity in the descriptions for each webpage in the search results. Sometimes a result looks relevant from its short description on the results page but turns out to be not so relevant when you visit the actual page. As a result, searchers frequently click results and then rapidly click back when they realize they aren't what they're looking for.</LI></UL> These problems exist because search engines today primarily match words in a search to words on a webpage. We can solve these problems by working to understand the intent behind each search and the concepts and meaning embedded in a webpage. Doing so, we can innovate in the quality of the search results, in the flexibility with which searchers can phrase their queries, and in the search user experience. We will use knowledge extracted from webpages to improve the result descriptions and provide new tools to help customers search better. Working with our existing Search team and other Microsoft teams that focus on natural language, Powerset will help us address all of those problems and opportunities. We're looking to add even more talented engineers to the San Francisco team to accelerate our shared progress. If you're interested in joining the team, <A href="http://tbe.taleo.net/NA6/ats/careers/searchResults.jsp?org=POWERSET&cws=1" mce_href="http://tbe.taleo.net/NA6/ats/careers/searchResults.jsp?org=POWERSET&cws=1">drop us a line</A>. We'll have more to say about the things we're doing in understanding searches and webpages through natural language technology in the coming months. In the meantime, please join me in welcoming Powerset to Microsoft! Satya Nadella, Senior Vice President, Search, Portal, and Advertising See also: <A href="http://www.powerset.com/blog/" mce_href="http://www.powerset.com/blog/">Microsoft to acquire Powerset</A><img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8678013" width="1" height="1"> Weather Report: Yahoo! Search Index Update http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000596.html We'll be rolling out some changes to our crawling, indexing and ranking algorithms over the next few days, but expect the update will be completed soon. As you know, throughout this process you may see some ranking changes and page shuffling in the index. To share your thoughts or check in with other Yahoo! Search users, please visit the <a href="http://suggestions.yahoo.com/?prop=SiteExplorer">Site Explorer Suggestion Board</a>. Sharad Verma Yahoo! Search Yahoo! Chats with Semantic Web Expert, Ben Adida http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000595.html Yahoo!'s plans to "open up" really started circulating at the beginning of this year. Not long after, Yahoo! Search <a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000527.html">announced</a> its plans to support semantic mark-ups, specifically our crawler support for markups like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RDFa">RDFa</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embedded_RDF">eRDF</a>, as well as provided a glimpse into our open approach to search. As Yahoo! prepares to support standards, like RDFa for example, we've continued to work closely with the best and brightest in the semantic markup community. We were thrilled to have <a href="http://ben.adida.net/">Ben Adida</a> visit the Sunnyvale campus a few weeks ago. Ben is a member of the Faculty at Harvard Medical School and at the Children's Hospital Informatics Program, as well as a research fellow with the Center for Research on Computation and Society with the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He is also the Creative Commons representative to the <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process/Process-19991111/tr.html">W3C</a> and chair of the <a href="http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/BestPractices/HTML/">RDF-in-HTML task force</a>, focusing on bridging the semantic and clickable webs. Ben was kind enough to submit himself to a barrage of questions on RDFa, its development and the opportunities it provides. Take a look and feel free to drop questions you have in the comments. We'll do our best to cycle them through to Ben. Lawrence Kim, Yahoo! Search & Peter Mika, Yahoo! Research Yahoo! (Y!): RDFa has been long in the making... is it ready now? Ben Adida (BA): Indeed it has been long in the making, and for good reason. We had to make sure we didn't step on other specifications' toes, that we respected existing design and uses of HTML, that we enabled the expression of enough flexible data to be useful in a number of current and future use cases, and that we had a valid processing model with test cases to help implementors. We have all of that now. So yes, RDFa is ready. It has just been approved by the W3C as a Candidate Recommendation, with the specific text of the specification and a brand new Primer published on June 20th. Y!: What can I do with RDFa? BA: You can tell the world what various components on your web page mean by marking up things like: <ul><li>The title of a photo</li> <li>Your name and contact information</li> <li>The license under which you're distributing your latest MP3</li> <li>The ingredients of a cooking recipe</li> <li>The price of an item</li> <li>A gene on which you recently wrote a paper</li> <li>... Anything that you want to make more machine-readable</li></ul> With RDFa, you can reuse existing concepts, e.g. the title and price of an item, no matter what that item is. If there's a field you need that doesn't exist, you can create it. This level of granularity encourages you to mark up your content as fully as possible, while letting applications consume only as much of the data as it needs. Y!: Who is supporting RDFa? BA: Creative Commons and Digg are two early adopters of RDFa, and there are a number of smaller web publishers who have begun adding RDFa markup to their pages. We’ve also just heard that the UK National Archives are committed to adopting RDFa. Y!: What advantages does RDFa provide compared to microformats, eRDF and AB Meta? BA: Microformats, eRDF and RDFa share a common goal: to make it easy for HTML authors to add machine-readable tags to express the meaning of their web data. So before we get into a fight, it's important to realize that all three share this important common goal. Microformats work well for well-defined items, such as contact information (hCard) and calendar items (hCal). They tend to become more complicated when the data gets more varied. Fields can't easily be shared across microformats, and all microformats must go through a centralized approval process to make sure no conflicts arise. RDFa doesn't have vocabulary conflicts: data fields, e.g. "title" can be reused by anyone, and there's never any confusion as to what a given field means, since fields are, in fact, URLs. Entirely different types of data can share fields, which is exactly what applications need for extensibility. Multiple data items can be published on a single web page and, in contrast with microformats, relationships between the data items can be easily expressed. eRDF has a similar vocabulary approach to RDFa, but it cannot express nearly as much data as RDFa. In particular, expressing relations between multiple items on a page is more complicated, and describing inline PDFs or images is not always possible. Also, eRDF is not quite as modular: vocabularies can only be imported in the HEAD of a document, so a widget-ized page would have an easier time using RDFa over eRDF. AB Meta, which is new to me, appears to be a small subset of the intersection between RDFa and eRDF. Because it is a limited subset, it suffers a bit from the limitations of microformats: who gets to extend AB Meta? I would recommend sticking to the collaborative efforts such as RDFa and eRDF. If you need more complete expressivity and the modularity required in a widget-ized web world, then you need RDFa. Y!: What would you say to the critics who say that RDFa is too difficult to author? BA: It's a matter of taste and finding the right compromise. In my opinion, RDFa and eRDF have similar levels of complexity as far as authors are concerned. I prefer writing RDFa, and I'm sure <a href="http://iandavis.com/blog/about">Ian Davis</a> prefers writing eRDF. But I don't think either one of us would seriously argue that one is much easier than the other. It's a little bit more complicated to write RDFa than it is to write microformats, but that's not surprising given that microformats are more limited in scope, and there are notable extensibility costs to using microformats. In general, we expect that web publishers will write RDFa in HTML templates, rather than every time they have an item to publish. Most microformat deployments work this way, too, few people write them by hand each time. So the increased complexity is negligible in the bigger picture. Y!: Unlike microformats, RDFa depends on the availability of shared vocabularies (ontologies). Is that a problem? BA: A number of vocabularies are already available and particularly stable: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_Core'">Dublin Core</a> for documents, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FOAF_(software)">FOAF</a> for people and their networks, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons_licenses">Creative Commons</a> for document licensing, <a href="http://microformats.org/wiki/haudio">hAudio</a> and hVideo for online media. Then there are highly specialized vocabularies, like <a href="http://www.pir.uniprot.org/">Uniprot</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Biomedical_Ontologies">Open Biomedical Ontologies </a>(OBO) for the life sciences. In my opinion, this is a huge win for RDFa. You really want vocabularies developed by experts in the appropriate field. Bio-informaticians develop vocabularies for biomedical research, musicians develop vocabularies for music, and lawyers develop vocabularies for copyright licensing. Y!: What's next for RDFa? BA: For the next few months, we're going to focus on helping publishers produce RDFa and tool builders parse it correctly. Yahoo! is playing a pivotal role in this space with SearchMonkey. We hope to see Yahoo! properties publish RDFa soon! Y!: Where can I learn more about RDFa? BA: Our wiki has all the relevant material: <a href="http://rdfa.info/wiki">http://rdfa.info/wiki</a> And you should join our brand new users' mailing list: <a href="http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-rdfa/">http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-rdfa/</a> Party like a SearchMonkey in Paris and London http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000594.html We're inviting our developer friends overseas to hang with the SearchMonkey team - meet the experts, enjoy some drinks and food and share in ideas for using SearchMonkey. The events are occuring in parallel on June 25th at 6 p.m.: <ul><li>London: The SearchMonkey Developer event will be held at <a href="http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/790775/">Wallace Space in Covent Garden</a> </li> <li>Paris : The party happenings will be at <a href="http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/792617/">nos bureaux de Paris</a></li></ul> Sign up and party SearchMonkey style in Europe! Yahoo! Search Blog team del.icio.us Bookmarks for IE: Delivered http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000593.html The <a href="http://del.icio.us/">del.icio.us</a> team has been busy with its recent <a href="http://blog.delicious.com/blog/2008/06/delicious-bookmarks-for-firefox-3-signed-sealed-and-delivered.html">GA release of bookmarks for Firefox 3</a>, and today, they're making their extension for Internet Explorer generally available as well. Last month, we gave you an idea of the features associated with the <a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000582.html">early beta release</a>. Head over to the <a href="http://blog.delicious.com/blog/2008/06/internet-explorer-now-officially-more-delicious.html">del.icio.us blog </a>for more background on the enhancements. Yahoo! Search Blog team Ask.com Makes More Moves on Privacy http://blog.ask.com/2008/06/askcom-makes-mo.html Several weeks ago, a group of privacy advocates contacted a major company in the search marketplace, requesting some key changes to its website to make weblinks to its privacy policy more accessible and conspicuous. This included placing a “Privacy” link... Making Room for our New Addition http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000592.html We're expanding the Yahoo! Search Blog today to include news and developments from <a href="http://local.yahoo.com/">Yahoo! Local</a>. Since we already share the latest in local search news, we thought it made sense to make things official. So, the <a href="http://www.ylocalblog.com/">Yahoo! Local Blog</a> is shutting down and joining up with us to provide you with all the latest developments in local search. Not too much will change for you. You'll continue to get updates from Yahoo! Search with sprinkles of local search announcements. Welcome aboard Yahoo! Local! Yahoo! Search Blog team Live Search cashback now live on eBay http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/06/12/Live-Search-cashback-now-live-on-eBay.aspx Now all of eBay's "Buy it Now" offers will be <A href="http://pages.ebay.com/cashbackoffer/terms.html?_trksid=m38" mce_href="http://pages.ebay.com/cashbackoffer/terms.html?_trksid=m38">eligible for cashback rewards</A>. With eBay's expansive catalog of products, from jewelry to electronics, you'll start to see more cashback ads appearing in our search results. That means more ways for you to save. You'll see three primary differences between this user experience and other cashback user experiences: <OL> <LI>There's an eBay ad with a cashback gleam (the cashback icon in the image here). <IMG title="Image of eBay ad in Live Search results" style="WIDTH: 480px; HEIGHT: 227px" height=227 alt="Image of eBay ad in Live Search results" src="http://2jrpka.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbZ-SD4W2dE4IioojkRHvNFFvlvZmou6DBhcziTFVmdbmp3C-WsmOKI4gYlzG783I3iqB4GhjMcfFw/ebay_gleam.JPG" width=480 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://2jrpka.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbZ-SD4W2dE4IioojkRHvNFFvlvZmou6DBhcziTFVmdbmp3C-WsmOKI4gYlzG783I3iqB4GhjMcfFw/ebay_gleam.JPG"> </LI> <LI>Instead of going into the Live Search cashback experience, you now go directly to the advertiser's website, which in this case is eBay.</LI> <LI>The cashback gleam follows you throughout your eBay shopping experience. This is good continuity for the consumer and something we want to do more of, but it takes a bit of work on the advertiser side to enable this.</LI></OL> <IMG title="Image of portion of cashback checkout on eBay" style="WIDTH: 430px; HEIGHT: 358px" height=358 alt="Image of portion of cashback checkout on eBay" src="http://2jrpka.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbbqyGXpkcm2-U_imJVjEtBBWag6fyG8WmzvpZvSYAlP6chsvPh4pe04zbT8NIV555dhMlUHJzr7eA/ebay_checkout.JPG" width=430 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://2jrpka.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbbqyGXpkcm2-U_imJVjEtBBWag6fyG8WmzvpZvSYAlP6chsvPh4pe04zbT8NIV555dhMlUHJzr7eA/ebay_checkout.JPG"> We want to learn from two experiences in the cashback program. Depending on customer and advertiser feedback, we'll make the necessary changes to deliver the best user experience over time. Destination site experience  This is the experience that went live last month. Consumers <A href="http://search.live.com/results.aspx?form=LLMP&q=digital%20cameras&mkt=en-us" mce_href="http://search.live.com/results.aspx?form=LLMP&q=digital%20cameras&mkt=en-us">research a product category</A> on Live Search and then click a Live Search cashback ad to head over to <A href="http://search.live.com/cashback/products/search?c=0&q=canon+eos+digital+rebel+xt&pkw=ms%7borderitemid%7d%7bmatchtype%7d_%7bkeyword%7d|%7badid%7d" mce_href="http://search.live.com/cashback/products/search?c=0&q=canon+eos+digital+rebel+xt&pkw=ms%7borderitemid%7d%7bmatchtype%7d_%7bkeyword%7d|%7badid%7d">cashback</A> for the best deal. We've had a lot of feedback that we should do a better job integrating our product research capabilities with our cashback experience. So we'll work hard to do that over the next few releases. Direct-to-merchant experience  The other experience we envisioned for cashback would integrate directly with advertisers from the search results page. In this experience, advertiser's ads will appear with a cashback gleam. When shoppers click the gleam in the ad, they head directly to the advertiser's site. Obviously, this streamlines a bit of the purchasing process but requires some custom development on the partner website to enable it. We took this approach with eBay and are exploring it with other advertisers as well. We're excited to offer consumers more money-saving cashback rewards with eBay and look forward to hearing from you on how best to implement new features and functionality to the cashback experience.  Paul Dillon, Director, Commercial Search<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8593505" width="1" height="1"> del.icio.us Bookmarks for Firefox 3 Officially Here http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000591.html At the end of April, the <a href="http://del.icio.us/">del.icio.us</a> team <a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000536.html">announced</a> a new beta add-on for Firefox 3 and after gathering some great feedback from those who had downloaded the extension, they're announcing its general availability. There are a number of performance and stability enhancements with this release of del.icio.us bookmarks for Firefox 3, so check out the <a href="http://blog.delicious.com/blog/2008/06/delicious-bookmarks-for-firefox-3-signed-sealed-and-delivered.html">del.icio.us blog</a> for a list of some of the generally available features. Yahoo! Search Blog team Reminder: Submit your SearchMonkey Apps to the Challenge http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000590.html The June 14 deadline for the <a href="http://www.searchmonkeychallenge.com/">SearchMonkey Developer Challenge</a> is fast approaching -- it's this Saturday! -- so we thought we'd share a friendly reminder to submit your applications this week for a chance to win in one of four categories: <img alt="SearchMonkey Logo_Small.jpg" src="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/SearchMonkey%20Logo_Small.jpg" width="180" height="179" ALIGN=RIGHT> <ul><li>Best Enhanced Result</li> <li>Best Infobar</li> <li>Most Innovative Use of Structured Data</li> <li>Best Data Service</li></ul> Each category has a $2,500 prize and all entries are eligible for the $10,000 grand prize. We've received a bunch of really interesting entries, including a number of apps that have already been added to the <a href="http://gallery.search.yahoo.com/">Yahoo! Search Gallery</a> (check out this <a href="http://gallery.search.yahoo.com/application?smid=knb">Wikipedia Infobar</a> and this <a href="http://gallery.search.yahoo.com/application?smid=fpF">IMDb Enhanced Result</a>). If you've never built a SearchMonkey app, click <a href="http://developer.yahoo.com/searchmonkey">here</a> to learn about the process and get started with the Developer Tool. Good luck and happy continued developing. Graham Mudd Yahoo! Search Wanted: Search Game Changers http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000589.html <a href="http://search.yahoo.com/">Yahoo! Search</a> is changing the search game and we're looking for the brightest technical minds in the business to help us build the next generation of search. <a href="http://developer.yahoo.com/searchmonkey/">SearchMonkey</a> is the first manifestation of our open strategy to increase the quality and relevance of the Yahoo! Search experience. And the Monkey is just one of our next-gen search initiatives. It's an exciting time for the team and not only can you expect to see more in the year ahead from us, you can help create it. If you're interested in changing the search game with us, check out our <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=54905/*http:/careers.yahoo.com/techjobs.php">current job openings</a>. And check out the new featured search job opportunities module we just added to the right rail of this blog. Tuoc Luong SVP, Search Engineering Yahoo! Search The Yahoo! Search Gallery is Open for Business http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000588.html <a href="http://developer.yahoo.com/searchmonkey/">SearchMonkey</a> is taking another step in its evolution with the public launch of the <a href="http://gallery.search.yahoo.com/">Yahoo! Search Gallery</a>. Starting today, users and developers can visit the Search Gallery by clicking the "Customize" dropdown from the search results page. Today also marks the first day that developers and site owners can begin sharing applications, regardless of whether they've been approved for the gallery, by adding links to their app's page on their sites. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ysearchblog/2551571207/" title="customize dropdown by y.searchblog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3106/2551571207_9914bdd834.jpg" width="500" height="161" alt="customize dropdown" /></a> Once inside the Gallery, users can view and add apps built on the SearchMonkey platform by developers, site owners and Yahoo!. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ysearchblog/2551569777/" title="GalleryScreenshot by y.searchblog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/2551569777_55b136e420.jpg" width="500" height="364" alt="GalleryScreenshot" /></a> The Gallery is still in beta, but there are already a number of really useful apps included. We expect the number and variety of apps to grow significantly with time. In the meantime, here is an example created by the developer community: One third party developer, <a href="http://www.vitawebdesign.com/">Marco Vitanza</a>, designed this <a href="http://gallery.search.yahoo.com/application?smid=FTr">Infobar</a>, which annotates blogspot.com search results with links to the 10 most recent posts from the corresponding blog. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ysearchblog/2551571787/" title="Blogspot app by y.searchblog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3009/2551571787_7d6a043d16.jpg" width="500" height="285" alt="Blogspot app" /></a> This <a href="http://gallery.search.yahoo.com/application?smid=hsb">Enhanced Result</a> from HowStuffWorks.com does just what you'd expect; it gives you the basics on how things work, from car engines to the Internet. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ysearchblog/2552393482/" title="HowStuffWorks App by y.searchblog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3145/2552393482_a18145d7b4.jpg" width="500" height="100" alt="HowStuffWorks App" /></a> The launch of the Yahoo! Search Gallery is just the first step in making SearchMonkey applications available and easy to use for consumers. This is the first phase of a larger plan to provide opportunities for viral distribution of SearchMonkey apps. We're continuing to develop new ways to surface and share useful and high-performance applications in users' search experience and more broadly on the web, so expect more in the near future. In the meantime, let us know what you think of the Gallery in the comments below. And, don't forget about the <a href="http://www.searchmonkeychallenge.com/">SearchMonkey Developer Challenge</a>. Developers have until June 14th to submit applications in one of four categories for a chance to win cash (and bragging rights). Amit Kumar Director, Product Management Yahoo! Search Helping you Search AND Give http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/06/04/helping-you-search-and-give.aspx One of the most exciting developments we've had in the last year was the success of our inaugural Search and Give program where your queries helped to raise more than $250,000 for local schools and non-profits. Over the course of the year the program generated cash donations for more than 20,000 organizations ranging from schools to non-profits such as Doctors Without Borders and ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Today we've launched the latest version of the program that includes a new, easy-to-use design with enhanced features and more flexible donation capabilities. Here's how it works By signing up at <A href="http://www.searchandgive.com/">http://www.searchandgive.com/</A>, consumers can start donating one cent per search to more than 100,000 schools and 900,000 non-profit organizations worldwide every time they use the Live Search to find whatever interests them. People can also convert tickets they've earned playing games on Microsoft's Live Search Club, at <A href="http://www.club.live.com/">http://www.club.live.com/</A>, into donations for those same schools or charities. What's new <UL> <LI>More money donated  You can earn one cent per search for your designated charity by just looking for things online — up to 500 searches per person per month.</LI> <LI>More than 1 million organizations  We've grown our list of eligible organizations to more than one million. We've also made it easier to find them with a new UI that allows for faster lookup by name or non-profit ID number.</LI> <LI>Watch your community grow  Track your donations, total donations, and total number of contributors for your chosen organization.</LI> <LI>Tell a friend  Search and Give brings communities together around causes that are important to them. People can now send instant emails to friends and family from within the tool letting them know how they too can make a difference.</LI></UL> We need your help This program is powered by people through word-of-mouth or viral distribution. We're asking for your help to make this program an even greater success by sharing this information with your friends and family and recruiting them to start searching at <A href="http://www.searchandgive.com/">http://www.searchandgive.com</A>. If one person can earn $60 per year for their favorite charity just by searching the Web with Search and Give, imagine the power of 10 people = $600 per year; imagine the power of 25 people = $1,500 per year; imagine the power of 100 people = $6000 per year. Together, we can make every search count. In the end, we hope this program will grow exponentially so we can redistribute more of the dollars coming into search to the local schools and charities that YOU are passionate about supporting. We hope you enjoy the new features and stay tuned as we start showcasing some of the best "Search and Give" campaigns you all have created! <IMG title="Image of Search and Give on Live Search" style="WIDTH: 490px; HEIGHT: 234px" height=234 alt="Image of Search and Give on Live Search" src="http://daplmw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbYMww4TzcLDYrIJTJLHxjRFSBZ-BckJHczVScBUIaeT8s-lED5vhruMzsd-S6R8S465TEjta-oShw/SearchandGive.jpg" width=490 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://daplmw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbYMww4TzcLDYrIJTJLHxjRFSBZ-BckJHczVScBUIaeT8s-lED5vhruMzsd-S6R8S465TEjta-oShw/SearchandGive.jpg">  Christine Andrews, Product Manager, Search and Give<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8569820" width="1" height="1"> One Standard Fits All: Robots Exclusion Protocol for Yahoo!, Google and Microsoft http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000587.html Over the last couple of years, we've been collaborating with Google and Microsoft to make webmasters' efforts more effective across the major search engines. By bringing standards such as <a href="http://www.sitemaps.org/">Sitemaps</a> and improvements like <a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000437.html">auto-discovery</a> and <a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000524.html">cross-host submission</a>, webmasters can simplify their account management across the different search engines. The Robots Exclusion Protocol (REP) lets content publishers specify which parts of their site they want public and which parts they want to keep private from robots, whether it's controlling the visibility of their content across their site (via robots.txt) or at the level of individual pages (via META tags). REP was introduced in the early 1990's and is the de facto standard. Its strengths lie in its flexibility to evolve in parallel with the web, its universal implementation across major search engines and all major robots and in the way it works for any publisher, no matter how large or small. We've heard that there is some confusion around the specific implementation of REP supported by each engine. Since we've never detailed the specifics of implementing the protocol, today we're releasing detailed documentation on how REP directives will be handled by the three major search providers. Common REP Directives The following are all the major REP features currently implemented by Google, Microsoft and Yahoo!. Each of these directives can be specified to be applicable for all crawlers or for specific crawlers by targeting them to specific user-agents, which is how any crawler identifies itself. Each of us also supports <a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000460.html">Reverse DNS based authentication of our crawler</a>, and you can use this validate the identity of any crawlers claiming a particular user-agent. 1. <a href="http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/search/webcrawler/slurp-02.html">Robot.txt Directives</a> <table cellspacing=0 border=1 cellpadding=6 width="90%"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#ebebeb" width=33%>DIRECTIVE</td><td bgcolor="#ebebeb" width=33%>IMPACT</td><td bgcolor="#ebebeb" width=33%>USE CASE(s)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top>Disallow</td> <td valign=top>Tells a crawler not to crawl your site or parts of your site -- your site's robots.txt still needs to be crawled to find this directive, but the disallowed pages will not be crawled.</td> <td valign=top>'No crawl' pages from a site. This directive in the default syntax prevents specific path(s) of a site from crawling.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top>Allow</td> <td valign=top>Tells a crawler the specific pages on your site you want indexed so you can use this in combination with Disallow. If both Disallow and Allow clauses apply to a URL, the most specific rule - the longest rule - applies.</td> <td valign=top>This is useful in particular in conjunction with Disallow clauses, where a large section of a site is disallowed, except a small section within it.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top>$ Wildcard Support</td> <td valign=top>Tells a crawler to match everything from the end of a URL -- large number of directories without specifying specific pages.</td> <td valign=top>'No Crawl' files with specific patterns, for eg., files with certain filetypes that always have a certain extension, say pdf; etc.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top>Sitemap Location</td> <td valign=top>Tells a crawler where it can find your sitemaps.</td> <td valign=top>Point to other locations where feeds exist to point the crawlers to the site's content.</td> </tr> </table> 2. HTML META Directives These directives can either be placed in the HTML of a page or in the HTTP header for non-HTML content like PDF, video, etc. using an <a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000508.html">X-Robots-Tag</a>. The X-Robots-Tag mechanism allows these directives to be available for all types of documents -- HTML or otherwise. If both forms of the tag, HTML META and X-Robots-Tag in the header are present, the most restrictive one applies. <table cellspacing=0 border=1 cellpadding=6 width="90%"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#ebebeb" width=33%>DIRECTIVE</td><td bgcolor="#ebebeb" width=33%>IMPACT</td><td bgcolor="#ebebeb" width=33%>USE CASE(s)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top><a href="http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/search/webcrawler/slurp-04.html">NOINDEX META Tag</a></td> <td valign=top>Tells a crawler not to index a given page.</td> <td valign=top>Don't index the page. This allows pages that are crawled to be kept out of the index.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top>NOFOLLOW META Tag</td> <td valign=top>Tells a crawler not to follow a link to other content on a given page.</td> <td valign=top>Prevent publicly writeable areas from being abused by spammers looking for link credit. By NOFOLLOW, you let the robot know that you are discounting all outgoing links from this page.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top>NOSNIPPET META Tag</td> <td valign=top>Tells a crawler not to display snippets in the search results for a given page.</td> <td valign=top>Present no abstract for the page on search results.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top><a href="http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/search/webcrawler/slurp-05.html">NOARCHIVE META Tag</a></td> <td valign=top>Tells a search engine not to show a "cached" link for a given page.</td> <td valign=top>Do not make a copy of the page available to users from the search engine cache.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top><a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000368.html">NOODP META Tag</a></td> <td valign=top>Tells a crawler not to use a title and snippet from the Open Directory Project for a given page.</td> <td valign=top>Do not use the ODP (Open Directory Project) title and abstract for this page in Search.</td> </tr> </table> Other REP Directives Yahoo!-specific REP directives that are not supported by Microsoft and Google include: <ul> <li><a href="http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/search/webcrawler/slurp-03.html">Crawl-Delay</a>: Allows a site to delay the frequency with which a crawler checks for new content <li><a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000418.html">NOYDIR META Tag</a>: This is similar to the NOODP META Tag above but applies to the Yahoo! Directory, instead of the Open Directory Project <li><a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000444.html">Robots-nocontent Tag</a>: Allows you to identify the main content of your page so that our crawler targets the right pages on your site for specific search queries by marking out non content parts of your page. We won't use the sections tagged as such for indexing the page or for the abstract in the search results.</ul> Apart from these tools in the REP, Yahoo! Site Explorer also provides further ways to tell Yahoo! to <a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000400.html">Delete URLs</a>, or <a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000479.html">Rewrite Dynamic URLs</a> to remove spurious parameters. You can learn more about our crawler at the <a href="http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/search/webcrawler/">Slurp Help page</a>. We plan to continue coordinating with the leading search engines to ensure simplicity for webmasters, so stay tuned for more developments in the future. You can also find information on the <a href="http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2008/06/improving-on-robots-exclusion-protocol.html">Official Google Webmaster Central Blog </a>or the <a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/webmaster/archive/2008/06/03/robots-exclusion-protocol-joining-together-to-provide-better-documentation.aspx">Microsoft Live Search Webmaster Center Blog</a>. And, feel free to share your thoughts with the webmaster community on the <a href="http://suggestions.yahoo.com/?prop=SiteExplorer">Site Explorer Suggestion Board</a>. Priyank Garg Director, Product Management Yahoo! Search Managing search engine access to your content http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/06/03/managing-search-engine-access-to-your-content.aspx We at Live Search are pleased to announce another collaboration with Yahoo and Google aimed at making webmasters' lives easier. Webmasters have long used the Robots Exclusion Protocol (REP) to control how search engines access and display their content. The REP offers an easy and efficient way to communicate with search engines, and is currently used by millions of publishers worldwide. Over the past few years, we have been working with Yahoo and Google to agree on common ways for webmasters to communicate with search engines. Our previous efforts include support for the Sitemaps protocol (see <A href="http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2007/04/11/discovering-sitemaps.aspx" mce_href="http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2007/04/11/discovering-sitemaps.aspx">autodiscovery directive</A> and <A href="http://blogs.msdn.com/webmaster/archive/2008/02/27/microsoft-to-support-cross-domain-sitemaps.aspx" mce_href="http://blogs.msdn.com/webmaster/archive/2008/02/27/microsoft-to-support-cross-domain-sitemaps.aspx">cross-host sitemap submissions</A> for more info). While most search engines already comply with the REP, this is the first time the three major search engines have come together to detail how we actually implement the protocol. This effort makes it easier for webmasters to know how REP directives will be handled by search providers. You can view the details of how we implement the REP at <A href="http://blogs.msdn.com/webmaster/archive/2008/06/03/robots-exclusion-protocol-joining-together-to-provide-better-documentation.aspx" mce_href="http://blogs.msdn.com/webmaster/archive/2008/06/03/robots-exclusion-protocol-joining-together-to-provide-better-documentation.aspx">Documentation for the Robots Exclusion Protocol</A>. If you are a publisher with feedback or suggestions for future enhancements to the REP, feel free to contact me at <A href="mailto:nbuggia@microsoft.com" mce_href="mailto:nbuggia@microsoft.com">nbuggia@microsoft.com</A>. We value your feedback as we continue to evolve Live Search. Nathan Buggia, Live Search Webmaster team<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8571640" width="1" height="1"> Finding the "page not found" http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/06/03/finding-the-page-not-found.aspx Has this ever happened to you? You search online for information and click a promising link only to get an error page staring back at you: <IMG title="Image of standard error page" style="WIDTH: 484px; HEIGHT: 287px" height=287 alt="Image of standard error page" src="http://ecrn1g.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbZ39O5zSg08NBFKRfenPGWJWBJaaP7jRqTqOKLg1sHt3X72iW6_NQMfviPY_oxLRRl-a7U0det4ZA/IE404errormsg.gif" width=484 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://ecrn1g.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbZ39O5zSg08NBFKRfenPGWJWBJaaP7jRqTqOKLg1sHt3X72iW6_NQMfviPY_oxLRRl-a7U0det4ZA/IE404errormsg.gif"> These generic 404 error pages leave you stranded, with no option but to click the back button and start over, or just give up altogether — not very helpful. We thought about this problem and realized that we had all the pieces to offer something much more useful. We could help website owners create error pages that actually suggest help even if the exact page you're looking for isn't available. The Web Page Error Toolkit is a customizable Web application that extracts keywords from your search and gives you relevant search results in a custom error page. <IMG title="Image of customer error page" style="WIDTH: 476px; HEIGHT: 317px" height=317 alt="Image of customer error page" src="http://ecrn1g.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbZCowcnkGk8xn3wT8kB9xZU25mjQ-f-Ii8DgiwZORc8qKxv7s2keaSISjwUTky639p6LlCn3vvxQg/Webpageerrortoolkit.gif" width=476 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://ecrn1g.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbZCowcnkGk8xn3wT8kB9xZU25mjQ-f-Ii8DgiwZORc8qKxv7s2keaSISjwUTky639p6LlCn3vvxQg/Webpageerrortoolkit.gif"> So while you may not get the page you were originally looking for, maybe you'll find something even better. You can find more details, including information on how to download the Toolkit, at <A href="http://dev.live.com/blogs/livesearch/archive/2008/06/02/WebPageErrorToolkit.aspx">Customize your 404 error pages with the Web Page Error Toolkit</A>. Go find the page not found! Alessandro Catorcini, Lead PM for the Live Search API, and Amy Michaels, Group Product Manager for Live Search<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8564243" width="1" height="1"> Live Search…coming to a toolbar near you http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/06/02/live-search-coming-to-a-toolbar-near-you.aspx With today’s HP announcement and the recent MSN toolbar release, I want to discuss our recent moves in the toolbar space. Overall, these distribution deals come down to three things: 1. Live Search is ready for primetime<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> These types of deals require a search engine that can stand on its own, as we all know how easy it is to switch to another search engine. Sure, Live Search has room to improve, but we’re confident that when consumers now try Live Search they’ll get relevant results, <A href="http://search.live.com/video/results.aspx?q=tiger+woods&FORM=BVRE">differentiated experiences</A>, and a unique value proposition (see <A href="http://search.live.com/cashback">cashback</A>). 2. Distribution can help with awareness and preference<o:p></o:p> We’re building a stronger consumer connection that starts with awareness and ends with preference. To be successful, we not only need to care about traditional consumer marketing campaigns to drive awareness. We also need to care about how other channels can help spread the word. We recognize that awareness for Live Search is low and that to crack into the consumer’s consciousness we need to be in front of them in more ways than one. Case in point: check out our new <A href="http://apps.facebook.com/searchshare/">Search Share Facebook</A> app. 3. Enabling partners is good for everyone<o:p></o:p> We need to provide publishers and our partners, like HP, with great tools and platforms to help them distribute content and reach their customers in new ways. The toolbar platform we have created exemplifies how we’re looking to extend customer service, brands, and content through great new experiences. With this platform we will be able to quickly build a branded feature and content-rich toolbar for HP’s entire line of US-based consumer PCs with just a few easy customizations. When the toolbar is released, HP will offer easy access to their online services like Snapfish and customer support, and bring their brand to life through Silverlight. Now imagine that type of customization for anyone and everyone on the Internet. The HP toolbar highlights our excitement about the new developments we’re working on. Let us know what you think of the new toolbars. <IMG title="Image of MSN toolbar" style="WIDTH: 450px; HEIGHT: 339px" height=339 alt="Image of MSN toolbar" src="http://ecrn1g.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbY0Jub7TdOyzbeX-p5fdd9o-WlvF-bKqQYT8R3IwwIYO4B9WA8s3lJATA0qEA8dLjW3nx-pxfC84A/MSNtoolbar.jpg" width=450 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://ecrn1g.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbY0Jub7TdOyzbeX-p5fdd9o-WlvF-bKqQYT8R3IwwIYO4B9WA8s3lJATA0qEA8dLjW3nx-pxfC84A/MSNtoolbar.jpg"> Mikko Ollila, Product Manager, Live Search Partner Ecosystem<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8569523" width="1" height="1"> Search in Seattle http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000586.html <a href="http://searchmarketingexpo.com/advanced/">SMX Advanced</a> is right around the corner and the <a href="http://search.yahoo.com/">Yahoo! Search</a> team is in on the Seattle action. If you're heading to the Bell Harbor International Conference Center as well, be sure to check out our panels. <a href="http://searchmarketingexpo.com/advanced/2008/full_agenda.php">Tuesday, June 3rd</a> Time: 1:30 - 2:45 p.m. Session: Bot Herding Description: This session looks at some advanced techniques in herding bots and how search engines view cloaking issues today. Yahoo!: Priyank Garg, Director, Product Management <a href="http://searchmarketingexpo.com/advanced/2008/full_agenda2.php">Wednesday, June 4th</a> Time: 9 -10 a.m. Session: Search Friendly Development Description: Highlights the most important elements to consider for SEO when building a web app infrastructure and provides tactical details about how to implement those elements. Yahoo!: Sharad Verma, Senior Manager, Product Management Time: 12 - 1:30 p.m. Session: Building Search-Friendly Web Applications Description: This casual tabletop discussion is taking place during lunch at <a href="http://searchmarketingexpo.com/advanced/2008/developer-day.php">Developer Day</a>. Yahoo!: Paul Tarjan, Technical Yahoo! Time: 1:45 - 3 p.m. Session: Analytics Every SEO Needs To Know Description: This session focuses on analytics that SEOs should be considering. Yahoo!: Laura Lippay, Group Program Manager, Search Strategy For more on Yahoo!'s whereabouts, head over to the <a href="http://www.ysmblog.com/blog/2008/05/29/campaign-optimization/">YSM Blog</a>. See you there! Yahoo! Search Blog team Wikipedia gets big http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/05/30/wikipedia-gets-big.aspx Check it out: <IMG title="Image of Live Search Wikipedia entry" style="WIDTH: 430px; HEIGHT: 100px" height=100 alt="Image of Live Search Wikipedia entry" src="http://q5j0ea.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbaKYarI_Ka2SczjzwTMt-hTSEWRSeCslC-BeAlIKZQVIgu34dU-vaVaQo30AUQqBI4jlbSTJwroig/Tikal%20Rich%20Caption.gif" width=430 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://q5j0ea.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbaKYarI_Ka2SczjzwTMt-hTSEWRSeCslC-BeAlIKZQVIgu34dU-vaVaQo30AUQqBI4jlbSTJwroig/Tikal%20Rich%20Caption.gif"> We realize that often you just need to get a sense of what your query is about. Wikipedia is great for that — you can learn enough from the first paragraph of a Wikipedia article to start you out on the right path. For Wikipedia results, we now show a good portion of the first paragraph and a few links from the table of contents. You can see more about the topic right there and see what else the article offers. We hope you learn more, faster with our expanded Wikipedia descriptions. Let us know what you think. Kemp Peterson, Program Manager, Live Search <img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8564140" width="1" height="1"> Weather Report: Yahoo! Search Index Update http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000585.html We'll be rolling out some changes to our crawling, indexing and ranking algorithms over the next few days, but expect the update will be completed soon. As you know, throughout this process you may see some ranking changes and page shuffling in the index. To share your thoughts or check in with other Yahoo! Search users, please visit the <a href="http://suggestions.yahoo.com/?prop=SiteExplorer">Site Explorer Suggestion Board</a>. Priyank Garg & Sharad Verma Yahoo! Search Book search winding down http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/05/23/book-search-winding-down.aspx Today we informed our partners that we are ending the Live Search Books and Live Search Academic projects and that both sites will be taken down next week. Books and scholarly publications will continue to be integrated into our Search results, but not through separate indexes. This also means that we are winding down our digitization initiatives, including our library scanning and our in-copyright book programs. We recognize that this decision comes as disappointing news to our partners, the publishing and academic communities, and Live Search users. Given the evolution of the Web and our strategy, we believe the next generation of search is about the development of an underlying, sustainable business model for the search engine, consumer, and content partner. For example, this past Wednesday we announced our strategy to focus on verticals with high commercial intent, such as travel, and offer users cash back on their purchases from our advertisers. With Live Search Books and Live Search Academic, we digitized 750,000 books and indexed 80 million journal articles. Based on our experience, we foresee that the best way for a search engine to make book content available will be by crawling content repositories created by book publishers and libraries. With our investments, the technology to create these repositories is now available at lower costs for those with the commercial interest or public mandate to digitize book content. We will continue to track the evolution of the industry and evaluate future opportunities.  As we wind down Live Search Books, we are reaching out to participating publishers and libraries. We are encouraging libraries to build on the platform we developed with Kirtas, the Internet Archive, CCS, and others to create digital archives available to library users and search engines.  In partnership with Ingram Digital Group, we are also reaching out to participating publishers with information about new marketing and sales opportunities designed to help them derive ongoing benefits from their participation in the Live Search Books Publisher Program.   We have learned a tremendous amount from our experience and believe this decision, while a hard one, can serve as a catalyst for more sustainable strategies. To that end, we intend to provide publishers with digital copies of their scanned books. We are also removing our contractual restrictions placed on the digitized library content and making the scanning equipment available to our digitization partners and libraries to continue digitization programs. We hope that our investments will help increase the discoverability of all the valuable content that resides in the world of books and scholarly publications. Satya Nadella Senior vice president search, portal and advertising<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8539574" width="1" height="1"> The Party May Be Over, But the Monkeying Has Just Begun http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000584.html The <a href="http://developer.yahoo.com/searchmonkey/event.html">SearchMonkey Developer Launch Party</a> was last night and we all had a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=searchmonkey&m=tags&ss=2&s=int">blast</a>. Thanks to the 300 or so people who joined us! We enjoyed demoing the SearchMonkey Developer Tool, answering questions and getting to know an enthusiastic group of developers. The party is over but the monkeying around is just beginning. To get started building SearchMonkey apps, check out the SearchMonkey <a href="http://developer.yahoo.com/searchmonkey/">overview</a> and then dive into the <a href="http://developer.search.yahoo.com">Developer Tool</a>. And don't forget about our <a href="http://www.searchmonkeychallenge.com/">Developer Challenge</a> for a chance to win up to $10,000 for your innovation and creativity on the SearchMonkey platform. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15205274@N08/2497278419/" title="Yahoo! SearchMonkey Kickoff Event by y.searchblog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3114/2497278419_a8b4041b00.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Yahoo! SearchMonkey Kickoff Event" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15205274@N08/2497275323/" title="Yahoo! SearchMonkey Kickoff Event by y.searchblog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2107/2497275323_ebfc39c7e5.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Yahoo! SearchMonkey Kickoff Event" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15205274@N08/2498102884/" title="Yahoo! SearchMonkey Kickoff Event by y.searchblog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/2498102884_1e7f89d13d.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Yahoo! SearchMonkey Kickoff Event" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15205274@N08/2498098182/" title="Yahoo! SearchMonkey Kickoff Event by y.searchblog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3203/2498098182_74f225ccd9.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Yahoo! SearchMonkey Kickoff Event" /></a> Yahoo! Search Blog team The Monkey is Out and the Challenge is On http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000583.html It's been three weeks since we began the limited <a href="http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000534.html">preview</a> of <a href="http://search.yahoo.com/">Yahoo! Search's</a> new open developer platform, SearchMonkey. Today, we're officially <a href="http://developer.yahoo.com/searchmonkey/">opening up the doors</a> to all developers -- professionals and hobbyists -- to begin building applications that enhance the usefulness and relevance of search results. There are three components to this open ecosystem: <ul><li>Site owners share structured data with Yahoo!, using semantic markup (microformats, RDF), standardized XML feeds, APIs (OpenSearch or other web services), and page extraction.</li> <li>Third party developers build SearchMonkey applications.</li> <li>Consumers customize their search experience.</li></ul> So, what's in it for third party developers? With SearchMonkey, developers have a hand in shaping the next generation of search by building customized search results and mash-ups that users can add to their Yahoo! Search experience. By leveraging structured data from sites like <a href="http://www.citysearch.com/">CitySearch</a>, <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/">StumbleUpon</a>, <a href="http://www.ebay.com/">eBay</a>, or <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/">Epicurious.com</a>, developers can add navigational links, reviews, contact information, and even locations to provide enhanced search listings. Developers can build two types of applications using SearchMonkey: Enhanced Results and Infobars. Enhanced Results replace the current standard results with a richer display. All the links in the Enhanced Results must point to the site to which the result refers. Infobars are appended below search results and can include metadata about the result, related links or content, or links for user actions (such as adding a movie to a Netflix queue). <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15205274@N08/2492000953/" title="infobar-netflix by y.searchblog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2051/2492000953_09519faef6.jpg" width="500" height="350" alt="infobar-netflix" /></a> The process for building SearchMonkey applications is very straightforward: <ul>1) Application Type -- Decide what type of app you want to build (Enhanced Result or Infobar) and enter basic info such as application name, description and icon. 2) Trigger URLs -- Decide the URL patterns that will trigger your app. For example, for the Enhanced Result above, the pattern would be "acmemovies.com/*" 3) Data Services -- Data Services are the structured data on which SearchMonkey apps are based. They can be created using data available in the Yahoo! Search index (via data feeds or page markup such as microformats or RDF) or by using APIs or page extraction. 4) Appearance -- Use PHP to configure how structured data should appear in the application.</ul> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15205274@N08/2493238007/" title="DevTool Screenshot by y.searchblog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2293/2493238007_4194907969.jpg" width="500" height="498" alt="DevTool Screenshot" /></a> Announcing the SearchMonkey Developer Challenge To foster innovation and creativity on the SearchMonkey platform, we're hosting a good old-fashioned competition. The <a href="http://www.searchmonkeychallenge.com/">SearchMonkey Developer Challenge</a> will recognize innovative applications within four categories: Best Enhanced Result, Best Infobar, Most Innovative Use of Structured Data, Best Data Service, and Grand Prize (best over all categories). You have until June 14th to submit your applications for a chance to win up to $10,000. And don't forget to come kick things off with us this evening at the <a href="http://developer.yahoo.com/searchmonkey/event.html">SearchMonkey Developer Launch Party</a>. Catch live demos, meet the product team and enjoy free food, beer and, of course, schwag at Yahoo!'s Headquarters in Sunnyvale. Whether you can join us for the party or not, keep in touch -- visit our <a href="http://suggestions.yahoo.com/?prop=searchmonkey">suggestion forum</a> or drop us a comment below. We want to know how the tool is working out for you. We look forward to evolving web search with you. Amit Kumar Director, Product Management Yahoo! Search You talk. We listen. http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/05/15/you-talk-we-listen.aspx In our <A href="http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2007/10/19/3-new-updates-to-live-search-mobile.aspx">last release</A> of <A href="http://livesearchmobile.com/windows_mobile.htm">Live Search for Windows Mobile</A> we snuck in a little feature that allows users to send feedback directly to the engineering team. Since then, we've received tons of messages from users, many of which have been requests for new functionality. So what's the moral of the story? Ask, and you shall receive. Here's the list of some of the cool stuff we've built in response to user feedback. Weather  By far the most often-requested feature: get current weather conditions and a four-day forecast by clicking the Weather icon. <IMG title="Image of Live Search Mobile weather for Boston" style="WIDTH: 250px; HEIGHT: 326px" height=326 alt="Image of Live Search Mobile weather for Boston" src="http://0qo5yw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbZbR2gkBHaEwkNiKUqz9RRvcwyzLMgU1JyjbfOS8cpy0LVUcjBA6YKB130MG23tkup_85XKGZiY2Q/Weather.gif" width=250 align=bottom mce_src="http://0qo5yw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbZbR2gkBHaEwkNiKUqz9RRvcwyzLMgU1JyjbfOS8cpy0LVUcjBA6YKB130MG23tkup_85XKGZiY2Q/Weather.gif"> Web search  Search the Web, news, images, and more just by clicking the Web icon. Increased traffic coverage  Piggy-backing on great work done by <A href="http://maps.live.com/">Live Search Maps</A>, view up-to-the-minute traffic info for more cities, like Dallas, Indianapolis, and Baltimore. <IMG title="Image of Live Search traffic in Dallas" style="WIDTH: 250px; HEIGHT: 326px" height=326 alt="Image of Live Search traffic in Dallas" src="http://0qo5yw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbbBWFKznE66_zcfzpb0eggj8uxcEqnSe_4eMLZJBEeflOvHFertGFYMYu5PKPfBFCsuJGpMa58VzQ/Traffic.gif" width=250 align=top mce_src="http://0qo5yw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbbBWFKznE66_zcfzpb0eggj8uxcEqnSe_4eMLZJBEeflOvHFertGFYMYu5PKPfBFCsuJGpMa58VzQ/Traffic.gif"> Bluetooth headset support  Now you can use the speech recognition feature with your Bluetooth headset (available on select devices). Map a contact  Open up a contact, press Menu, and then press Show On Map to view the contact on a map.Delete a recent location  Simple, yet effective. Click the label showing your current location to display the list of recent locations, scroll to the item you want to delete, press Menu, and then press Delete. These were the most common asks, but there were also a lot of requests for custom, personalized content. And since the customer is always right, we’ve built a way for you to access the content you care about when you’re on the go. Collections  Looking for <A href="http://maps.live.com/?v=2&cid=8F5FB976BF734AA3!256">pubs that offer WiFi in Seattle</A>? Want to find a <A class="" href="http://maps.live.com/?v=2&encType=1&cid=763FEBB0EA49FE70!216" mce_href="http://maps.live.com/?v=2&encType=1&cid=763FEBB0EA49FE70!216">dog park in San Francisco</A>? We can help! Search community-generated content such as Virtual Earth Collections and Google KML and find what you're looking for.<IMG title="Image of Live Search Mobile collections" style="WIDTH: 496px; HEIGHT: 186px" height=186 alt="Image of Live Search Mobile collections" src="http://0qo5yw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbbiF8hZ0sf-8_HGlikzteqW4NT5Lpra2ZHsWoxuaKLel_dNpFx0pgVTJlZL5w5fPWzvT2gXBzr13A/Collections.gif" width=496 align=top mce_src="http://0qo5yw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbbiF8hZ0sf-8_HGlikzteqW4NT5Lpra2ZHsWoxuaKLel_dNpFx0pgVTJlZL5w5fPWzvT2gXBzr13A/Collections.gif">  <H2></H2> And we’re still listening. Send us more feedback at <A class="" href="mailto:lsmobile@microsoft.com" mce_href="mailto:lsmobile@microsoft.com">lsmobile@microsoft.com</A>. Gary Voronel, Program Manager, Live Search for mobile<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8509211" width="1" height="1"> More than a pretty face http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/05/06/more-than-a-pretty-face.aspx Along with the release of our new search experience, we'd like to give some background into the design team and process that went into all the changes you see. You might not immediately think of design as being a critical part of a search product, but we think it is, and we have a growing team of designers, researchers, and developers who believe it, too. We have a growing, pro-design community here at Microsoft as well (only fitting to plug <A class="" href="http://www.microsoft.com/design/" mce_href="http://www.microsoft.com/design/">Microsoft Design</A>). Simple and powerful. Human. Fast. These were our guiding principles for this latest version of Live Search. Here's the nickel tour: <UL> <LI>Simple and powerful is about getting just enough, having information and tools when you need them, and revealing functionality without being overwhelmed. </LI> <LI>Being human reminds us that all good products speak to people and we should always design for them. </LI> <LI>Being fast has particular relevance to search where so much depends on rolling up the world of information to support people's countless other activities and passions.</LI></UL> We wove these principles into our work on Live Search in a process that started with user research, customer feedback, and a myriad of other sources for data and learning. All disciplines got involved in sketching as a shared way to develop our ideas. With informed iteration, sketches turned into the interactions, layouts, and visual designs that fed directly into user testing, giving us a unique opportunity as designers and researchers to make truly "user-centered" decisions. Here are some of the biggest changes you'll notice that resulted from our product design process: <IMG title="Image showing evolution of Live Search header" style="WIDTH: 450px; HEIGHT: 357px" height=357 alt="Image showing evolution of Live Search header" src="http://rg2dgw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zba6pG81_4JfC4gqOl3ewA1_9yQKHdK5p1nWUzgm3RtEvi4yGKMmtWKQCfGPEJZv_IQBh8jZdDzceA/designing_lg_evanmal.png" width=450 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://rg2dgw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zba6pG81_4JfC4gqOl3ewA1_9yQKHdK5p1nWUzgm3RtEvi4yGKMmtWKQCfGPEJZv_IQBh8jZdDzceA/designing_lg_evanmal.png"> Search box near results  The new Live Search header and search box is slimmed down from a heavy piece of UI into sleeker, simpler elements. Bringing the search box into alignment with the results and into the body moves it closer to where users are looking and flattens out the visual bumps between it and the results. Room to breathe on the page  Something else you'll see on a large screen (lucky you!) is our centered, fixed-width page, allowing for a more thoughtful, predictable experience as richer search content and wider screens become the norm. Crisp, clean type  We've also made changes to our color and typography. Our decision to use Arial and the new color palette was based not only on our desire to improve readability and consistency, but also on rounds of testing to find the right combination. Intuitive video search  For <A href="http://search.live.com/video/results.aspx?q=hilarious">our new video search experience</A>, the team focused on activities and behaviors that make video search different. We focused on simplicity — cutting irrelevant pixels and text — and power — investing in enhanced preview for video — both of which contribute to the overall simple, yet powerful experience. Health results integrated from many sources  You'll see in <A href="https://health.live.com/results.aspx?qu=Flu">health search</A> that we've created a way for users to pull together health information from many different sources, digestible all in one place. Ultimately, we think we've taken a step forward with this new product that we think will improve the overall Live Search experience. As with any design, it will evolve along with our design team, and we'll tell you more as we go. We welcome hearing your thoughts, too. Evan Malahy, Designer, Live Search<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8447183" width="1" height="1"> Answering your questions on QnA http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/05/01/answering-your-questions-on-qna.aspx We've introduced our "Renaissance" release of <A href="http://qna.live.com/" mce_href="http://qna.live.com/">Live Search QnA Beta</A>. Our re-birth signifies the beginning of a new set of features that we'll continue to grow. We had three goals for this release: <UL> <LI>Focus on the QnA experience for new users.</LI> <LI>Encourage users to discover content and functionality in new ways.</LI> <LI>Highlight and award higher quality content by featuring members who are Top Contributors in given areas of expertise.</LI></UL> Find out more about what we've done at the <A href="http://liveqna.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2933A3E375F68349!1576.entry" mce_href="http://liveqna.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2933A3E375F68349!1576.entry">QnA team blog</A>. And remember to submit your own questions and answers to our <A href="http://qna.live.com/" mce_href="http://qna.live.com/">Live Search QnA beta</A>. Heather Friedland, Lead Program Manager, Live Search QnA<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8447262" width="1" height="1"> xRank™ Musician — better than top 40 night at the disco http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/05/01/xrank-musician-better-than-top-40-night-at-the-disco.aspx Just when you thought we'd stop at Celebrities, we now bring you (drum roll, please) <A href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?scope=musician" mce_href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?scope=musician">Musicians</A>! xRankTM provides much more than just a way to track search trends — it's much more than that — it's a social commentary. With xRankTM Musicians we bring you the "mob's view" on what's shaking up the music industry. Sure, you've got Top 40s, billboard charts, and album sales, but what's more socially relevant than what you and your peers are searching for? Ever heard of <A href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=jay-z&scope=musician" mce_href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=jay-z&scope=musician">Jay-Z</A>, the rapper? If you have, then on the scale ranging from "I live in a bubble" to "I'm in the know" you're in good shape. If you haven't, you may want to brush up on your pop culture prowess. No worries — xRankTM is here to help. Our boy <A href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=jay-z&scope=musician" mce_href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=jay-z&scope=musician">Jay-Z</A> got married to <A href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=beyonce+knowles&scope=musician" mce_href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=beyonce+knowles&scope=musician">Beyoncé</A> recently. His search popularity soared and xRankTM caught it — can't say the same for your local station's top 40 list. Here are some other events that illustrate the "xRankTM effect": <OL> <LI>Unfortunate deaths — <A href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=charlton+heston&scope=celebrity" mce_href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=charlton+heston&scope=celebrity">Charlton Heston</A> passes away, RIP</LI> <LI>Pregnancy rumors — <A href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=Jessica+Alba&scope=celebrity" mce_href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=Jessica+Alba&scope=celebrity">Jessica Alba</A> unveils her baby bump</LI> <LI>And when they are no longer rumors — <A href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=jennifer+lopez&scope=musician" mce_href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=jennifer+lopez&scope=musician">Jennifer Lopez</A> unveils the twins</LI> <LI>Sex tape scandals — <A href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=Kim%20Kardashian&p1=%5bCelebrityAnswer+ListContext%3d%220%22+EntityType%3d%22CELEBRITY%22+CurrTab%3d%22XRankTabID%22+CurrChart%3d%22180Day%22+Sort%3d%22Rank%22%5d&wf=XRankListCeleb&FORM=XOCR" mce_href="http://search.live.com/xrank/results.aspx?q=Kim%20Kardashian&p1=%5bCelebrityAnswer+ListContext%3d%220%22+EntityType%3d%22CELEBRITY%22+CurrTab%3d%22XRankTabID%22+CurrChart%3d%22180Day%22+Sort%3d%22Rank%22%5d&wf=XRankListCeleb&FORM=XOCR">Kim Kardashian</A> (promoters and publicists are really milking this phenom, post-Paris)</LI></OL> The list goes on. By now, you're probably bookmarking xRankTM and making it a part of your daily coffee routine. But for those of you who are unaffected by celebs and musicians and pop culture in general, we'll have some more people xRankTM features that I am really excited about. Stay tuned! Andy Lam, Program Manager, Live Search<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8417446" width="1" height="1"> New Product Search gives you more options http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/04/30/new-product-search-gives-you-more-options.aspx With the recent update of the Product Search experience (<A class="" href="http://search.live.com/products/" mce_href="http://search.live.com/products/">http://search.live.com/products/</A>), users can both research and find deals on products within Live Search. We've incorporated feedback from our users during the beta cycle and revamped the user experience, so now users can search and refine products by user opinions, brand, category, and price ranges. In addition, users can sort results by best user, expert rating, and price. Try it out, and send us your <A href="https://feedback.live.com/default.aspx?locale=en-US&productkey=livesearchproducts&P1=dsatnoresultsweb&P2=digital+cameras&P3=7465&P4=BPRE&P5=b65bbea92f854d2c8c3ec3752eddb826&P6=&P7=Original&P8=&P9=0.0/0.0&P10=0.0&P11=http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=di">feedback</A>! Here are highlights of our <A class="" href="http://products.live.com/" mce_href="http://products.live.com/">product search experience</A>: <UL type=disc> <LI>One stop to research product details and find good prices  You see an image and description for each product, reviews from other users, prices to help you find good deals, and spec sheets for many products.</LI> <LI>Feature-based refinements  See which products are reviewed positively or negatively for the features that interest you. View product features such as screen size, battery life, ease of use, and portability.</LI> <LI>Sorting  Sort product results by user ratings, expert ratings, and price. </LI> <LI>Filtering  Filter product results by specific brands, categories, and price ranges. </LI> <LI>Richer product details  Read expert reviews and a spec sheet describing the product.</LI></UL> <IMG title="Image of Live Product search product listing" style="WIDTH: 399px; HEIGHT: 367px" height=367 alt="Image of Live Product search product listing" src="http://fpbrya.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pwAO45LiWuBREFXJP7rkb-ke-1UH08zx0QKywAvgxB8eFqsLdc0McuOjFR0_nvP5_i_Y45w8PKAPPo-molp3WER3ijL-nstg_/productlistings.jpg" width=399 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://fpbrya.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pwAO45LiWuBREFXJP7rkb-ke-1UH08zx0QKywAvgxB8eFqsLdc0McuOjFR0_nvP5_i_Y45w8PKAPPo-molp3WER3ijL-nstg_/productlistings.jpg"> In the example below, you can view both positive and negative feedback on the Garmin Nuvi 360 GPS receiver. You can click Ease of Use above the green bar to read actual user comments specifically about Ease of Use. This makes it really easy to parse long user reviews to find exactly what you're looking for. Learn more about summarizing user reviews in our previous post <A href="http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2007/11/12/summarizing-user-reviews-for-computers-and-electronics.aspx">here</A>. <IMG title="Image of Live Product Search user opinion" style="WIDTH: 401px; HEIGHT: 146px" height=146 alt="Image of Live Product Search user opinion" src="http://fpbrya.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbZ8iMTj2yDpihUXWdb6jOHFifrpk76Bn6cKVhFvyNi_WEM8rSJCZDtfDLWo6EL8iXJ0s7n12LogIw/useropinion.jpg" width=401 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://fpbrya.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbZ8iMTj2yDpihUXWdb6jOHFifrpk76Bn6cKVhFvyNi_WEM8rSJCZDtfDLWo6EL8iXJ0s7n12LogIw/useropinion.jpg"> Instant answers  In addition to the Product Search update, we've improved Product instant answers in web search for broader product queries like <A href="http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=gps&form=QBRE">GPS</A>, <A href="http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=digital%20cameras&form=QBRE">digital cameras</A>, <A href="http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=plasma%20tv&form=QBRE">plasma tv</A>, where your intent is research. The instant answer provides guides (we now have a larger selection) and user and expert reviews. <IMG title="Image of Live Product Search instant answer" style="WIDTH: 399px; HEIGHT: 203px" height=203 alt="Image of Live Product Search instant answer" src="http://fpbrya.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbYZyPiLL7haRi4Fpa2RC3s1IcsNzpSErZUAoRoDzox2ivLEQWeMDW_Mn4oRn9gxuRxQLJ9Gvyei_Q/Answer.jpg" width=399 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://fpbrya.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbYZyPiLL7haRi4Fpa2RC3s1IcsNzpSErZUAoRoDzox2ivLEQWeMDW_Mn4oRn9gxuRxQLJ9Gvyei_Q/Answer.jpg"> Try different product searches in web search and give us your feedback by clicking Is this Useful? Note  This is a U.S. release only. We haven't yet released these features internationally. More to come  We're excited to bring you these new Product search features, and we have a lot more planned in the coming months. In the meantime, try out a few searches like <A href="http://search.live.com/products/?q=gps+systems&form=QBCA">gps systems</A>, <A href="http://search.live.com/products/?q=mp3+players&form=QBCA">mp3 players</A>, and <A href="http://search.live.com/products/?q=cell+phones&form=QBCA">cell phones</A>, and let us know what you think by using the <A href="https://feedback.live.com/default.aspx?locale=en-US&productkey=livesearchproducts&P1=dsatnoresultsweb&P2=digital+cameras&P3=7465&P4=BPRE&P5=b65bbea92f854d2c8c3ec3752eddb826&P6=&P7=Original&P8=&P9=0.0/0.0&P10=0.0&P11=http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=di">Feedback</A> link! The Live Product Search team<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8445190" width="1" height="1"> Shop and search on the go http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/04/28/shop-and-search-on-the-go.aspx We've just released the latest updates to our browser-based mobile search at m.live.com. One of our major efforts was to bring the power of product search to the convenience of a mobile phone. Think about how much time people spend shopping in brick-and-mortar stores — without the ability to do the product research they're accustomed to from their PCs. We took the great product search features from Live Search and made them easy to use on your mobile phone. You'll see a list of popular products, user ratings, and price comparisons from online stores. <IMG title="Image of Mobile Live Search Products" style="WIDTH: 345px; HEIGHT: 393px" height=393 alt="Image of Mobile Live Search Products" src="http://f2utaw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbYNUSeQRao9-tOzDLipxObZzUO6tRugD4utuqqF2IEcjwftwJwXDJ0H1oF1VOQ1IeNvaar1rLg2qw/mobile1.gif" width=345 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://f2utaw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbYNUSeQRao9-tOzDLipxObZzUO6tRugD4utuqqF2IEcjwftwJwXDJ0H1oF1VOQ1IeNvaar1rLg2qw/mobile1.gif"> You can also research products by reading a detailed overview or consumer reviews. <IMG title="Image of Mobile Live Search product overview" style="WIDTH: 344px; HEIGHT: 348px" height=348 alt="Image of Mobile Live Search product overview" src="http://f2utaw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbaxLZK45M_9EuEcoTy7WLG9IJgtaQ7ox7l9841qP9Z1mJ1N9P1eatPh7ANaeJo03AUA2mg995ZoUQ/mobile2.gif" width=344 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://f2utaw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbaxLZK45M_9EuEcoTy7WLG9IJgtaQ7ox7l9841qP9Z1mJ1N9P1eatPh7ANaeJo03AUA2mg995ZoUQ/mobile2.gif"> We even include feature ratings that are created by extracting the key elements of user reviews from across the Web. <IMG title="Image of Mobile Live Search feature ratings" style="WIDTH: 346px; HEIGHT: 267px" height=267 alt="Image of Mobile Live Search feature ratings" src="http://f2utaw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbafooCpynWF-0uMs8eSH4KcqftGJkRTmBEaA5w8_LbqTo5sfHaA68HR7xJMbhZPrlWCPbC_Ej14xg/mobile3.gif" width=346 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://f2utaw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbafooCpynWF-0uMs8eSH4KcqftGJkRTmBEaA5w8_LbqTo5sfHaA68HR7xJMbhZPrlWCPbC_Ej14xg/mobile3.gif"> Now the next time a consumer electronics device catches your eye in a store, you'll be able to get the detailed rundown on its performance, read the consensus wisdom of the Web, compare it with similar products, and even make sure it's being offered for a good price — all before you make that impulse buy. Now you can spend wisely, wherever you are. <IMG title="Image of Mobile Live Search price comparisons" style="WIDTH: 346px; HEIGHT: 345px" height=345 alt="Image of Mobile Live Search price comparisons" src="http://f2utaw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbbA-6QAcQsyOZuoj1EwaQCnicmfa4OuMNSPun39sJ9WtmQFhTOF3ePXHciPq-ZKJJ0CVHd7ESyYMQ/mobile4.gif" width=346 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://f2utaw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbbA-6QAcQsyOZuoj1EwaQCnicmfa4OuMNSPun39sJ9WtmQFhTOF3ePXHciPq-ZKJJ0CVHd7ESyYMQ/mobile4.gif"> Another of our favorite features this release was developed specifically for our friends abroad — those in the United Kingdom and Japan. Searching for nearby businesses is one of the most popular and most valued types of mobile search today. But most existing browser-based search services require the user to first type in their location — easy if you're always in the same place, but a chore when you're out and about, and a real challenge if you don't know exactly where you are. With this new feature, users can simply click Find my Location, and their location will be set based on their proximity to cellular towers. Then they can get the most relevant nearby results for all their searches. <IMG title="Image of Mobile Live Search location finder" style="WIDTH: 346px; HEIGHT: 302px" height=302 alt="Image of Mobile Live Search location finder" src="http://f2utaw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbY3KNkrZSdgc-v57wNaHkAV8wyEqZxwaLI3U19xK3TpYnBxAaFb6XbPkmwphCSjNHqNbNJeaV9mbg/mobile5.gif" width=346 align=top border=1 mce_src="http://f2utaw.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p1mK3Vjy2zbY3KNkrZSdgc-v57wNaHkAV8wyEqZxwaLI3U19xK3TpYnBxAaFb6XbPkmwphCSjNHqNbNJeaV9mbg/mobile5.gif"> Let us know what you think! You can send feedback to <A href="mailto:lsmbfeed@microsoft.com">lsmbfeed@microsoft.com</A>. The Live Search Mobile team<img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8424813" width="1" height="1"> News Search – now with RSS http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/archive/2008/04/24/news-search-now-with-rss.aspx You wanted it, and now you have it. We've incorporated RSS feeds into the browse and search results experience. Subscribe and stay up to date with stories from all categories or for specific searches that you perform. We appreciate all the feedback that you've given us. We take it all seriously and do our best to respond. Try us out (<A href="http://news.live.com/" mce_href="http://news.live.com/">http://news.live.com/</A>), and keep the feedback coming! The News Search team <img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=8422952" width="1" height="1"> Better Binoculars http://blog.ask.com/2008/02/better-binocula.html Ever been caught in a loop of back-and-forth clicking between the search result list and the linked result pages looking for that perfect site? That's where our Binoculars come in handy; they give you a peek at those sites before... Ask.com to Host Opening Event of the Israel Web Tour in Silicon Valley http://blog.ask.com/2008/02/askcom-to-host.html Having grown up in Israel, I've always been connected to the country's tech community. That's one of the reasons I started writing about Israeli start ups since 2005 on my blog, VC Café. Now, I am pleased to announce that... Give Me Some Skin: Ask Gets More Personal http://blog.ask.com/2008/01/give-me-some-sk.html So. You're reading the Ask.com blog, which means you've been to Ask.com, which probably means you've seen our Skins feature. Introduced when we launched Ask3D last year, Skins allows you to change the design of the Ask.com homepage. It was... Ask.com Mobile: Voice-Activated Directions Show You the Way http://blog.ask.com/2008/01/askcom-mobile-v.html We talk a lot around here about the Mobile Web and making mobile search faster, better. Admittedly, it's easy to get excited about the different features and capabilities of all the new pimped out devices, but at the core every... 5 Questions with Ask Italy's Antonio Gulli http://blog.ask.com/2007/12/5-questions-wit.html "Pisa?" I've had friends react, "Why do you guys have an office in Pisa?" As easy as it would be to joke about frequent "business" trips to Tuscany, I was curious myself. So I corralled the head of the Pisa... The Year in Ask: 2007 http://blog.ask.com/2007/12/the-year-in-ask.html A roller coaster of a year, all told, what with introducing a company-changing product (or two), some industry initiatives, and of course, some sort of Google thing. Plenty of great stuff to look back on. What sort of stuff, you... Ask Launches AskEraser http://blog.ask.com/2007/12/ask-launches-as.html Privacy. It's a topic we discuss quite a bit here at Ask.com. But we we do more than talk about it. We listen to user feedback, industry debate, the CDT and many other sources. And we've responded by launching AskEraser... The Latest Ask.com Radio Ads http://blog.ask.com/2007/12/the-latest-askc.html You didn't think we only did TV commercials, did you? Currently burning up the airwaves (did I just mix metaphors?) is the latest Ask.com radio campaign. As our Marketing department puts it, they "compliment the TV effort," and if you... More tools for citizen participation http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/MKuf/~3/326143367/more-tools-for-citizen-participation.html Posted by Peter Foo, Associate Webmaster and Mark Lucovsky, Technical Director Political participation isn't just about casting your vote; everyone should be able to become an informed participant instantly. When Americans want to learn about candidates and issues using Google, we find that they want more than one source, and immediate results. Instead of sitting through entire television broadcasts, voters are going online to get their daily dose of politics - as they did during the primaries, when searches for political queries spiked. We created a page on <a title="2008 US election trends" href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/trends/elections/" id="u685">2008 US election trends</a> that highlights search queries on candidates by location to show how, during this election season, voters across the nation are getting politically engaged online. Use the <a href="http://www.google.com/ig/adde?synd=open&source=ggyp&moduleurl=cqueries.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/queries_1.2.xml%3Fp%3D1">Candidate Search Queries map</a> to see which cities are searching more for Obama or McCain, and the News by Candidate tool on the trends page to see the latest headlines on each of the presidential contenders. Our political outreach efforts are aimed at providing citizens with useful knowledge on where candidates, office holders and advocacy groups stand. As more Americans go online and take simple steps to participate in politics, we aspire to promote democracy and informed participation in the process by equipping voters with useful information through search.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/blogspot/MKuf?a=rCMVYJ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/blogspot/MKuf?i=rCMVYJ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/blogspot/MKuf?a=fbsC7j"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/blogspot/MKuf?i=fbsC7j" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/MKuf/~4/326143367" height="1" width="1"/> What comes next in this series? 13, 33, 53, 61, 37, 28... http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/MKuf/~3/326104914/what-comes-next-in-this-series-13-33-53.html Posted by Marissa Mayer, VP Search Products & User Experience Late one night in the summer of 2000, I found myself answering user support emails in response to two new features we had just released, Advanced Search and Preferences (at the time catchily called "Language, Display, and Filtering Options" :)). Busy crafting answers about how to set Safesearch or change the number of results offered by default, I worked my way through the email queue. And then I saw it: The next email had just a number ("37") in the subject - and no message text. What a weird form of spam, I thought. Why would anyone be motivated to just send a number? I searched for the user's email address to see what else had been sent. Interesting. Lots of numbers: 33, 53, and then a clue: "61, getting a bit heavy, aren't we?" Furthermore, the date on each of the messages seemed very familiar. Then I realized that's because the dates were all days that I had launched various changes on the homepage. "Getting a bit heavy?" - that one did correspond to one of the wordiest homepage releases we had ever done. Could the sender be counting words? Sure enough, I looked back, counted the words myself, and he was - a manual, human version of a scale for the Google homepage. He was weighing our homepage and letting us know when it was getting too heavy. One of his earliest mails had a note in the body: "What happened to the days of 13?" - referring to the word count on the initial 1999 homepage. This mystery and its revelation was really interesting because I thought about the homepage, and how to keep it simple, all the time. Yet I hadn't thought to look at it through this very simple lens: just count the words. The fewer, the better. Ever since that night, this has been our discipline, and everyone who works on the homepage and its design knows the current number: 28. (That's the word count for the basic page if you are signed out, there's no promotional line running beneath the search box, you've set Google as your homepage and thus don't get the "Make Google Your Homepage!" link, and you count "©2008 Google" as two words.) So, today we're making a homepage change by adding a link to our privacy overview and policies. Google values our users' privacy first and foremost. Trust is the basis of everything we do, so we want you to be familiar and comfortable with the integrity and care we give your personal data. We added this link both to our homepage and to our results page to make it easier for you to find information about our privacy principles. The new "Privacy" link goes to our Privacy Center, which was revamped earlier this year to be more straightforward and approachable, with videos and a non-legalese overview to make sure you understand in basic terms what Google does, does not, will, and won't, do in regard to your personal information. How does privacy relate to homepage word count? Larry and Sergey told me we could only add this to the homepage if we took a word away - keeping the "weight" of the homepage unchanged at 28. Given that the new Privacy link fit best with legal disclaimers on the page, I looked to the copyright line. There, we dropped the word "Google" (realizing it was implied, obviously) and added the new privacy link alongside it. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_7ZYqYi4xigk/SG02o1RK3-I/AAAAAAAAAvM/Yo96N7xAwRQ/s1600-h/blogpost.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 0px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_7ZYqYi4xigk/SG02o1RK3-I/AAAAAAAAAvM/Yo96N7xAwRQ/s1600/blogpost.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218887618314035170" border="0" /></a> We think the easy access to our privacy information without any added homepage heft is a clear win for our users and an enhancement to your experience. You can <a title="check out the new Privacy Center here" href="http://www.google.com/privacy.html" id="dvb2">check out the new Privacy Center here</a>.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/blogspot/MKuf?a=n7ylHJ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/blogspot/MKuf?i=n7ylHJ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/blogspot/MKuf?a=MVflxj"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/blogspot/MKuf?i=MVflxj" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/MKuf/~4/326104914" height="1" width="1"/> Wrapup: Google Developer Days and Google I/O http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/MKuf/~3/325199305/wrapup-google-developer-days-and-google.html Posted by Elizabeth Yin & Min Li Chan, Google Developer Programs May and June were exciting months for our developer team. Not only is it the start of summer in the Bay Area, but also the start of Google I/O and Google Developer Days around the world. Many of the team dispersed to various parts of the globe to meet with developers. Here's a quick recap of where we've been, and where we're heading. San Francisco, May 28-29 We started the summer with <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/developerday/GoogleIO200802#" id="owhq" title="Google I/O on May 28-29th">Google I/O</a>. This two-day conference was our biggest developer gathering to date. While we'd love for every single software developer to come to these events, we realize that isn't possible. So we've recorded as many of the sessions as we could and made them available online. We've posted videos and presentations <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/io/" id="pow1" title="more than 70 of the sessions">more than 70 sessions</a> for you to view. Yokohama, June 10 Shortly after Google I/O, we kicked off our 2008 Google Developer Days. The first stop was <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/developerday2008/DeveloperDayJapan#" id="c6l:" title="Yokohama, Japan">Yokohama, Japan</a>. Andy Rubin and Takuya Oikawa started the day before 1100 developers, highlighting the Android user interface, the Earth API's 3D graphics, and announcing Japan's new Google Developer API Expert program. <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/developerdayjapan/" id="d922" title="Videos and sessions are now available.">Videos and sessions are now available.</a> Beijing, June 12 Two days later, Marissa Mayer and Kai-Fu Lee opened <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/developerday2008/DeveloperDayChina#" id="k0hk" title="Developer Day in Beijing, China">Developer Day in Beijing</a> for more than 2,000 developers, highlighting the effort between Google and local developer communities to collectively make the web better as a platform. Notably, we welcomed several new Chinese networks to the OpenSocial community, including 51.com, 51wan.com, Douban.com, Hainei.com, Tianji.com, Xiaonei.com, and YiQi.com. These networks join a few others that have already launched in China, including MySpace.cn and Tianya.cn, as well as CityIN.com, which has shipped a sandbox for developers. <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/developerdaychina/" id="j1a." title="Beijing videos and sessions are here.">Beijing videos and sessions are here.</a> Taipei, June 14 Next on the schedule was <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/developerday2008/DeveloperDayTaiwan#" id="mx0h" title="Taipei's first Google Developer Day">Taipei's first Google Developer Day</a>, with 900 developers. In the developer showcase, we invited three developers to demonstrate web applications they'd built using Google APIs: Wei-chih Chiang, a student of Yi Shou University and his <a href="http://pi.isuphoto.org/photofeet.htm" id="x.:b" title="Photo Note">Photo Note</a> site, Jun-Chieh Huang, founder of <a href="http://www.ischool.com.tw/" id="qp-:" title="iSchool">ischool</a>, a website that integrates Google services for elementary and high schools in Taiwan, and <a href="http://funp.com/" id="mxot" title="FunP">FunP</a>, a social website integrating OpenSocial features. <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/developerdaytaiwan/" id="nk66" title="Here are the Taipei videos and sessions.">Here are the Taipei videos and sessions.</a> Sydney, June 18 Rounding out the Asia-Pacific Developer Days was an intimate group of <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/developerday2008/DeveloperDayAustralia#" id="v:jd" title="450 developers in Sydney">450 developers in Sydney</a> right by scenic Darling Harbor. In addition to folks from Google, we were excited to have Daniel Reyes, Head of Engineering from MySpace AU, stop by to share his team's work with Gears. Also of note were six local developers who showcased their app at our <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/developerday2008/DeveloperDayAustralia#5214827415724646066" id="dh:g" title="speedgeeking contest">speedgeeking contest</a>: contest winners Casey and Dan Russell of <a id="gmvu" href="http://www.cleancruising.com.au/" title="CleanCruising">CleanCruising</a>, Nick Lothian of <a id="w2.j" href="http://www.scootle.edu.au/" title="Scootle">Scootle</a>, Ken Hoetmer of <a id="afub" href="http://quikmaps.com/" title="Quikmaps">Quikmaps</a>, Tom Horn of the <a id="v:ho" href="http://cannonade.net/aubrey.html" title="Patrick O'Brien Mapping Project">Patrick O'Brien Mapping Project</a>, Tak Tran with the <a id="gqtu" href="http://www.matthuynh.com/cabtour/cabtour.php" title="Collaborative Autobiography">Collaborative Autobiography</a> site, and Tim Savage with the <a id="vihi" href="http://www.google.com/ig/directory?url=hosting.gmodules.com/ig/gadgets/file/104881640610994779021/seqwater.xml" title="S