Microsoft Wants Integrated Search Pages, Too
If you’re the type of person who’s always wished your search results pages had more "stuff" on them, this is your lucky week.
Yesterday, we got to see Google’s new Universal Search product. Today, it’s Microsoft’s Imagine Live Search. Redmond’s new experimental product spits out a page with integrated results from web pages, news articles, image results, local results and suggested related searches. It’s pretty comprehensive, and it’s a nice start. But it needs some smartening up.
The page is neatly organized, and I like the way the pictures grow larger when you mouse over them. Also, the results are relevant and just varied enough to keep my eyes moving down the page.
In my screenshot above, you can see that I searched for "Tour De
France." Why would I want movie times? Weather and local listings I can
see, but local to where? France or wherever I’m searching from? And for
some reason, Microsoft thinks I’m in Philadelphia (nope, sorry).
Imagine Live Search gets a pass because it’s experimental, but I
sincerely hope it doesn’t launch with those foibles. Otherwise, it’s
destined for defeat.
Barry Schwartz has an in-depth look at the latest experimental offerings from all the search giants at Search Engine Land.
