Redmond (WA) - Microsoft has doled out a few changes to its online search portal that it hopes will help its current users stick with MSN and not hop on board the steam train known as Google.

MSN Live Search has quadrupled the number of sites it seeks when pulling up information from a search query, according to MS corporate VP Satya Nadella.

It also has begun the process of better understanding different variations of the same word.  For example, a search with the term "quote" would also bring up results with the word "quoting".  It will also be able to determine specific phrases in a line of search text, such as a person's name.

Microsoft, ranked third in online searching behind Google and Yahoo, also said it will be able to understand when a user is searching for a product and it will display prices, photos, and an average review score of that product instantaneously.

A few other minor adjustments include getting rid of random clutter on its maps search page and the ability to search through medial documents.

Microsoft said it is not expecting these changes to bring over traffic from Google or Yahoo.  Rather it is addressing issues raised by current MSN Live Search loyalists.

Go, go, go

Sep 27, 2007 12:33     

Go Microsoft, Go :)
Daniel report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Out of luck

Sep 27, 2007 21:44     

For some reason whenever I have anything to do with MS I feel dirty. Features always feel cumbersome, designed by committee-like. I don't know if the kick Google is providing will _ever_ help them clean up their act.
Pete Dixon report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

??

Sep 28, 2007 07:30     

"Microsoft said it is not expecting these changes to bring over traffic from Google or Yahoo. Rather it is addressing issues raised by current MSN Live Search loyalists." Gotta keep those 3 loyalists happy. :)
liquefire report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0