Here are 4 questions Darcie de Freitas, Product Manager Live Search for mobile :

Can you tell us more about your service Live search?
Windows Live™ for mobile provides search and communications capabilities that help people access their world of relationships, information and interests from their mobile devices. With Windows Live for mobile, Microsoft is extending the Windows Live experience to mobile devices in a way that provides consumers with a familiar and convenient way to stay in touch with the people and information they care about the most. Microsoft provides several options for mobile customers and mobile operators to power their mobile search with Windows Live, including these three Live Search for mobile modules:

1.    Web search. The Web on your phone including news, social networking sites and more; available via mobile phone Web browsers and by short message service (SMS)
2.    Local search. People and business listings, maps and directions; available through the Live Search for mobile client application, browser and by SMS
3.    Portal search. Enabling mobile operator partners to offer integrated access to local listings and maps, the Internet, as well as their own catalogs of mobile content such as ring tones, games and related services.

Specific to Live Search for mobile – this is the latest innovation from Microsoft in mobile search provides customers with fast, easy access to maps, driving directions, business and residential listings, GPS integration (for Microsoft® Windows Mobile®-powered devices) and even local traffic information in some areas. With both the familiar search box and unique category-based listings, Live Search for mobile is available as a downloadable software client application on Windows Mobile-based and Java devices and provides the following:
Category-based local searching. Live Search for mobile offers the option to search for local listings with virtually no text entry. Based on their location, users can browse categories such as restaurants, shopping, and hotels and accommodations. Searches return results with address and telephone details, access maps and directions, or a click-to-call option.
Maps and directions. Live Search for mobile enables users to search and explore routes from their current or other locations. Users can enter virtually any start and end point to retrieve routes with driving directions and display maps with road or aerial views. The ability to Search Nearby makes it easy to explore options with a new search in the same area — finding a place for dinner near a friend’s house, for example. The Map All tool shows all listings on a single map, so people can easily compare results visually in context.
Traffic. Real-time traffic data is available for more than 25 U.S. cities, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Traffic conditions are reported on local maps with familiar green, red and yellow gradients.

The Live Search for Windows Mobile and Live Search for Java applications are currently available in the United States and the United Kingdom. Customers interested in these applications can go to http://mobile.search.live.com to learn more. Users can go to http://wls.live.com on their phone’s browser to view a complete list of device availability and download the software at no cost directly to their mobile phone.

What is your business model?
In this market – we differentiate not only by technology, but by approach.   While other software providers focus on getting distribution for their consumer services, MS strikes partnerships that marry the strengths of each partner (with operators, and OEMs) – for a better services ecosystem. Windows Live for mobile enables operators and OEMs to differentiate their products in the market by offering customers the new, innovative services they want to access their world of relationships, information and interests.   With increased availability of services consumers will also be more motivated to purchase data-plans and other add-on services offered by mobile operators, ultimately increasing revenue opportunities for these providers.  Most importantly, mobile advertising opportunities inherent with Live Search will provide mobile partners the opportunity to offer highly relevant search result data and content.  Live Search clients are available today at no cost for most J2ME and Windows Mobile 2003 devices at: http://mobile.search.live.com/about/ Customers will need to pay the costs of an appropriate data plan from their service provider to utilize the functionality of Windows Live services. 

What are the projects, additional features you’re preparing?
Mobile search is about putting the information users want at their fingertips in a way that is both easy to use and useful for a broad range of consumers. Today our mobile search includes content on their mobile network service provider’s portal, local search and web search – all in one easy place. It also includes ways to search especially adapted for mobile – from personalization through context such as the user’s location to short form queries (minimal text entry) for instant answers to common questions. And our new client provides fast and easy ways to browse content by category, see traffic maps, map several locations in one view, and keep track of searches and search locations.In the future, mobile search will continue to fine-tune usability by adding more contextual information so that the information presented is packaged for the unique assets and constraints of the mobile.   

We also recently released the MSN Mobile beta client to market. MSN Mobile beta will provide the best of MSN® optimized for your phone or mobile device’s Internet browser.  The new MSN Mobile is designed to help mobile consumers easily access the information they want through an engaging and easy-to-use mobile experience.  Features an attractive and easily navigable MSN Mobile homepage, setting the standard for mobile portals with: Live Search and Windows Live Mail capabilities; Msn entertainment and movies, FOX Sports; MSNBC news; Msn weather; Msn money, and more to come.  US consumers can get it today by visiting beta.mobile.msn from their phone or mobile device’s Internet browser.

What are the current users’ feedback, your learnings on the service’s usage?
We have had over 100,000 downloads of the Live Search for mobile client applications.  Initial feedback from the market for the Live Search client has been extremely positive.  Users applauding the quality of local business search results, smoother look and feel of Windows Live mapping, faster scrolling, superior aerial and satellite imagery as well as driving directions. Check out this Gizmodo review comparing Google vs. Live Search as an example of the great feedback; Search technology is a top priority at Microsoft and these investments are quickly being adapted for the mobile experience.