Live Search Becomes Kumo?
Microsoft initiated an internal testing process for the updates that will be performed in case of the Live Search website. This test is addressed only to Microsoft employees, without being available to large public. With the help of test feedback, the new search engine service code named Kumo will be improved.
Based on the leaked screenshots of the modified Live Search website interface, into the recent Internet press there were performed speculations about the rebranding of the current Live Search into the new Kumo brand.
In a recent blog post on the Official Blog of the Microsoft Live Search Team, Mike Nichols, General Manager, Live Search does not confirm or deny the rumor about the Live Search rebranding, but explains the actual role of the Kumo brand and the usage of the kumo.com URL: “There has also been a fair amount of speculation around the use of the Kumo brand and URL, and whether this means that we are rebranding Live Search. We’re using the Kumo brand and URL for this test experience to make sure employees understand they’re in a test experience. We believe this will encourage more active feedback. As for rebranding, it’s something we’re still considering”.
In the Microsoft Live Search Team blog, there is also presented a screenshot of the new web based interface of Live Search service. It has a three columns layout, displaying image search results on the top of the main search results. Into the left column are shown related searches and search history, while in the right column there are displayed text ads related to the current search query.
According to The Industry Standard, “The Kumo technology appears to contain elements of semantic search technology Microsoft acquired in June last year when it bought Powerset. The company’s technology attempts to understand the full meaning of phrases and returns results based on that understanding”. It seems that Microsoft definitely wants to gain a visible place on the current search engine market.
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