New features for Windows Mobile users

Windows Mobile users can now take advantage of new Live Search features such as location detection and detailed map views.

The new offerings are intended to make the process of conducting local searches for businesses, maps and directions from a mobile phone easier, according to Jeremy Beasley, product manager for Live Search mobile.

He reveals in a post on the Live Search blog that the search engine now offers automatic location detection capabilities even for phones without GPS, as well as predictive query input to help cut down on how long it takes to conduct a search.

"That's a fancy way of saying that after entering a few letters, you can browse through previous searches as well as some suggested ones," Beasley comments.

A new "Bird's Eye" view also offers a 3D-like perspective within Live Search's mobile mapping, giving a more detailed vista of places of interest to users.

The new features are supported for the latest version of Windows Mobile, as well as Windows Mobile 5.

Live Search for mobile phones also provides information on weather, stocks, traffic movements and cinema showings while additionally offering image and news search results.

Will Zune do Windows Mobile? Looks likely

There are a ton of rumors flying around right now saying that Microsoft just might introduce a Zune-ified competitor to the iPhone at CES next month. There are also those who call that a ridiculous notion. I happen, to a degree, to agree with both sides.

You won't see it at CES, but new a mobile phone initiative is brewing at Microsoft right now, and the Zune team is involved.

I live in Seattle. I run with the Microsoft/Amazon/Real/Whatever circle of geeks in the area. Sadly, because I'm a technology journalist, this means that when I run into them at parties they often have to clam up. I was, though, fortunate enough to have a sneak peek at a prototype Zune more than two years ago before anyone knew what it would look like or do. I was also lucky enough to snap a shot of it with my Treo. This became the first public photo of the device. It was black and white and wrapped in its own headphones, you might remember it. You could say I broke the Zune. I thus love the Zune. I pay close attention to what the Zune teams are doing. I listen to the Zune rumors. I have my ear to the Zune ground.

source : news.cnet.com