MSN Officially Release New Search
NDA now lifted, 30 minutes early.
It's now, erm, "safe" to say that the new MSN search engine has officially been released worldwide.
Interesting snippets from the NDA include the heading of the release itself: "Consumers Can Find Information More Easily via Redesigned, Search-Optimized MSN.com".
"Consumers"? Is this how MSN see "searchers"?
MS say they want to boost awareness with their existing MSN audience first, and there's more search developments in store. To be fair, MSN know they are the underdog. This is the first step, aimed mostly at getting in the race and leveraging the existing audience.
MS will be integrating Encarta and MSN Music. Hmmm....not sure that's a great idea. The SearchChamps group had expressed their reservations - Is MSN a search tool or a content provider?
Possibly both. MSN say they want to provide answers to questions. My guess is that "...and keep viewers hooked into our stuff" may have been left off the end of that statement ;)
The rest of the features should already be known to the search community. There's a major marketing campaign about to kick-off this week.
More jumping-the-gun courtesy the NY Times.
It's now, erm, "safe" to say that the new MSN search engine has officially been released worldwide.
Interesting snippets from the NDA include the heading of the release itself: "Consumers Can Find Information More Easily via Redesigned, Search-Optimized MSN.com".
"Consumers"? Is this how MSN see "searchers"?
MS say they want to boost awareness with their existing MSN audience first, and there's more search developments in store. To be fair, MSN know they are the underdog. This is the first step, aimed mostly at getting in the race and leveraging the existing audience.
MS will be integrating Encarta and MSN Music. Hmmm....not sure that's a great idea. The SearchChamps group had expressed their reservations - Is MSN a search tool or a content provider?
Possibly both. MSN say they want to provide answers to questions. My guess is that "...and keep viewers hooked into our stuff" may have been left off the end of that statement ;)
The rest of the features should already be known to the search community. There's a major marketing campaign about to kick-off this week.
More jumping-the-gun courtesy the NY Times.
