Report: ChaCha Voice Search Beats Google, Yahoo/Vlingo In Accuracy, Reliability

Jul 21, 2009 at 2:08pm ET by Greg Sterling

A new report finds that mobile search and answers service ChaCha beat Google and Yahoo's voice search tools in terms of overall accuracy and reliability across a range of query types in a controlled study. The study was conducted by Albright Communications/MSearchGroove in January of this year. The report, which can be downloaded from the ChaCha site, was sponsored by ChaCha but the authors said, "While ChaCha sponsored the study, it was fully removed from the planning, testing, analysis, and reporting of this work." The methodology was very specific and relatively elaborate. I summarize it [...]

Filed in: Google: Mobile, Google: Voice Search, Microsoft: Bing 411, Search Engines: Mobile Search Engines, Yahoo: Mobile & Go

Microsoft’s Tellme Offers Improved Mobile Voice Search Experience

Apr 29, 2009 at 6:36am ET by Greg Sterling

Tellme has been in the speech, automated directory assistance and "voice search" segment for a decade. Two years ago the company was acquired by Microsoft for roughly $800 million. Since that time the two companies have been working on integration and developing next-generation services. Tellme powers Microsoft's LiveSearch 411, among other services. Today, two years to the day after the acqusition, Tellme made two related announcements about improved speech technology and an upgraded mobile user experience. (Here's the enterprise-facing release.) On the consumer side of the equation, Tellm [...]

Filed in: Microsoft: Bing 411, Microsoft: Bing Mobile, Top News

Microsoft Continues Peeling Off Yahoo Search Talent

Feb 12, 2009 at 9:09am ET by Greg Sterling

Microsoft (so far) has been unable to buy Yahoo or Yahoo search assets, so it instead continues to take search talent away from the company. Last year Microsoft successfully lured engineering lead Qi Lu from Yahoo to become head of the company's Online Services Group. Redmond also recently nabbed Sean Suchter from Yahoo. Now Bloomberg and CNET report that another Yahoo executive, Larry Heck, will be working on Microsoft search. Heck was, until now, Vice President of the Search & Advertising Sciences at Yahoo Labs. Before that he was Vice President of R&D at Nuance Communications, "w [...]

Filed in: Microsoft: Bing 411, Microsoft: Bing Mobile, Microsoft: Employees, Top News

A Local Look At Microsoft’s Bid For Yahoo

Feb 4, 2008 at 8:17am ET by Greg Sterling

Last Friday, shortly after the Microsoft bid for Yahoo was made public, Danny and I had an opportunity to discuss the proposed acquisition with Yusuf Mehdi, senior vice president of strategic partnerships for Microsoft. Our questions to Mehdi often returned to post-acquisition "integration" issues. I brought up local, maps, and mobile as areas where both companies had made significant investments but also had significant duplication and redundancy. Mehdi responded, "We have not made decisions at that level, such as what to do with maps or mobile products. Every alternative is on the table. We [...]

Filed in: Locals Only, Microsoft & Yahoo Search Deal, Microsoft: Bing 411, Microsoft: Bing Maps & Local, Microsoft: Business Issues, Yahoo: Business Issues, Yahoo: Maps & Local

Microsoft Releases Upgrades For Maps, Local, And Mobile

Oct 15, 2007 at 9:00pm ET by Greg Sterling

Late last month, at its "Searchification" event, Microsoft introduced a wide range of search enhancements and improvements. The company also said there would be additional updates to follow. Those are now rolling out and include feature and content enhancements for maps, local, and mobile services. The biggest news is the introduction of a new voice search product called "Live Search 411," built on Tellme's content and voice capabilities. In addition to local business listings, the service provides movie show times, weather, and airlines information. We haven't had a chance to test drive or [...]

Filed in: Microsoft: Bing 411, Microsoft: Bing Maps & Local, Microsoft: Bing Mobile

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