Revamped MS Live Search to be Unveiled This Week

Microsoft will have a chance to prove that it can do everything Google can do (and supposedly better) when the company launches the revamped MS Live search engine in the next few days. Well, that's the rumor, at least.

The new program will divide the results into different categories, making it easier for users to conduct Internet searches. The software boasts a left-side panel that lists the categories, past searches, and related queries. (Source: app.com)

Public Reaction Confidential

Apparently, Microsoft has started to test public reaction to the software in ultra-selective fashion. The information was leaked by one person who has tested the search engine, but declined to be named because the details are still confidential.

Google Favored 8-to-1 over Microsoft

The problem for Microsoft is that Google is still viewed as the "people's search engine." Analysts estimate that Google is beating Microsoft in search traffic by an 8-to-1 ratio. The command of the market leads to an advertising cash windfall for Google that will ensure it has enough finances to ward off rivals for some time. (Source: bloomberg.com)

So, the real question becomes: Why would Microsoft, considering the current economic state and virtual dominance of the search market by Google, be inclined to improve their own search engine?

Some analysts believe that this will prove to be the ultimate test for Microsoft, one which the company has experienced before (with resounding success) in its earlier years.

Yahoo Offer Still On the Table

Microsoft declined to comment on the rumored plans for a new search engine. Previously, Microsoft had stated that a search engine named "Kumo" had undergone internal testing, but whether or not this search engine and Kumo are one-in-the-same has yet to be confirmed.

Microsoft is also still engaged in talks with Yahoo Inc about combining their search efforts to better challenge Google. A leading proposal has yet to emerge from these talks, however.