Microsoft Kumo in the wild |
Register here for our next TechFlash Live networking event, March 23, featuring an expert panel discussing the future of online advertising.
Microsoft Kumo in the wild
Microsoft plans to let employees begin testing its new search site this week, inside the corporate firewall. And despite our perfectly sensible case for choosing Start.com, it looks like Microsoft is going with the "Kumo" name instead -- for now, at least.
That's the situation based on this report today by CNet News.com's Ina Fried, saying that Microsoft this week is starting internal deployment of a revamped search site called Kumo, to replace Live Search. AllThingsD's Kara Swisher has a mini-gallery of screenshots. Judging from them, features include more grouping of search results by category in the main column of the page.
In case you're just tuning in, this is Microsoft's new bid to make headway against Google in the Internet search business. So what is Kumo, exactly? Here's an excerpt from an email to employees from Microsoft search chief Satya Nadella, quoted on both blogs:
We believe we can provide a better and more useful search experience that helps you not just search but accomplish tasks. During the test, features will vary by country, but you’ll see results organized in a way that saves you more time. An explorer pane on the left side of results pages will give you access to tools that help you with your tasks. Other features like single session history and hover preview help accomplish more in search sessions.
Swisher says Kumo "seems to be an interesting effort with a clean and spare look." She notes that Microsoft hasn't yet decided whether to use the Kumo name for the final release.
I've asked a Microsoft representative for a full rundown of the major new features, and I'll update this post depending on the response.
About Todd Bishop
Todd Bishop is co-founder and managing editor of TechFlash. He has covered Microsoft and the technology industry for more than five years, most recently as a daily newspaper reporter and blogger based in Seattle.
READ FULL BIOGRAPHYRecent Sponsor Posts
Seattle University Software Engineering
Chinwe Okeke (MSE’08) pursued her graduate degree while working as a developer and technical analyst for the Boeing Company. She picked the SU-MSE program for small class sizes and real world learning opportunities offered through the academic service-learning and capstone projects.
The MSE program at Seattle University is geared for working professionals with classes offered in the evenings. The program builds upon the computing experience of its students and offers courses in a variety of technical and management areas of software engineering, with an emphasis on teamwork and a disciplined approach to problem solving.
Marchex is one of Seattle’s largest ad technology companies with 300+ employees providing call and click based performance marketing products, and managing over $100m in ad budget for tens of thousands of advertisers. Our customers range from local businesses to the Fortune 500.
Our talented and creative product engineering group is hiring.
If you are an innovative software design engineer interested in solving difficult problems at scale, across a wide array of technologies from Lucene to Hadoop to Asterisk and SIP then we’d love to hear from you!
Apply now.
Technology Tax Planning – Did You Take The Deduction?
Technology companies require professional advisors who can assist in all aspects of the business. The BDO Technology Practice provides a full range of services tailored to help address the changing needs of domestic and international companies. In addition to core audit and tax services, BDO professionals can assist technology companies with:
· Revenue recognition
· Business combination accounting
· R&D tax credits
· Compensation and benefits
· Business valuations
Backed by 38 national offices and an international network in 110 countries, we have the domestic and global footprint to serve growing technology companies. Contact sphilpott@bdo.com (audit partner), mreeves@bdo.com (audit partner), psmith@bdo.com (tax partner), tzambito@bdovaluation.us.com (valuation), tfiscus@bdo.com, Director, 206.624.2020
Job Listings
- Software Development Engineer - Display Advertising
- Business Services Company
- Director Enterprise Architecture - IT
- Starbucks Coffee Company
- Senior Program Manager - External - 713665
- Microsoft Corporation
- Quality Improvement Specialist
- HCR ManorCare
- Senior Software Development Engineer - eXtreme Computing Group - 708427
- Microsoft Corporation
