Goodbye Microsoft Live Search, Hello Bing
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer introduced the company's new Google search competitor and its new name -- Bing -- Thursday at the D: All Things Digital Conference in Carlsbad, Calif.
However, despite a glitzy demo, and the rebranding, it remains to be seen whether Bing will go "ka-ching" for Microsoft, and whether both the name and the technology resonate with users. The company's search engine to date has been called Live Search, while Bing, the new search engine, was previously codenamed Kumo.
That all changes on June 3, when Bing.com goes live around the world and the Live Search brand goes away.
Rumors that Microsoft was ready to take the wraps off its rejiggered search strategy have been swirling in the blogosphere for weeks. That was when most observers still expected the codename Kumo, which means "cloud" or "spider" in Japanese, would be the final name.
"We needed a name that says this is all about search," Ballmer said during an onstage question-and-answer session at the D conference. "We need to build brand equity in addition to technology equity."
Ballmer also assured the audience that reported ownership problems with the name -- Bing -- have successfully been dealt with.
Names aside, however, the big question is will it work?
"The proof's in the pudding. If the buzz got out that Microsoft had a good search experience, who knows, they could be contenders," Roger Kay, president of Endpoint Technologies, told InternetNews.com.
Source: internetnews
