Go on, try it......I dare you

I will admit that it has taken me a long time not to automatically head to Google for my searches, but I can honestly now say that www.live.com has now become my first thought and increasingly gives me the results I want.

The new release of Live Search was announced earlier this week. Here's the details:

See what’s new and try it!
The new version of Live Search makes landmark progress in two critical areas. First, the technology that delivers relevant search has improved dramatically. Second, we have focused on additional innovation in four key search experiences: Entertainment, Health, Local, and Shopping, which as an aggregate represent 40% of total queries.

Massive improvements have been made in five areas to help deliver results as good as any engine on the planet. We have increased the index by over 4x which delivers better coverage; improved the rich answers (try these queries: traffic, Frank Sinatra); made improvements to query intent which solves for misspelled and plural words, and better gets to what our customers are searching for; improved RankNet, our neural net technology that helps us determine the top results; and made key user interface improvements that present tools and results that are easy to use and help navigate to the right content more quickly.

The Core: Massive improvements have been made in five areas to help deliver results as good as any engine on the planet. We have increased the index by over 4x which delivers better coverage; improved the rich answers (try these queries: traffic, Frank Sinatra); made improvements to query intent which solves for misspelled and plural words, and better gets to what our customers are searching for; improved RankNet, our neural net technology that helps us determine the top results; and made key user interface improvements that present tools and results that are easy to use and help navigate to the right content more quickly. 

Entertainment: We have developed not just better answers, but a unique way of showing content as it relates to other celebrities (xRank) and better inline results. (Try Will Smith and check out the xRank and the live in browser previews of the videos)

Health: We are able now to bring trusted content in a unique experience to our Live Search users. (Try diabetes at health.live.com )

Local: We have dramatically improved local listings, mapping, printed directions, and the user interface to make our award winning local and mapping even better. (try your favorite type of cuisine and a city, or directions the next time you need to)

Shopping: In shopping we have a very innovative approach addressing 16% of all queries. Now you can search for a product or a product category (try Palm Treo 650 or the category “digital cameras”)