Yahoo is going mobile, so cell phones can search for Web pages, local business listings and related information, as well as images, such as pictures and maps The service will launch Wednesday on several U.S. carriers, the company said Wednesday. Users can access the services from a data-enabled phone by going to mobile.yahoo.com.
Google’s SMS (Short Message Service) uses text-only messages to deliver its results, but Yahoo’s new mobile service offers localized search results, maps and Web site icons that let people point, click and make a call.
The service features “search shortcuts” that let users request specific information, such as weather data, stock quotes, sport scores and flight information. Previously mobile.yahoo provided just e-mail and instant messaging services.
Google’s SMS also supports other mobile modes of accessing its search engine, such as WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) and i-Mode.
Rob Enderle, principal analyst at Enderle Group, says, “About 40 percent of phones out there have browser capability and that capability is being either under utilized or not utilized by most of them.” Out of 137 million people who use the Web in the U.S., more than 30 percent also use mobile data, according Yahoo Chief Operating Officer Dan Rosensweig. Meanwhile, 79 percent of Yahoo Web site U.S. users also have a mobile phone, he added.
Yahoo’s mobile search is available now to AT&T Wireless, Cingular Wireless and Sprint subscribers. Meanwhile, Google’s SMS test product works with the top five U.S. operators. Charges for both services may vary, and depend on individual plans. In general, U.S. wireless operators charge between 2 cents and 10 cents to send messages or download Web pages.
Meanwhile, mobile users with laptops and handhelds can rejoice; Sony Ericsson has a combo Wi-Fi/EDGE card, the GC-89. The 802.11g-compatible card can switch between cellular-based EDGE (at 50-100 kbps) and Wi-Fi networks (potentially much faster). It should be available later this year.
That could come in handy for accessing digital maps from Keyhole. Google acquired the innovative map company this week for an undisclosed sum.
Keyhole’s product combines a multi-terabyte database of mapping data and images collected from satellites and planes with easy-to-use software. It’s aimed at consumers as well as businesses and public agencies.
Users enter an address and Keyhole’s software accesses the database and presents a digital image of that location on their screen. The program then gives users many options, including the ability to zoom in from space-level to street-level, tilt and rotate the view or search for hotels, parks, ATMs or subways.
Unlike traditional mapping technologies, Keyhole creates a dynamic 3D interface for geographic information. A virtual fly-through database.
Search engine companies are in a war. Yahoo, Google, America Online, and Microsoft are out to put mobile databases on the map.
Directions Magazine reviews the History of Consumer Mapping on the Web
- It started back in December 1999 with the purchase of MapQuest.com by America Online AOL for the absolutely obscene price tag of $800 million. MapQuest.com had been a privately owned company backed by Trident Capital, L.P., Highland Capital Partners and Weston Presidio Capital. It went public in early 1999. The Company has been in operation since 1967 and is still a provider of many maps, travel guides, and other print media.
- In March 2002, Yahoo booted MapQuest as its online provider of digital maps and struck out on their own. Since that time, Yahoo! Maps has tried to expand is offering with a feature called “SmartView” which enhances the current Yahoo! Maps product by allowing consumers to choose local points of interest and attractions - such as restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, parks, ATMs and post offices- to customize the current map display.
- In October 2002, Microsoft acquired Vicinity in a move to bolster MapPoint’s fledgling market share among corporate users for “store finder” maps at online retail websites. Microsoft moved the MapPoint Business Unit to its Mobility Group to leverage its ability to supply location-based services to telecommunications companies.
- This year, Tecontar signed a deal with Ask Jeeves to deliver maps and driving directions at its search engine portal. Ask Jeeves, Inc. has acquired a group of search engine websites such as Ask Jeeves (Ask.com and Ask.co.uk); Ask Jeeves for Kids (AJKids.com); Excite (excite.com); iWon (iwon.com); My Search (mysearch.com); My Way (myway.com); My Web Search (mywebsearch.com) and Teoma (teoma.com).
On the news of the announcement yesterday, the company announced that there would be a price reduction for Keyhole 2 LT to $29.95 from $69.95, effective immediately.
