Windows Live Search Mobile and Smart Hal

Chapter 1: Windows Live Search Mobile and Smart Hal

Two months ago, at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Microsoft announced the official release of an exciting new Windows Mobile Smartphone application called "Windows Live Search Mobile".

Developed for US and UK Windows Mobile Smartphone users, Windows Live Search Mobile is a feature-rich .NET application that delivers white and yellow page searches, directions, traffic conditions, and maps directly to your mobile phone.

Do you need to find the nearest taxi service, train station, or dry cleaners? Or do you want a list of all of the dentists in your area, or even get directions to your friend's, your office, or your hotel? Then Windows Live Search Mobile can bring you all of these answers and more no matter where you are.

You can:

Search, or browse by category, for local businesses, such as Supermarkets, Libraries, and Chinese restaurants, without ever having to type in any text. (You’ll find listings with full address information and phone numbers (one key press to call). You'll also get the distance from where you are to where you want to go, and it's also one key press to get step-by-step directions.)
Get directions to and from a particular destination. (Enter street addresses, cities, counties/states, or post/ZIP codes. For directions, you can also enter your start and end addresses. If you need the directions of the return trip it’s just one key press away.)
SMS a friend - Send a text message with business’ address and phone number to your friends so that they know where to meet you.
Contacts list integration – search for a contact’s address without typing it, or save a business to your Smartphone’s contacts to use again later.
Hook up a Bluetooth GPS receiver to your Smartphone and search your immediate vicinity or track your current position.