Amazon.com Drops Search Engine Features
The AP writes that Amazon has CUT the most widely touted features for its A9 search.
Apparently, Amazon.com spokesman Drew Herdener said the company is "shifting its priorities to areas where it can provide the greatest benefit for customers."
But this sucks for Amazon, because (as the AP notes), "A9 had put considerable effort into taking detailed, street-level photos of 20 U.S. cities, which people could use to map directions and find businesses. Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. also have invested heavily in such photographic search technologies."
This is an admission that Amazon has lost the battle for SEARCH (not that they ever had any chance of winning it -- Despite its big-name parent, A9 hasn't gained much traction among users. It ranked No. 32 among search engines in the United States, accounting for just 0.1 percent of all searches, or 3.2 million searches, according to August data from Nielsen/NetRatings. Google ranked first with more than 3 billion searches in the same period).
Sucks to be you, Amazon.
Oh, and furthermore... Amazon.com also is discontinuing a toolbar that helped keep track of such information. People who used the service will be able to retrieve their own personal data, such as Web site bookmarks, by following instructions on the A9 Web site.
Now, Amazon is turning to MS for help -- they're going to use Microsoft's new search technology, called Live Search.
Wonder how that's going to go for them?
Apparently, Amazon.com spokesman Drew Herdener said the company is "shifting its priorities to areas where it can provide the greatest benefit for customers."
But this sucks for Amazon, because (as the AP notes), "A9 had put considerable effort into taking detailed, street-level photos of 20 U.S. cities, which people could use to map directions and find businesses. Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. also have invested heavily in such photographic search technologies."
This is an admission that Amazon has lost the battle for SEARCH (not that they ever had any chance of winning it -- Despite its big-name parent, A9 hasn't gained much traction among users. It ranked No. 32 among search engines in the United States, accounting for just 0.1 percent of all searches, or 3.2 million searches, according to August data from Nielsen/NetRatings. Google ranked first with more than 3 billion searches in the same period).
Sucks to be you, Amazon.
Oh, and furthermore... Amazon.com also is discontinuing a toolbar that helped keep track of such information. People who used the service will be able to retrieve their own personal data, such as Web site bookmarks, by following instructions on the A9 Web site.
Now, Amazon is turning to MS for help -- they're going to use Microsoft's new search technology, called Live Search.
Wonder how that's going to go for them?
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