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| [July 07, 2005] |
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Yahoo! Launches SMS Search and Expands Reach of Web Search Across Additional Mobile Devices; Shortcuts Make it Even Easier for Consumers to Use Yahoo! to Quickly Find What They Need While Mobile
SUNNYVALE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- July 7, 2005 -- Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO), a leading global Internet company, today announced the launch of Yahoo! SMS (Short Message Service) Search and the enhancement of Yahoo! Search on Mobile across a number of additional mobile devices. The new services are available starting today with major wireless carriers across the United States.
Both Yahoo! SMS Search and Yahoo! Search on Mobile use shortcuts to help consumers find the information they need quickly while on the go. Search shortcuts are a quick way for consumers to get a direct response with specific information they want including local information, weather reports, stock quotes and more. For example, a consumer looking for a post office could simply type in "post office" and either the city and state or zip code for where they are looking. Consumers will receive a text message with the search results directly highlighting the closest post offices.
Yahoo! SMS Search
The launch of Yahoo! SMS Search gives consumers a new way to quickly use their phone to do a search for needed information. Shortcuts available at launch include local information, WiFi hotspot finder, weather, stock quotes, daily horoscopes, dictionary definitions, and zip and area code lookup.
Yahoo! is also making SMS interactive in a new way by integrating the ability to get updated or additional information, without opening a new message. Select Yahoo! SMS Search results will include a URL link to Yahoo!'s Mobile Internet service to get more information on the specific search. Additionally, other search results will include the ability to reply to a previous text message for additional or updated information, without re-typing the original query.
To use this new service, consumers simply need to open a new text message on their phone and send a 'shortcut' search term and their request to shortcode 92466 (which spells YAHOO) to get their desired information. A text message response will quickly be sent to the consumer's phone with the search results.
Yahoo! also offers an SMS-based version of Yahoo! Messenger across several major carriers utilizing the same 92466 shortcode.
Expanding Full Web Search
Today's extension of the reach of full Web search, called Yahoo! Search on Mobile, gives more consumers access to the relevant and comprehensive search results powered by Yahoo! Search Technology. Previously, full Web search was available only on HTML-capable mobile devices; today's launch expands the reach across a number of additional WAP 2.0 (xhtml) enabled handsets by translating full Web pages to fit on consumers phones.
Yahoo! Search on Mobile also features many popular search shortcuts, including local information, WiFi hotspot finder, weather, stock quotes, movie listings, sports scores, dictionary definitions and calculator.
To try the newly expanded Web search on a mobile device, consumers can go to Yahoo!'s Mobile Web portal or simply type in mobile.yahoo.com on the Web browser on their phone.
"We know that today consumers are on the go with their mobile phone and our search services represent a new way for them to get the relevant information they need quickly by using Yahoo!," said Doug Garland, senior vice president, Yahoo! Mobile. "Yahoo!'s search services and shortcuts on mobile devices let consumers get the information they need -- from finding the latest weather forecast, to updated stock quotes, to tracking down a good place to have lunch -- from wherever they are."
To see a full list of shortcuts available for both services, get more information on how to use Yahoo! Search on a mobile phone and details on carrier and device compatibility consumers can go to http://mobile.yahoo.com/search. Yahoo! is not charging consumers for either service. However, data fees may apply; consumers will need to check their plan with their wireless carrier.
This expansion of Yahoo!'s mobile search services follows the initial, successful launch of Search on Mobile through Yahoo!'s wireless Internet portal in 2004. Earlier this year, Yahoo! also implemented a new "Send to Phone" feature in Yahoo! Local, Yahoo! Maps and Yahoo! Shopping on the desktop. This feature allows consumers to click to send a text message with local business information, full turn-by-turn driving directions or details on an item they are considering purchasing.
Yahoo! is focused on extending key consumer services beyond the desktop, providing an integrated PC-to-Mobile experience and helping consumers make the most of their mobile phones. Yahoo! launched its first mobile service in 1999 and continues to improve and innovate on its offerings for mobile consumers and work closely with the major mobile carriers and device manufactures to deliver these services to the widest possible audience.
About Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is the No. 1 Internet brand globally and the most trafficked Internet destination worldwide. Yahoo! provides online products and services essential to consumers' lives, and offers a full range of tools and marketing solutions for businesses to connect with Internet users around the world. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.
Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.
All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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