It appears that Microsoft is once again talking to Yahoo about the possible acquisition of the company. That being said, there is a lot of confusion on exactly what the two parties are discussing. Some sources are reporting that Microsoft is attempting to resurrect the offer that they made for Yahoo a few weeks back. On the other side of things, some feel that Microsoft is only interested in purchasing Yahoo’s search business. Either way, most believe that the companies are definitely discussing some sort of deal.

TechCrunch, a popular tech news blog, reported that both sides are open to discussions about a full buyout. They also reported that Microsoft is offering less than the $33/share that was on the table when Yahoo walked away the first time. (more…)

There have been many rumors circulating about Microsoft making some much needed changes to its Live Search Engine. Well, it appears that these rumors have finally come to fruition. Obviously, if Microsoft is going to compete with Google and Yahoo as far as search engines are concerned, these changes need to improve the overall user experience.

The biggest change Microsoft is claiming is that of relevant search results. In other words, the results that are returned after a query are said to be closer to what the searcher is looking for; this is where Google really excels. Additionally, the Live search engine has also been updated to better handle common misspellings and abbreviations.

Many people will be surprised to find out that Microsoft’s research shows that they have matched Google in the relevant search department. Of course, this is something that users will have to decide on for themselves. If this claim is true, it will go a long way in helping Live Search Engine to increase its user base. (more…)