Comments on: Microsoft turns to cash to beat back Google

By: Tamara, Miami Florida

Tamara, Miami Florida — Thu, 29 May 2008 23:28:58 +0000

Jeff, I agree with you on the fact sortprice is a neat product search engine but your wrong about the new cashback program. Microsoft has the capital to pay users and try to take market share, isn’t that the same as advertising?

By: Jeff, Hoboken NJ

Jeff, Hoboken NJ — Wed, 28 May 2008 02:48:45 +0000

Bribing people to use a search engine wont last and degrades the product,
can’t believe Microsoft is lowering themselves to this level. Microsoft
only has have 700 merchants, It’s not worth the hassles for 3 or 5 dollars of
savings. I would much rather use a site that has more products, options,
features and merchants such as
http://www.sortprice.com to search for products and compare prices.

By: Ryan, Greenbelt MD

Ryan, Greenbelt MD — Tue, 27 May 2008 13:40:02 +0000

I cant see this doing much for them. I know that in theory it’s a great idea, but ultimately any dent they could put in the search market share may come from what could be a dying base of former Yahoo users. I dont think Google will see any effect at all. Interesting to watch the search market get tugged on by these powerhouses though. Hey, it gives us something to blog about.

By: maddawg, wash. DC

maddawg, wash. DC — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:14:28 +0000

are you technoNOOBs really this pathetic??

IT’S ONLY A SEARCH ENGINE….

one thing that has many, many players that provide the same results.

i know most people, like you, are iTards, but why would i want to type in a url to goto a search engine just to type in my search when i can just type in my search without surfing to a site first to do it???

technoNOOBs are pathetic….keep wasting your time…i’ll take the free money for the exact same service.

only a technoNOOB would act like a simple search engine is a gift to humanity….

LMAO @ google surfing just to get to a search bar…!!!

bigger LMAOs to all you technoNOOBs that actually think you get anything more from a google search, than you do a yahoo, ask, alta-vista, MS….i can keep going and going and going….

i’ll keep my valuable time and collect for it…you noobs keep wasting your pathetic lives oooogling over google..

LMAO….hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…all the way to the bank!

By: Joe, San Jose

Joe, San Jose — Fri, 23 May 2008 03:13:42 +0000

The social networking and distributed application has created unique destination sites for customers. So, the value of a search engine portal Yahoo is going down compare to ebay, amazon or financial site like CreditCardsCorp.com at
http://www.creditcardscorp.com/
Customers can find the best offering and product online from smaller niche portals like Zillow and others. For example, take above CreditCardsCorp.com site which I got recently a credit cards is much better to see all offers from Visa, Master Cards, Discover, And Amex and let cards companies compete online for LOW APR and BEST DEAL at http://www.creditcardscorp.com!
So, why user need to go to potral like Yahoo anymore and get credit cards offer offline from Capital One mails when you can see all in one small niche site.

By: Lu Dodge Mt. Home,Ar.

Lu Dodge Mt. Home,Ar. — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:39:24 +0000

I use Yahoo! Google tried to do strange things in my computer. I then contacted them.Google add would come up on my screen and I could not get them off. I did some research on Google, and found a lot of bad things that they do. I printed copies of everything.

By: gaetano marano - Italy - NewSpaceAgency.com

gaetano marano - Italy - NewSpaceAgency.com — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:49:42 +0000

as I’ve already said (from early days of the Microsoft-Yahoo bid) on many forums and blogs, this (very good) news clearly shows that Microsoft doesn’t need to BURN $45+ billion to buy Yahoo, since, witb a FRACTION of this money, they can start from ZERO the SAME (or BETTER) Yahoo services!!!

- gaetano marano – Italy
http://www.ghostNASA.com
http://www.NewSpaceAgency

By: Vic, Coral Springs, FL

Vic, Coral Springs, FL — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:21:23 +0000

There seems to be a misconception, or maybe that’s just how I feel. Microsoft isn’t actually giving away money — the retailers are. This may narrow Microsoft’s profit margins on the purchases through Live, but it’s also possible the retailers are giving the rebate away to be competitive in an unstable economy.

Perhaps I am not aware of the finer details, but I don’t see why Microsoft doesn’t leverage its enormous mobile, Xbox, operating system, and server interfaces to compete with and crush Google. Why aren’t they focusing more on a convergent internet strategy like Live Mesh (which is basically an operating system for cloud computing) than deals like this?

By: Paul, Burbank CA

Paul, Burbank CA — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:41:46 +0000

5% MS Cashback sux. I can find a lower price through Google, even after MS Cashback.

By: BobFox, Redondo Beach, CA

BobFox, Redondo Beach, CA — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:26:00 +0000

MS has to remember that they have cheated the average computer user through multiple OS release prices and exorbitant Office pricing. Additionally they have cheated all of us through MONOPOLISTIC practices to corner markets. Now with that reputation going for itself people truly hate MS.

I want Google to win. We need COMPETITION to allow innovation, creativity and LOWER prices. Competition is good MS MONOPOLY is bad.

By: Chris Harrisburg, PA

Chris Harrisburg, PA — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:09:12 +0000

As said before MS has a track record of doing things a few times before getting it right!!! Besides Google search options even Yahoo search options are the options of choice for most websites. I can’t remember a website that had a MS search engine box. Unless of course it was owned by MS.

Google has alot more to offer Google Earth ring a bell??? They are more in touch with society changing their look on a regular basis to show appreciation for holidays, Special days and even have some kids drawings to vote for to be posted on the mainpage.

If microsoft wants to be #1 they have to kick it up a notch past the computer world. Open up and make someone feel like “Home” when they get to their “homepage”. Cash back or not. I know most people Feel at “home” with google’s heartwarming welcomes

By: Luke, Los Angeles, CA

Luke, Los Angeles, CA — Wed, 21 May 2008 23:41:03 +0000

If it's useful to the consumer, it will take off. It all depends on the rebate amount that the consumer will receive and when. Microsoft has the ad-budget to get enough online consumers to know about it. And who knows, it may actually stimulate the economy. Regardless of whether or not Microsoft wins this battle, one thing we'll find out is if this rebate thing, that others out there are trying to do as well, actually works on a large scale. BlastCasta.com

By: KT, Austin, TX

KT, Austin, TX — Wed, 21 May 2008 22:42:42 +0000

If MS gets out of the way of the search thing Google is just going to rule the world. Google already offers office applications that rival MS packages, but they have it one step better…you can access it from any computer in the world! MS needs to evolve and get into the online market place if they are to survive, otherwise Google will win. So while Search may not be ther thing, they need to gain some market share there and branch out to offering web based applications. Also in my opinion MS really isn’t good at anything, well not on the first try anyway. It takes them a little bit of practice to get it right hence SP2!

By: Bob, Phoenix Az

Bob, Phoenix Az — Wed, 21 May 2008 22:06:28 +0000

I tried this new cash back site and I do not like it, like most of microsoft items. I did a search for computer cases and came up with this case http://search.live.com/cashback/products/offerings/4011/11915005 . I then went to the website that was offering the case in the first place and found this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811196025&Tpk=AeroEngine
i wonder if microsoft is really giving money away or actually making money through this venture.

By: macdisser,bronx,new york

macdisser,bronx,new york — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:58:08 +0000

the main reason live cant gain market is because it is only available on one browser I.E. Can someone tell me Safari Opera Firefox Maxthon and all of these other browser dont offer live search as a default search engine, or at least give me the option of using it. Whats worse every linux distribution I have ever used comes with firefox and google as the primary search engine(wheather I want it there or not). So linux (which is supposed to be about choice) doesnt give me an option of using live search. As a matter of fact I cant use live search from within linux at all. If windows decided to lock out any search engine in this manner the anti trust flags would be waving. 9% market share is incredible when only one browser supports your engine.

By: Jack, Chesapeake, VA

Jack, Chesapeake, VA — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:29:48 +0000

The move is not going to help them compete because the search engine reveals only a tiny portion of what is available on the web. For example, if you search for a memory stick using the cash back search engine, you will not find the web’s dominant retailer… Amazon… as a possible selection. Amazon’s price will be about 20% better than any of the search’s results… people are not stupid… they will figure this all out in short time. The people who will use this, perhaps, would be the unethical business types with expense accounts. They can afford to pay more for something and show that they went with the lowest priced item from that search… and then pocket the 1 to 10% cash back. I don’t think there are enough corrupt expense account holders in this country to support Microsoft’s lame search “with cash back” engine.

By: iSmashPhone, Philadelphia PA

iSmashPhone, Philadelphia PA — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:26:21 +0000

MS Say What?

@RK, may be results identical (no true, no point to argue)
But if you check your weblogs 60% of searches coming from Google. I do not even see Live user traffic and I do not care for it.

Using Google for search is habitual activity for majority of us, I doubt few bucks will change habits.

By: Adi, Phoenix, AZ

Adi, Phoenix, AZ — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:17:36 +0000

I think MS should get out of the way of this search thing…it’s not their cup of tea. Better to focus on whatever they have which are really good (OS, Office)

By: Jeff, Auburn, WA

Jeff, Auburn, WA — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:12:42 +0000

is this software based off of the recent aquisition of jellyfish.com?

Yes. Good observation, Jeff.

Yi-Wyn

By: john, san jose

john, san jose — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:12:27 +0000

Microsoft should buy out clickthroughme.com and run with it. Social networking meets advertising clickthroughme is an ingenious website.