In a strange move, a Microsoft employee actually posted details about planned changes that will be implemented in Microsoft’s Live Search a full seven days ahead of an event where Microsoft themselves will unveils these new changes. Some of these changes include improvements in several specific types of search queries, where the most notable of them include video search as well as product searches. Posted in a blog on Thursday, Windows Live program manager Akram Hussein demonstrated how the revamped Live Search will handle searches for digital cameras – the results show not just product details but reviews as well, resulting from scraping details from different sites that feature user reviews as well as additional information that would be of interest to the user.

The apparent “leak” has now been taken down from the blog, although people at Liveside.net managed to capture some screenshots as well as details that Hussein provided. Having said this, once something appears on the Web, it is all but impossible to hide it as the Internet has a memory now. Hopefully Microsoft will release the full skinny at a “Searchification” event next week to reporters and journalists who will be attending. Part of Hussein’s leaks include a new celebrity search page, showing how a simple query involving “Brad Pitt” will yield a rating system of how popular he is currently as evident by his “celebrity xRank.”

According to Hussein, “You can preview videos online by moving your mouse over any video and it will play a preview of the video right away no delays! Isn’t this amazing, at least now you can preview the video before really going and trying to view it, and make sure this is the one you want.” He followed up his original blog post with an apology, stating “Just to notify everyone I apologize for the information it seems they are still in beta and it was like a test roll out so I am pulling off the blog post.” Do you think these tweaks in Microsoft’s search engine will cause more of the Googled masses to switch camps?

Source: ZDNet