Microsoft just took the wraps off version 2 of Windows Live Search for Mobile, the whiz-bang search app for cell phones. In case you’re unfamiliar with it, WLS taps Windows Live Local to provide area-specific searches. Just choose your location (by providing a city name, ZIP code, etc.), then access business listings, movie showtimes, driving directions, maps, traffic updates, and so on. Or, use your keyboard for dynamic searches: WLS culls the results as you type, a blisteringly fast way to find what you’re after.
WLS is available as a standalone app for Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and J2ME-compatible phones (I tested it on a Nokia E61i and it worked splendidly), though you can also access it via the browser on just about any phone (just visit m.live.com). Of course, the browser version pales by comparison to the app. If you’ve got one of the aforementioned smartphones — particularly a Windows Mobile phone — this is a must-have tool. I’ve found no better way to search on the run. [via Webware]
