Microsoft is apparently considering rebranding its search engine ‘Kumo’ having taken over the Kumo.com domain name.

Presumably the current brand, ‘Live’ (is it MSN Live, Microsoft Live or Windows Live anyway?) just doesn’t have the coolness of “Google’ or ‘Yahoo’. ‘Kumo’ on the other hand…

What’s more ‘Kumo’ apparently has a relevant meaning - it means ‘cloud’ or ’spider’ in Japanese. Well, maybe a little relevant…

That doesn’t mean Microsoft will dump Live.com though. According to TechCrunch, Live.com will become a pure social network and personal productivity portal.

Source: Mary Jo Foley, “Would you ‘Kumo’ it?”, ZDNet, November 23, 2008, Michael Arrington, “Microsoft To Rebrand Search. Will It Be Kumo?” TechCrunch, November 23, 2008

Microsoft has announced the pre-release of its next Windows operating system named… Windows 7.

Microsoft will release details of Windows 7 at the upcoming PDC and WinHEC events, when it will share a pre-beta “developer only release” with attendees of both shows and give them a broad in-depth look at the platform.

Vista blogger, Mike Nash, says the decision to use the name ‘Windows 7′ reflects a desire for simplicity. Since the company doesn’t ship new versions of Windows every year, using a date didn’t make sense; nor did Microsoft wish to come up with an all-new “aspirational” name that would undermine its aspirations for Windows Vista.

In any case, Microsoft plans to reveal more details about Windows 7 in the coming months.

Source: Mike Nash, “Introducing Windows 7″, Windows Vista Blog, October 13, 2008