Microsoft and HP Ink Deal for Windows Live Search
In the companys ongoing effort to meet Google head to head, Microsoft announced that it has made a deal with Hewlett-Packard to install Windows Live Search as the default on all PCs shipped by HP. The software giant issued the following press release:
Microsoft Corp. today announced that it has won a key distribution deal with HP, the worlds largest PC manufacturer, to install a Live Search-enabled toolbar on all HP consumer PCs planned to ship in the United States and Canada, beginning in January 2009. As part of this deal, the default search engine setting in the browser on all HP consumer PCs will also be set to Microsoft Live Search.
This agreement with HP is a strategic indicator of our increased focus on securing broad-scale distribution for Live Search, said Kevin Johnson, president of the Platforms & Services Division at Microsoft. This is the most significant distribution deal for Live Search that Microsoft has ever done, and we are very pleased to be partnering with HP to help bring Live Search to millions of consumers across North America.
Microsoft is building a custom, Live Search-enabled toolbar for HP customers that takes advantage of the exceptional user experience capabilities of Microsoft Silverlight. The toolbar will provide HP with customization capabilities within the buttons on the toolbar, providing quick and easy access to a variety of online services and tools, such as Snapfish by HP, the companys online photo service, and HP customer support.
This agreement provides HP customers with an outstanding search product in Live Search, as well as a user-friendly, fully customizable way to access their favorite online services, said Ulf Claesson, vice president of Worldwide Attach at HP. Microsoft shares HPs passion for delivering world-class technology to consumers in meaningful ways, and todays announcement will help to provide an even more personal computing experience for HP customers.
Although Microsoft hasnt yet reached a deal with Yahoo! that would allow them to compete with Google in Internet marketing and advertising, this HP deal should give them a leg up on search.
