Microsoft are really pulling the stops out the improve LiveSearch. Google has such a grip on consumer searching that it's hard to see how live can possibly catch up. Then again... check out the Video tab on www.live.com. Search for something obvious like "Harry Potter" or "Pulp Fiction" and hover your mouse over any of the thumbnails. Cool or what?

I bumped into Microsoft's Mel Carson at AdTech who (apart from ribbing me again that I haven't updated my blog in a while) let me know that the draft submission process is about to get a whole lot easier.

Up until now, after you submit a bulk upload you have to go back into every order and run through a painfully dull process to change the submission status from draft to active. According to Mel, this will change in the next version of adcenter which will probably go live this weekend.

Yet more evidence that the nice people at AdCenter really do listen to the user-base and make changes based on feedback.

Bless 'em but Microsoft allways seem to be chasing Googles tail when many of their applications are actually quite a bit better than those offered by the Big 'G'.

As a case in point go and have a look at http://maps.live.com/ With the new 3D plug in for Firefox users, Maps give Google Earth a serious run for its money.

The Windows Smartphone version is great for locating bars, clubs and Venues when you're out and about.

The LiveSearch index just got bigger! Microsoft claim that its index now contains up to 30 billion pages. Additionally, the SERPS have also had a face lift with the inclusion of images and streamed video. With Microsoft grabbing around 11% of all US searches it still has a long way to catch Google but seems to be making a concerted effort to increase its share.