Sizing up Google's new search rivals

Sizing up Google's new search rivals

Can Wolfram Alpha and Kumo live up to the hype and challenge the heavyweight?

Shaun Nichols in San Francisco

vnunet.com, 25 May 2009

The much-hyped Wolfram Alpha search engine went live last week, and Microsoft is expected to demonstrate its 'Kumo' search update next week.

Both products have garnered much attention from the press, but can either really challenge the dominance of Google?
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For the overwhelming majority of web users, Google has become the de facto tool for searching the web. Former market leaders such as Yahoo have struggled to stay afloat, while the word 'Google' has moved from a noun to a verb - a 21st century Xerox.

Now we have two new challengers ready to enter the market, but can either Wolfram Alpha or Kumo pose any sort of threat to the big rainbow-coloured giant in Mountain View?

Wolfram Alpha, launched last week, isn't exactly a 'Google killer' either in format or function. The brainchild of scientist Stephen Wolfram, the engine aims to answer questions not in the normal 'keyword query' format of traditional search engines, but in natural language.

Early reactions to the service have been mixed. While Wolfram Alpha does return some interesting results, the site has not been without its early complainants.

Even when the kinks are ironed out, we have to question whether Wolfram Alpha will solve a genuine need. After all, Google is pretty popular with users and, while the keyword system has its flaws, it has worked pretty well thus far.

Rather than replace or compete with Google, it appears as if Wolfram Alpha will have to settle for supplementing it instead. The new engine does do certain things better than Google, and it may be able to carve out a niche in the market. Perhaps that will be enough for Wolfram.

Not so much for Microsoft. There is no settling in Redmond. The company's new Kumo search update will be a shell lobbed directly at Google.

It is no secret that Microsoft has long had its eye on Google's lucrative search ad cash cow. The attempt to acquire Yahoo was based almost solely on boosting revenues for Live Search, and when that deal fell through the company turned its attention in-house to construct a Google killer.