Microsoft pushes Internet research
Seattle PI | at | by Mike
Microsoft says it is creating more than 130 new positions to start a research unit focused on Internet technologies -- trying to speed up its product release cycles as it takes on Google and other rivals in the increasingly competitive online world.
The unit, Microsoft Live Labs, will work on prototypes and other online projects that the company expects to bring to market more quickly and update more regularly than normal, based on user response.
Led by Gary William Flake, the former Yahoo! Research director who joined Microsoft last year, it's a joint effort of Microsoft Research and the company's MSN division.