Yahoo Mobile Out In Limited Beta

Yahoo launched a new mobile service for smartphones in limited beta and said it plans to open the service to the general public in the second quarter.

The company said that an updated version of Yahoo Mobile is available in limited beta. It will eventually be launched as an iPhone application and an application for Nokia, RIM, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and Motorola devices, as well as phones with Windows Mobile.

"We believe the new Yahoo Mobile will transform the way millions of mobile users around the world will interact with the Internet," Marco Boerries, executive VP of Yahoo, said in a statement Tuesday. "Yahoo Mobile will enable users to create their own Internet starting point on their mobile device so they can better discover, connect to, and stay informed about the people and things that are important to them."

Users will be able to search editor-selected content, using new maps and tools, and consolidate a variety of content into one location. They will be able to access e-mail and social networking sites, as well as instant messaging, address books, and calendar tools.

The mobile Web and iPhone applications will provide search, buzz, and OneConnect, which will allow users to access e-mail from Yahoo, Gmail, Windows Live Hotmail, and AOL. It features Pulse for access to social networking sites, Yahoo Messenger, and Yahoo News, among other features.

The smartphone versions include all the same functionality plus Yahoo's OneSearch with Voice, which will allow users to state what they're looking for. It will also feature widgets and Opera Mini 4.2 for mobile browsing.

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