Microsoft plans new Windows Live, Live search releases

Microsoft is planning a new release this spring of its Live search product, code-named Rome.

That tidbit was mentioned Friday as part of the software giant's employee Webcast to discuss the Yahoo bid. Microsoft filed a transcript of the employee meeting on Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This is just the first of many product tidbits one can expect as part of the regulatory filings being made in conjunction with the offer.

Unfortunately, Microsoft didn't share much on what can be expected with Rome. Microsoft updated its search product last September, although the company has continued to remain a distant third to Google and Yahoo in the search market.

Microsoft said it is also planning its next update for Windows Live. The company began the second generation of the Internet services suite last July.

"We are now in vision phase for Windows Live wave 3, working to get that out later this year," division President Kevin Johnson told employees during the Webcast.

We'll be doing our best here at CNET News.com to ferret out more product details, but we wouldn't say no to some help. Whether you are at Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, or somewhere else in searchland, feel free to send along your tidbits to ina dot fried at CNET dot com. There's a lot to go through, and we're bound to miss something. Plus, not all of Ray Ozzie's thoughts get filed with the SEC.

Also, I forgot to mention this, but CFO Chris Liddell noted at this morning's financial analyst meeting that Microsoft would likely have to raise money--a first for the company--to finance its Yahoo purchase.