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AUSTIN, Texas - Sunnyvale, California-based Internet portal and search engine company Yahoo outlined both  its mobile "ecosystem" and desktop plans Monday at an address delivered by company co-founder and CEO Jerry Yang at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Emphasizing Yahoo's desire to be a more popular starting point for Internet users, Yang gave the first demonstration of the Yahoo Mobile Developer Platform, a framework for the creation of cell phone applications known as widgets, and presented his vision of a desktop computer environment where Yahoo features more prominently, in what was his first CES appearance. "From the newest to the most experienced user, Yahoo's goal is to be the simple starting point for a much richer and more complex world so you can get more out of it," said Yang. "Whether you're looking for fun, information, entertainment or social connections, you want to experience everything to the fullest - this is living life with an exclamation point," Yang added in reference to services such as Yahoo's new Go 3.0 mobile offering launched Monday in a pre-release beta test version. "We call this life with an exclamation point," added Yang. Yahoo as a Web Entry Point Yang spoke of Yahoo's plans to focus its efforts on becoming a more popular Web entry point. "To be the best starting point, it's clear that we need to open the Yahoo experience to any device or user. Mobile is a perfect example since more consumers are soon expected to come and go from the Net via their phones rather than desktops," said Yang. He also spoke of Yahoo's plans to make easier for developers to create application for its mobile service. "We're committed to creating the best and richest mobile experience for all consumers - making it extremely personalized to their individual style and needs while opening up the Yahoo mobile platform to allow anyone to participate." The mobile platform appears similar to several launched in 2007 by other companies such as search leader Google with its Android framework. Yahoo's Mobile Developer Platform aims  to make it easier to program mobile software, using "tools to write code once and efficiently publish [...] content across hundreds of devices," according to a press release issued by Yahoo Monday. Partners announced include Viacom, social networking leader MySpace, and eBay, who are expected to have widgets built using the new Yahoo platform available later this week. Yahoo's executive vice president for Connected Life Marco Boerries was also on hand at CES to help elaborate the company's desire to create what it calls a "mobile ecosystem - ultimately serving billions of users - by providing indispensable and compelling services to consumers, developers/publishers and advertisers." A test version of a redesigned Yahoo mobile homepage was also launched today, which the company claims will make it easier for mobile users to see what is new with their Yahoo accounts since their last visit, including email, calendar appointments, news headlines and weather. Yahoo is working with Access, LG and Motorola to allow mobile applications to run on their mobile devices, Boerries added. Yang Offers Preview of Future Mail Features Yang offered a preview of what Yahoo email may look like in future versions, with features for keeping track of personal connections on social networks including not only Yahoo but others such as MySpace and for opening up Yahoo Mail to third party developers. "Yahoo has today outlined what is possible and that the future is not that far away," said Yahoo's co-founder and "Chief Yahoo" David Filo. "Yahoo is uniquely positioned to make this all a reality - we have scale, a huge community of users, great applications and APIs and insightful data. We now have an open platform for third party developers to build some interesting applications," added Filo. Echoing Yang's desire to see Yahoo become a top Web starting point, Filo added his vision for the company. "The vision of the future we want to leave you with today [is of] Yahoo helping make the most of the Internet and the people you care about on whatever platform. We will continue working to provide you with an online starting point that's more relevant, fulfilling and fun," said Filo. Yahoo Unveils Mobile and Desktop Plans at CES Yang, who took over the CEO position at Yahoo in 2007, used Monday's speech to put several of the company's new services in the spotlight, and noted, "I think it is time to get Yahoo yodeling again," something which may happen if Yahoo is able to make more people think of the company as their Web starting point. Related Links:
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11:54 pm on Jan. 7, 2008 (utc 0)