Yahoo! released their long-awaited “living magazine app” for the iPad called Livestand yesterday, marketed as something you will “lose yourself for hours with its electrifying images and captivating content.” Sadly, the news didn’t reach Yahoo’s search results!
What’s Livestand?
For news and content junkies, it’s an interesting app for the iPad that does exploit what Yahoo seems to have a better handle on: publishing content. While I wouldn’t say that I was captivated for hours, the interface was fairly simple, logging in easy enough and the content fairly comprehensive. It includes Facebook integration (what doesn’t?) plus a new ad format ad format with social branding integration called the Social Sentiment Slider. This the poll-like feature appears at the bottom of Yahoo News articles, giving users the ability to vote on topics and questions. While you can email an article or share it on Facebook with a tie-in to your Yahoo account, but no link to Twitter. Also missing is the ability to search for content.
So why doesn’t the Yahoo! search engine recognize it?
Sadly, in searching for the “livestand app” in yahoo’s search engine, they expose why they are no longer a player in the search field. SERP preview information is outdated noting it is “coming soon to tablets”, and it asked me if I meant “live stand app”.
It didn’t even make the top news results from Yahoo news. So if Yahoo can’t get their own news updated in the SERPs, who can? Do they thank Microsoft for that?
Is it really a Plan C app? It’s nice but no real features that beat out individual publisher apps and other players with better social integration. The interface is simple and clean and will suit most users desire for content. Is it interesting and worth the download? Sure. Give it a spin.
Download Yahoo! Livestand from the AppStore.
Read more about yahoo! Livestand.
Have you tried it? Am I out of line? Let me know.