Alltheweb Live suggest

Yahoo! is testing a new functionality via their search engine Alltheweb, with the idea to perhaps integrate it in Yahoo! Search in a later time.

We are talking about Alltheweb Livesearch. This functionality shows from the moment you are typing, suggestions for other search terms. It isn’t completely new. Almost self-evidently is Google also providing such a service (Google Suggest).

Nevertheless I have my doubts about the benefits of this service. Most of time people have a certain goal in mind before they consult a search engine. Also I have the idea that the given suggestions are most of the time not relevant. For example, by typing the search query “mobile phone” does the suggestions, “boost mobile”, mobile phones”, “mobile homes” and “yahoo! Mobile” get you anywhere? I think it does not.