Input technology takes p**n out of m*bile t*xt *ntry

Microsoft is preparing a technology that will allow users to enter search queries by using only a few characters.

The technology, dubbed 'Wild Thing', comes out of the Microsoft Research group and was demonstrated on Tuesday at the Microsoft Research Silicon Valley Road Show at the company's Mountain View, California office.

Wild Thing uses 'wild cards' to limit the number of characters that users have to enter on a mobile device. The software assumes that a 'space' or 'asterisk' can be replaced with any number of random characters.

A search for 'c rice', for instance, will give 'Condoleezza Rice' as the top result, and 'ar s*w m' will result in 'Arnold Schwarzenegger Movies'.

Microsoft also demonstrated a local search option that lets users look for cinemas in a specific city by using only a few characters.

Although the wild card search can be used on desktop PCs as well as mobile devices, the technology is most beneficial on the move, argued Microsoft researcher Bo Thiesson. "Typing is a pain in the neck on a mobile phone," he said.

The wild card search option is linked to the MSN Search index and ranking algorithms, and lists only the most popular results. A search for a popular page will therefore require fewer characters than a more obscure query.

"The more popular search you have, the fewer characters you need," said Thiesson.

The technology has been patented and Microsoft is currently in the process of transferring it to its MSN Search, MSN Mobile and MSN Virtual Earth products.

Thiesson said that he expects it to be launched within the next six months.