LONDON, February 8 /PRNewswire/ -- ALK Technologies today announced that customers of its award-winning CoPilot Live mobile phone navigation system will be able to benefit from an integral connection to Microsoft's Live Search(TM) API.

Simply key-in a search query into a free-text input box, for example 'bank', 'coffee' or a favoured brand, and a list of the matches closest to the current location is displayed. It's a significant enhancement to CoPilot's on-board address and points of interest search, providing access to a huge variety of dynamic real-time information.

CoPilot Live sends queries to Microsoft's Live Search API via the mobile Internet, providing navigation users with instant access to a vast quantity of location-specific information. Search results provide details of nearby businesses, shops, restaurants, and leisure facilities, which can be previewed and added to an itinerary for spoken and on-screen turn guidance. The system will also be capable of displaying community-generated reviews and rankings, helping users make an informed selection.

Michael Kornhauser, Managing Director and Vice President of ALK Technologies said "CoPilot is the original connected navigation system - we were the first to integrate real-time mobile Internet services as standard with our CoPilot Live location tracking service. The search experience made possible by the Live Search API is a great extension of our navigation-based mobile Internet services, which provide our customers with the relevant up to date information they need, when they need it."

"Microsoft's overall success is due in large part to the extensibility of the platform offerings that industry partners differentiate through their innovation," said Randy Both, Group Marketing Manager at Microsoft. "With Microsoft's Live Search API, technology collaborators can create new solutions such as ALK's CoPilot Live. We're encouraged to see its innovation and look for ALK and others to continue a revolution in search built on Microsoft's platform."

To see a demonstration of CoPilot Live's connection to Live Search at Mobile World Congress, visit ALK on the Microsoft stand, Hall 1, D19 or the NAVTEQ stand, Hall 1, G45. Alternatively visit http://www.copilotlivesearch.com

About ALK Technologies

ALK Technologies is at the forefront of the growth in demand for mobile satellite navigation in Europe, through its award-winning CoPilot(R) GPS navigation software product family.

CoPilot(R) Live transforms phones, PDAs and other mobile devices into powerful satellite navigation systems, with the additional benefit of integrated real-time navigation-based services - NBS - such as local search, location-tracking, messaging and fleet management. Further information about ALK and CoPilot Live is available at http://www.alk.eu.com

Product and service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

Media Contacts: Europe: Emma Cohen, Hotwire PR, Emma.cohen@hotwirepr.com, Tel: +44-207-608-4659; Helene Luis, ALK Technologies, hluis@alk.com, tel: +44-207-492-2962; North America: Mary Kelly, ALK Technologies, Kelly@alk.com, Tel: +1-609-252-8160