We've long raved about the merits of Windows Live Search Mobile and why it's our favorite free piece of navigation software. (Read the full review here.) And Microsoft is very much keeping pace with that other app — and that in itself is something to celebrate.

So without further ado, join us for WMExperts' top five reasons why we love Windows Live Search Mobile, and especially some of the more recent updates.

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Maps and navigation undoubtedly are a couple of the coolest things to hit the mobile tech world in the past few years. On Windows Mobile, the two major (free) players are Microsoft's Live Search Mobile and Google Maps.

We've been fans of Live Search for a long while now, with its turn-by-turn directions and better search results. But there's not denying that Google Maps got a few points back in its collumn with a recent update that brought Street View to the small screen. But with little fanfare, Microsoft brought its "Bird's-eye view" setting down to phone level. With Google, you've got a car's-eye view of the streets. With the unheralded BEV, a zoomable over-the-shoulder look into your neighbors backyards. (And Microsoft doesn't make a big deal about it. In the map view, go to Menu>View>Bird's Eye).

So which do you prefer? Google Maps and Street View getting it done for your daily navigation? Or is Live Search and Bird's-Eye View your peeper of choice? Let us know in the comments.

Microsoft and Verizon have entered into a five year deal to pre-install Microsoft's Live Search on Verizon Windows Mobile Phones as the default search engine. The announcement was one of many made at 2009 CES and may give Microsoft new hope in tackling the popularity of Google search engines.

This comes on the heels of Microsoft updating Windows Live Search mobile recently which makes it compatible with non-GPS enabled phones and older WM 5 phones.

[Read:PCWorld.com]

Microsoft announced this week that the mobile version of Live Search has been updated to include the ability to detect the location of the mobile user even if their handset is not GPS-enabled. The update also includes predictive search query input and more detailed views of maps. Also included in the update is the "bird's-eye-view" that's popular on Microsoft's maps.live.com. It's not quite the same as Google Maps' Street View, but it does do a better job of spying on your neighbors.

Also of note is that latest version still works with Windows Mobile 5.

According to Jeremy Beasley, Live Search Mobile product manager, "if you're not running the latest version of Windows Mobile, don't worry. We've built in support for Windows Mobile 5 phones to make sure that you can use these new features as well."

To download the latest version (4.012158.1) of Windows Live Search mobile, just point your browser to wls.live.com or go here on your desktop for more options.

[Read:Clickthroughmarketing.com]