Youdao

Youdao (有道) is a search engine released by Chinese internet company NetEase (網易) in 2007. It is the featured search engine of its parent company's web portal, 163.com, and lets users search for web pages, images, news, music, blogs, Chinese-to-English dictionary entries, and more.

History

Youdao is the subsidiary of NetEase, developing mobile applications by using big data technology. Youdao has launched Youdao dictionary, Youdao Cloud Notes, Hui Hui (meaning "affordable") Assistant, and Youdao Tuiguang (meaning of "promotion"). Youdao uses searching engine product as a starting point, goes further in the areas of large-scale data storage. Its technological accumulation is derived from language translation application services for years developing online dictionary products, individual cloud applications, and services such as e-commerce.

In December 2007, Youdao desktop dictionary was formally launched.[1] In January 2009, the first mobile version of Youdao dictionary was pushed onto the market. Youdao dictionary is launched as an online dictionary-like software and other related services including whole-paragraph translation. Translation is based on the data from Youdao search engine and other massive web data generated by data mining and natural language processing. A large number of Chinese parallel corpora and foreign language (including vocabulary and example sentences) were excavated to be process and displayed both on desktop and mobile application over the network in a way that users can easily accomplish queries. By the end of July 2012, NetEase Youdao dictionary (desktop + mobile version) had more than 200 million users globally.[2]

In June 2011, Youdao developed and launched cloud notes 1.0 Beta by using cloud storage technology. Cloud storage technology aims to help users build a virtualized pools to access data easily and securely. It solves the cross-platform and cross-site issues of personal information and data management.[3] On December 6, 2011, cloud notes 1.0 Beta was formally upgraded to the full version, and changed its name to "Youdao cloud notes". By June 2013, Youdao cloud notes has exceeded 15 million users.[4]

Youdao shopping products also have been developed. In September 2012, the original Youdao shopping search engine, Youdao shopping assistant, and Youdao shopping cash back were fully integrated into Hui-hui assistant with the purpose of "speaking for consumers".[5] Hui-hui assistant is a web browser extension[6] which compares products' previous consumer ratings and item historical price to online shoppers. Currently, Hui Hui shopping Assistant has more than 30 million users.[7]

As a subsidiary of NetEase, Youdao has employees from more than 500 colleges and universities domestically and globally to contribute the rapid development.[8]

On August 2, 2013, NetEase (Youdao Search) announced that it has cooperated with Qihoo Company (360 Search) to provide technical support services to their search engine. Since then, Netease formally abandoned the search field competition to focus on other services such as Youdao dictionary etc. [9]

Products

Youdao dictionary

Off-line Version:

Youdao dictionary off-line version uses its huge number of built-in vocabulary and example sentences to meet the needs of users who are unable to access the Internet.

Desktop Version:

Youdao dictionary desktop version uses the same user interface as the offline version. However, it has very limited lexicon. Application only need to identify the word needed to search and some processes of logic controls in order to upload the word to the server precisely. While the corresponding server has maintained a massive dictionary data, in addition, to intelligently translate the words and example sentences as well as Wikipedia search. Youdao dictionary has compact size and original interpretation feature using its own technology. It has typical acoustic translation, smart screen word identification, real-time synchronization with network up-to-date vocabulary, and other word look-up features. Youdao dictionary could also translate the text in the picture using OCR technology. It is compatible with Windows XP/7/8, OS X. It also provides extensions for Firefox/Chrome/IE. Youdao dictionary 5.0 has integrated with Collins English-Chinese dictionary, which makes Youdao dictionary more authoritative and professional.

Mobile Version:

Youdao dictionary mobile version is suitable for various platform. It supports Symbian, Android, Windows Phone 8, iOS, and Java generic phones.

Youdao Cloud Note

Youdao Cloud Note (originally Youdao Note) was launched on June 28, 2011, by NetEase. It is a cloud base online notebook software which supports a variety attachment formats with initial free 2G storage capacity. Youdao Cloud Note uses "triple backup", which means storing data three times to improve the security, to protect users' data. In addition, it has integrated online Web clipping capabilities. Early in December 2012, Youdao Cloud Note launched the 3.0 version on PC, iPhone, Android, and Web-side application. Upgraded version adds a to-do feature, multiple version restore feature which improve the management of users' schedule and notes.

Hui-hui Shopping Assistant

Hui-hui Shopping Assistant is a NetEase product developed by Youdao. It is a comparison tool for online shopping and browsing which compares online items with prices automatically from multiple websites, and provides commodity price history.

References
  1. "About Youdao", Youdao official website.
  2. "Youdao dictionary users exceeded two hundred million Netease Technology". Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  3. "Youdao(NetEase products), on the road". China dictionary website.
  4. Steven Millward, "Evernote's Biggest Rival in China is Way Ahead With 15 Million Users", Tech in Asia, 1 July 2013.
  5. "About Youdao" Paragraph five. Youdao official website.
  6. Google Chrome App Store. From zhushou.huihui.cn.
  7. "About Youdao" Youdao official website statistics.
  8. "Press Release: Search Engine Subsidiary of NetEase Selects TopCoder Competition Platform to Help Identify Best and Brightest Chinese Programmers for Recruitment". TopCoder. 6 May 2009.
  9. "Domestic PC search engine market shuffling intensified: NetEase's Youdao knocked out".
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