Back in July, Microsoft purchased a company called Lookout. The company made a popular tool that allowed users of Outlook 2000 or above to search through their email at greater speed and accuracy to the standard Outlook search tool. Since Microsoft acquired Lookout, the MSN team have been steadily working on Desktop Search and web search technologies. Google announced their own Desktop Search technology recently. The tool is fast but is limited in capabilities.
When you first install the MSN Toolbar Suite, the installation wizard configures MSN Toolbar in Outlook, Internet Explorer, Windows Explorer and then the MSN Deskbar. MSN's new Toolbar integrates directly throughout the OS and varies according to where you're searching from. For example, if you're searching from within Windows Explorer you will search on your PC, in IE on the web and in Outlook the toolbar searches within Outlook. You have the option to search on the web/desktop throughout any of the searches. Once the installation wizard has completed you're greeted with the MSN Deskbar. The MSN Deskbar resides along the Taskbar much like minimising Windows Media Player. Clicking on the Deskbar brings up an interface for searching and simply inputting characters into the text box immediately starts the Desktop Search. If the Desktop Search hasn't had enough time to index your files it will alert you and you can change the settings of what and where it is searching.
Perhaps the most important thing in the Toolbar Suite package is the installation of the separate MSN Desktop Search. The results gained from simply searching for files are amazing. Searching is speedy and you can even search for the author of certain files. The same technology is applied to the Outlook search. The MSN Toolbar integrates directly into Outlook allowing you to replace the standard search tool. Search results for Outlook are impressive too. Clicking directly on an email that you've searched for launches the email within seconds. An impressive search when compared to the long wait of searching before.
If you're not a fan of the MSN Toolbar then you won't appreciate the way it integrates into Windows Explorer after Desktop Searches. This is something I hope MSN will change in future builds.
The MSN Toolbar Suite including MSN Desktop Search is due to launch in December.
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