Microsoft Debuts New Search Service

Computer software giant rolls out a beta version of Windows Live Search as well as a search toolbar and a redesigned Live.com Web page.

Microsoft yesterday unveiled its Windows Live Search beta, a new search service which is now available in the U.S. and select markets overseas. Also announced yesterday were an updated Live.com and a Windows Live Toolbar beta.

Microsoft’s new Windows Live Search beta, the company said, has a “unique design” with new features such as search preview, scoping tools, a search slider bar which increases the level of result information on the results page, smart scrolling which allows people to view search results without moving from page to page, search across specific search categories such as images and RSS feeds and the ability to save and share specific queries.

The new Windows Live Toolbar provides users the ability to search from any Web page using Windows Live Search, protection against phishing, pop-up blocking, RSS detection, and Web page saving and sharing via technology from Onfolio, a company Microsoft announced they’d acquired. It was also announced that Live.com got a new design with updated features and several advanced search features.

“We’re unveiling a range of innovations that deliver an outstanding level of power and simplicity to search,” said Christopher Payne, corporate vice president of Windows Live Search at Microsoft, in a statement. “Combined with the rich browsing and integrated searching services delivered by Windows Live Toolbar and Live.com, the new search service offers customers the next generation of unified services today.”