Jay Wrolstad 
Microsoft released its latest search engine, Windows Live Search, which is said to enhance sifting through search results by utilizing categories such as digital images, news, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, and blogs.
Along with the new search engine, Microsoft is introducing the Windows Live Toolbar, which lets you search from any Web page and save, organize, and share information found on the Internet. The new toolbar also offers protection against phishing threats and pop-ups.
Personalized Search
The new search engine, which was in beta testing for about a year, includes a user interface you can customize for personal preferences to quickly find information that is most relevant. Search scopes allow you to get query results from Web pages, local maps and directions, images and videos without the need to re-enter the same request or to leave the page.
Using the "Images" option on Windows Live Search, you can search across millions of images and receive precise results with smart scroll, thumbnail images, and the ability to see the full image without leaving the results page.
The "Local" search function is based on Microsoft's Virtual Earth platform, which combines maps, directions, satellite imagery, and local search. Live Local Search, as it is referred to by Microsoft, initially released in the U.S. and UK, now offers more bird's-eye views of map locations, the ability to send search results to mobile phones and customization features.
Google Challenge
Industry experts view Windows Live Search as Microsoft's latest offensive in its fight with rivals Google, Yahoo, and AOL. With Windows Live Search, said Jupiter Research analyst Joe Wilcox, the company is responding to concerns that the Windows XP search capabilities are not particularly user-friendly. "With Windows XP, the search function was cumbersome," he said.
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