Microsoft's Active Search feature, being tested within Windows Live Mail Desktop, scans users' emails and displays potential search terms related to that email as well as text-based contextual ads, reports MediaWeek. The effort is an example of the Windows Live ad-supported software initiative. Advertisers have two options for placing text ads.

Contextually relevant ads served by Microsoft-partner Kanoodle will be displayed next to each email message. Also, paid search links will be served by Microsoft adCenter when users conduct searches via a search box that's built into the mail interface.

Active Search also automatically lists a group of keywords or phrases in the upper right hand corner of the inbox, above that search box, that users can click on to initiate a search. Users also have the option of turning off the Active Search function. A detailed discussion of Active Search is on the Windows Live Desktop Mail official blog.