eWeek: MSN Desktop Search Images Surface

Pre-release screenshots of Microsoft's desktop search made it to the web, much to the chagrin of Microsoft bloggers. Desktop search isn't entirely new - many operating systems, like Apple's Mac OS already have versions of it - but the combining of desktop files with web search elements raises the possibility of hard drives becoming a form of advertising inventory for clever technology firms able to win desktop search marketshare.

The Microsoft application installs different pieces on top of different pieces of software, allowing search functions to return different types of results depending on what application the user is in. Searches conducted among the operating systems windows will search the hard drive. The same search when in Outlook will search through emails. Much of the functionality seems to be lifted from Microsoft's recent acquisition of Lookout, a Microsoft Outlook add-on search application. The apparent advanced state of development may indicate that Microsoft will release a desktop search application prior to its next major operating system upgrade, which has been delayed until about the next presidential primary race.