As a follow-up to the company's desktop search software launched late last year, Microsoft today released a new version of its MSN Search Toolbar with upgraded functionality.
The free, 5.5 MB download for Windows 2000, Server 2003 and XP, now sports an expanded set of supported file types to better encompass the broad range of data that inhabits the modern PC. Windows Desktop Search can index over 200 types of files, ranging from Office 2003 documents to Outlook contacts, calendar files and emails including attachments. Add-ins are available for specialized files, such as PDF, DWF and contents within ZIP files.
Another selling point, beyond deep ties with Outlook and Office, is the familiar Windows look and feel, says Microsoft. The new toolbar also offers multimedia files support, including GIF, JPEG, Adobe files and MP3. To further speed searches, the software borrows a page from the Web browser playbook with "search as you type" input fields.
Results are now accompanied by a preview pane that not only displays a summary of a selected result, but can also be used to launch the targeted file's native application. Users can also drag-and-drop preview pane items into other applications.
Desktop search aside, the toolbar also features a few browsing bonuses including a pop-up blocker and form filler. A new color-coded scheme highlights search terms, a familiar feature found in search engines that serve up cached content.
In the near future, the company has plans to introduce tabbed browsing, a feature made popular in alternate browsers such as Firefox and add-ins for Internet Explorer.

Source: enterpriseitplanet.com/storage/news/article.php/3505266

Microsoft Desktop Search can be found here: http://desktop.msn.com/

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