Microsoft Corp. demonstrated for the first time a search engine that looks for information on computer hard drives as well as information on the Web, a move to challenge the Internet-search leader, Google.

"We will be able to search beyond the Web in a very fast fashion," a Microsoft VP told analysts and reporters gathered at Microsoft's Redmond, Washington, headquarters. The VP did not give a launch date or time frame for the new technology.

Microsoft, Google and Yahoo Inc. are positioning themselves for major upgrades over the next year as they try to attract more users and advertising revenue by enhancing their search services.

In a demonstration, search terms were typed into a prototype version of MSN Toolbar, which runs as an add-on to the Internet Explorer browser.

Search results, such as e-mail, e-mail attachments, pictures and documents, were returned nearly instantaneously. Results from the Web for the same search terms were displayed on a separate box to the right.

By: DocMemory
Copyright © 2023 CST, Inc. All Rights Reserved