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Microsoft Beta Testing New Search Engine

Posted by yannis on 03 February 2004 - 14:16 · 11 comments & 1693 views

Microsoft’s MSN division has launched a sneak peek beta test of its new MSN Search Engine. (ed. looks pretty samey to me! ) The new MSN Search is a full speed ahead effort for Microsoft to catch Google and Yahoo in the search engine race. Last week Microsoft’s Bill Gates commented that Google has blown away Microsoft in the realm of search, confirming that Google “kicked our butts” in a statement given at the World Economic Forum.

The new MSN Search Beta Test can be previewed at http://beta.search.msn.com.

At first glance MSN more or less uses the same style for their layout, but now clearly differentiates the difference between organic search results and paid search advertising. A plus for MSN.

The New Beta Version is rumored to be delivering results from MSNBot, the new search engine developed by Microsoft (you may sometimes see Inktomi results during testing). The listings show no directory driven sites and are much cleaner… gearing up for a new IE browser that’s MSN Search friendly and Microsoft’s new toolbar.

According to a statement on ResourceShelf, MSN Product Manager Karen Redetzk reports that

“In order to increase relevancy, MSN Search is testing solutions on MSN Search to a small percentage of consumers in various markets worldwide. Tests serve as no indication as to the direction MSN will eventually take in the future but rather are research to determine the most useful consumer experience on MSN Search. Tests or changes in one country do not necessarily indicate what may or may not be tested or changed in the US or other markets. We determine the needs of customers in individual markets and make the best decision for that market based on both consumer and advertiser wants & needs.”

News source: Search Engine Journal

Tim Sweeney, of Unreal developers Epic Games, agrees: "For a console to really have a useful online component, it has to have the hard drive to store downloaded maps and other data. If Microsoft waits for Sony, it is in effect allowing Sony to design Microsoft's box."

Meanwhile, as the chips at the core of the original Xbox are from different manufacturers (Intel and Nvidia) to those that will be in Xbox 2 (IBM and ATI Technologies), Microsoft have voiced concern that hardware and licensing fees would cost too much to enable the machine to play old Xbox games. However, one analyst has already said, "I can't imagine that Microsoft would be so insanely stupid as to make it incompatible," and some sources suggest that the issue could be resolved by using emulation.

At the core of the machine will be three IBM-designed 64-bit microprocessors, the combined power of which will be greater than current top-end PCs. The ATI Technologies-designed graphics chip will also be faster than its forthcoming R400 which basically means that Xbox 2 will be able to display with the resolution of high-definition TV.

Microsoft's emphasis appears to be on keeping the retail price down and, crucially, launching the machine before PlayStation 3 hits shelves in 2006. Xbox first launched just under two years after PS2 and, so far, 13.7 million of them have been shifted, compared to 70 million for PS2. As soon as we have more on Xbox 2, we'll let you know.

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(1 reply) #1 Posted by bonobozoot on 03 Feb 2004 - 14:32: Looks like those invalid URL's that lead to sites who spam you with popups. They need to work on the interface.

#2 Posted by memodude on 03 Feb 2004 - 15:40: If you want to make your MSN Toolbar use MSN Search Beta all the time, do this:

1. Open Crogram FilesMSN Toolbar1.0.1322.0en-usmsntb.cfg in Notepad
2. Scroll down to your locale
3. Change it from xx.search.msn.com or whatever to beta.search.msn.com

Done!

(5 replies) #3 Posted by archonon on 03 Feb 2004 - 16:33: Search for Linux in MSN-'Search' and you'll get 429 results. Do the same on Google, and it will find 62,500,000 pages.

#4 Posted by g33kb0y on 03 Feb 2004 - 16:37: I think I've gone blind!!! Horrid....Interface.....Watch....Out......

#5 Posted by mihir on 03 Feb 2004 - 16:55: looks like a basic yet slightly tacky version of google.

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