MSN Search Toolbar with Windows Destop Search 02.05

Search your desktop with MSN

26 September 2005
Platform: Windows XP
Type: freeware
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Size: 5.35MB
Rating:

Verdict: Not a particularly polished product, and unless you're a Microsoft fanatic it will be rather limiting

MSN Desktop Toolbar is Microsoft's attempt to make some headway in the desktop search market, which is currently dominated by the likes of Google and Copernic.

The download installs three separate components: the MSN Deskbar, which sits in the Windows taskbar for instant desktop searching; a toolbar for MS Outlook/Outlook Express for searching your emails; and an MSN toolbar for Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer.

Rather predictably MSN Desktop Toolbar is somewhat biased towards Microsoft products, so you won't be able to search your email unless you happen to use Outlook or Outlook Express.

It's a little lacking in the number of supported file types too, and is unable to index PDF documents without the help of an optional plug-in.

Desktop search results are displayed in Internet Explorer and a limited number of file types can be previewed without opening the document.

The installation of the toolbar is a little aggressive too; your browser's homepage and your default browser search URL are changed to msn.co.uk.

This latest version adds tabbed browsing to Internet Explorer, which Microsoft seem to think is something to shout about.