Web searches without a browser

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Web searches without a browser

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Tuesday, 13 January 2004 01:00

Some major Web portals are trying to get an edge in the competitive Internet search market by thinking outside of the browser.

Net titans Microsoft, Yahoo and EarthLink are all considering broadening their lucrative search businesses by providing access to online searches through a "taskbar" displayed to the side or at the bottom of a PC screen, according to people familiar with the plans.

Taskbar search tools are similar to popular toolbar applications that have long been available as browser add-ons, but there is an important difference: They reside in the system tray in Microsoft's Windows operating system, allowing queries independently of the browser or any other applications running on the desktop.

Staking out a place on the desktop could become increasingly important for Microsoft rivals as the software giant begins to flex its search muscles. In addition, advocates of the technology say it offers a simple and direct way for people to call up information such as stock quotes, dictionary definitions and other data without going through the added step of opening a full browser window.