MSN Search

The new main MSN Search window is spare and uncluttered.

When possible, MSN Search will supply an answer to the search query based on the Encarta database.

The Encarta-based answers cover a wide variety of historical, geographic, and social information.

MSN Search can provide definitions in response to queries that seem to request them.

MSN Search's definitions are not always completely useful - here it defines "black hole" as "object in space".

MSN Search can perform simple calculations.

It can also perform more complex calculations.

MSN Search recognizes mathematical constants like e and pi.

MSN Search can return certain scientific constants, but will not use them in calculations.

Many unit conversions are built in.

You can express a unit conversion query in several different ways.

MSN Search will solve some moderately complex equations, though it may give only one of multiple possible answers.

If the current search matches hot news items, they will appear above web-based results.

You can also choose to search news sources directly.

If your search matches a popular group, album, or song, MSN Search will offer links to MSN Music and to the most popular songs.

The "Near Me" button ranks sites by their distance from the user's specified location, based on "geotags" added during the indexing process.

A Google-like Settings page allows the user to specify many preferences, including location for "Near Me" searches.

The Search Builder lets users include advanced search features without having to memorize complex syntax.

The Search Builder's "Results ranking" sliders let users control how three specific criteria affect the ranking of results.

If the beta of MSN Search didn't work the way you hoped, you can offer feedback to help improve the product.