Pretty much everybody knows Microsoft Outlook. It’s in the news quite a bit, or at least was, for security issues, plus it’s packaged with all versions of the Office suite, and used in quite a few office places. It’s also not too uncommon to hear a coined name “Lookout” either. It’s a simple play on words, but works quite well I feel.
A small company of developers produced a plugin for Outlook funnily named “Lookout”. It’s an extended search feature that allows an enhanced search of the outlook message base. Microsoft brought the company (as they do with anybody that has a good idea), and have now merged it into their toolbar, and offer it as a free download on their site.
Interestingly enough, it looks like it’s in direct competition with Google Toolbar and Google Desktop. Those with their ears close to the industry, or anywhere close, would know that is not really a shock. Both Microsoft, and Google, are working on indexing books as part of their search engines, Microsoft enhanced their search engine shortly after Google introduced a Microsoft specific search feature…
All in all, I guess this is good for us, better searching, better email, better software.