Microsoft is taking the plunge into the search business by moving it’s Windows Live Search out of beta and into prime time. This normally wouldn’t be news, but Microsoft looks like its serious about integrating Windows Live Search with the rest of the Windows Live services, and is integrating the search functionality with both of its popular portals, Windows Live and MSN. Most notably MSN; where Microsoft will be replacing the MSN search functionality with the new Windows Live engine altogether.

As Microsoft struggles to keep up and catch up with competitors in the search business like Google and Yahoo!, Windows Live search looks like it will become more and more important to Microsoft as a tool to bring people where they want to go on the net, and integrating the new search service with its already popular features and portals might help Microsoft gain something of a foothold in the search market. I expect to see Windows Live search functionality built into Windows Vista when it’s released early next year as well.

[ PC World :: Microsoft’s New Search Engine Exits Beta Status ]