Kumo, Screenshot and Overview

Kumo is a new search engine that Microsoft is expected to launch imminently.

Screenshots have already filtered on the Web, although the engine is not yet active.

The organization of the search categories are closer to the new Google interface that appears when you click on "Show option.

An internal memo was made public:

From: Satya Nadella
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 4:18 PM

To: Microsoft - All Employees (QBDG)

Subject: Announcement: Internal Search Test Experience

The Search team needs you. We've been working hard to improve our search service and want to share the progress we are making with you. We are launching a new program called kumo.com test for employees to try and provide feedback. Kumo.com exists only inside the corporate network, and in order to get enough feedback we will be redirecting traffic over live.com internal to the test site in the coming days. Kumo is the codename we have chosen for the internal test.

Kumo operates only within the company and prefigures Live Search in the future.

Microsoft also appears interested in knowledge engines such as Wolfram Alpha, since the firm had acquired Powerset, which offers similar technology to search on Wikipedia.