In its effort to counter balance Google's software for desktop and browsers, Microsoft released today a new version of MSN Search Toolbar.

After five months of testing the software and one-million downloads, the company unveiled an update with several added improvements to the MSN Toolbar Suite. The main goal is to combine several programs that speed up your search tasks and help you surf the Web.

By offering the most integrated desktop search capabilities for Windows, now people can search their PC as fast as they can search the Web," said Yusuf Mehdi, senior vice president for the MSN Information Services & Merchant Platform division at Microsoft. "The new MSN Search Toolbar makes it easy for customers to find precisely what they're looking for, no matter where it resides."

This upgraded version of MSN Search Toolbar, which requires Windows XP or Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 or later versions, features a new preview pane to let users view documents retrieved from their PCs.

Using add-ins, users can search more than 200 different file types. The file types supported include those for the Office suite, MP3, GIF, PDF and JPEG.

Users can save valuable time and avoid hassle by initiating searches from Internet Explorer, Outlook or the Windows desktop -- wherever they are working on their PC. Users also can take advantage of the plug-in architecture and download third-party filters from http://addins.msn.com/ to extend the variety of file types that can be indexed and searched.

The current version of the toolbar is designed for all users, but Microsoft is planning to launch a version specifically for corporates in beta form by the end of the year. This version will have a number of customizable options for firms.

The software is available for download here