Tonight Microsoft officially launched the new version [a/k/a wave 10] of MSN.com.  The site loads much faster, emphasizing content and search services more than advertising.  With the launch of the new site comes the final release of the more precise, more powerful MSN Search.  The new search has been in development since March 2003 and beta since November 2004.  The engine is using MSN’s own web crawler [MSNBot 1.0] and Newsbot service that launched back in July 2004.  New features include search results in RSS, faster performance and more results from other MSN properties.  The search engine is also featured on Microsoft.com now.  For more information, visit:

• The online tour.
• Two PressPass articles, How to Build a Better Search Engine: MSN Launches New Internet Search Service, and MSN Launches New Internet Search Service Designed to Give More-Precise Answers in Less Time.
• MSN Search Fact Sheet and MSN Search Answers Fact Sheet.
• The quite lengthy MSN Search Reviewer's Guide [helpful tips].
• On the MSN Search team's blog.

If you want to be nostalgic, I was still able to access the old search on either IE's Search Assistant or IE's Auto Search, and the old tour is still up [with sound!].

Some press:

• NYTimes.com - Microsoft Introduces Its Own Search Service
• ClickZ Network - MSN Campaigns For Search Share in Integrated Effort [wow, big ad blitz!]
• C|NET News.com - Microsoft kicks off search effort
• PRNewswire - MSN Launches New Internet Search Service Designed to Give More-Precise Answers in Less Time [probably more permanent link]
• MarketWatch - MSN unveils its new search engine
• Geek.com - Microsoft announces MSN Search [guess who commented]

Additionally, the MSN Toolbar Suite [Desktop Search] team has launched a new beta build to address some bugs.  More information about the changes can be found on their blog.  Also be sure to check out the user testimonials.

Please submit any feedback to MSN Support or the Channel9 Wiki.

Although this means that a number of betas have gone gold, there are more betas right around the corner, like MSN Shopping beta.  It’s another much cleaner interface over the predecessor and quite like Windows Marketplace.

Now that MSN has kept me awake when I wanted to go to bed early, I’m going to go crash.  Have fun everyone!

@Matthew

PS--I kept forgetting to blog about the v6 updates to Microsoft TerraServer [another play toy in MSN Sandbox].

Update:  I quickly added some press links.  I see Google's and Yahoo's [Inktomi] stock price going down soon.  Also, much thanks to Paul for posting a lot of this!