Amazon launches A9 search engine

(April 16 2004) Online superstore Amazon.com has launched their new search engine, A9.

In addition to regular Web search results from Google, A9 will include data from Amazon's "Search inside the book" service, adding excerpts from selected books.

Unlike other search engines, A9 will let you save your searches. The search history will be listed on any computer you use, and you may click on any history link to perform that search again. A9 will also highlight sites you have visited before.

In order to use this feature, you have to be a registered Amazon customer. And no, you are not forced to buy anything.

Moreover, A9 will include site information from the Alexa network, including related links, site statistics (based on the surfing habits of people using the Alexa and A9 toolbars), sites linking to the relevant site, and Alexa user rankings. Alexa is owned by Amazon.

The new A9 toolbar lets you access the A9 features from a separate bar in your browser (Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows or above).

Is A9 any good? Well, you can hardly fail using Google data. Moreover, quite a few searchers will find the search history feature useful.

It is hard to resist the urge to buy more books, though!

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