AOL Adds Search FeaturesAOL Adds Search Features

America Online Inc. on Wednesday released a new version of its search engine that includes several new features, such as the ability to save search results.

The upgrade of AOL Search delivers on the results page links to Web pages, as well as separate links for getting relevant video and picture results. AOL, the Dulles, Va., unit of Time Warner Inc., plans to add links for retrieving local listings and news in the near future.

Other new capabilities include allowing the user to save search results, so they can be retrieved later. AOL Search will also automatically save searches from the last 30 days.

While a query is being typed, a so-called "Smartbox" appears to suggest search terms. In addition, users can type a query in the form of a question, such as, "What's the population of Russia," to try to get more specific results.

In August, 5 billion searches were conducted online, compared to 4 billion the same month in 2004, according to Web metrics firm ComScore Networks. Google Inc. was the leader, accounting for 37.3 percent of all searches; followed by Yahoo Inc. with 29.7 percent.

Microsoft Corp.'s MSN was third with 15.8 percent, and the Time Warner Network, which includes AOL, was fourth with 9.6 percent. Ask Jeeves, which is owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp, was fifth with 6 percent.