The new version, one of the largest search directories on the Internet with close to 3 million sites, includes 22 new vertical specialized search engines available right from the index page.
Other search engines like GoTo.com Inc. (GOTO.O), Google, LookSmart Ltd. (LOOK.O), Lycos, and Ask Jeeves Inc. (ASKJ.O) are displayed on the index as an alternate application in case a search under Netscape did not provide the expected results.
Unlike the older Netscape version that only searched for titles and descriptions of Web pages, the revamped version digs deeper and looks for individual Web pages within its directory.
Netscape's revamping of its search engine comes just days after it redesigned its online news channel to improve access to news from various sources, including CNN.com and Time.com, also owned by parent AOL Time Warner
Now that most analysts believe the browser war has been won by AOL rival Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O), Netscape has turned its focus on becoming an Internet media hub for Time Warner's multitude of content assets and wants to attract the non-AOL Web user.
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