AOL Unveils New Snapshot Service

AOL plans to introduce a new service called Snapshot that provides custom answers to over 2.2 million search queries. The search engine, normally powered by Google results, is programmed to deliver specific AOL content on those searches. For example, a search for a movie title delivers MovieFone listings in your area, with the option to purchase tickets. A search for Doonesbury shows that day's comic. A search for a football player reveals a baseball card-type page with his stats via SI.com (screenshot). AOL has no plan to develop its own engine, and would rather develop technology to augment Google's results.

The new MSN Search also delivers some answers triggered by specific questions, such as the birthday of a famous person, via the Encarta Encyclopedia, and that sort of feature has been a part of Jeeves ever since it was launched. Will Google follow the lead of some of its rivals? Probably not, but time will tell.
(via Beta News)