Google has auto-complete options for its browser search, and Yahoo has Search Assist. And now Yahoo! revealed today in a blog post that they would be acquiring the rights to Inquisitor.
The Safari browser plug-in, that provides auto-completion for search queries as well as shows a window with search results as users type queries. The plug-in, now in version 3, is available for free download.
The Inquisitor is a browser plug-in that provides search assistance options for a faster way in which to dig down into search results. Yahoo picked Inquisitor for acquisition for the reason that of its existing resemblance to its own Search Assist technology, which includes suggestions for filtering through search results. This will, of course, provide access to Yahoo Search results, and even vertical searches across sites like Flickr, among other search engine default options that can be changed based on user preference.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though Inquisitor founder and developer David Watanabe will continue to work with Yahoo on the software.
“I look forward to assisting Yahoo in refining and extending the Inquisitor user experience beyond where it is today,” Watanabe said on his blog.
“David and our team of Macphiles will continue to innovate on both form and function for Inquisitor,” Ariel Seidman, director of search product management for Yahoo, wrote in Yahoo’s blog posting.
Yahoo has been very keen on offering refining search techniques in an integrated manner, across email, and through other plugins that work with blogging platforms like WordPress. Therefore it is no surprise that Yahoo has turned to Inquisitor to appeal to Safari users.