They may not have Google's market share but Microsoft does not seem to be stopping its acquisition of more properties in the search space, having offered $1.2 billion for Norwegian company, Fast Search and Transfer, according to the New York Times.
The Olso-based company "is a specialist in search technology used inside companies and government agencies to cull for information in documents, databases and software applications. Its software helps teams of workers quickly search the corporate storehouse of information for answers about procurement, marketing, manufacturing and product design," the NYTimes.com reported.
NYT reporter Steve Lohr examines the relationship of this acquisition with Google's push into the office services business with the launch of more products at Google Docs.
"Microsoft has already offered enterprise search from SharePoint, a product in the Office family designed for groups of workers to collaborate on projects. And Microsoft already has a partnership with Fast, for providing enterprise search.
But by purchasing Fast, Microsoft can more fully integrate the Norwegian company's technology into its Office technology. Jeff Raikes, president of Microsoft's business division, which includes Office, pointed to advantage of having “a single vendor with solutions that span the full range of customer needs," Lohr wrote.
The Microsoft move is seen as one aimed at adding to their Office products and services, NYT reports, The Microsoft bid "represents a 40 percent premium over the closing price of the Norwegian company's shares on Tuesday," they added.
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