If you are like me, you don’t like filing of emails too much. I just love the Google’s way of ‘Archiving’ the mails and keeping my Inbox Zero and clean. But without a proper Outlook Search tool, this method would be highly impractical. I have been using Microsoft Desktop Search all these while but it took my laptop’s XP to a crawling speed. My outlook data weighs multiple GB’s. So I was in the market for a better Outlook Search tool. Here is what I found:-
1) I checked out a new Outlook Search Tool – Lookeen - a fresh software which is being frequently updated. I had a chance to speak up with the developers (from Germany) over FaceBook!. Lookeen on my Outlook seems to do the Job just fine.
2) Google Desktop Search – is just a waste of time. The search results were pointless. More or less it always gave me some generic results. I must admit that before the Windows Desktop Search days, I was a GDS fan.
3) Copernic Desktop Search – Could not handle the size of my Outlook Data I guess. It just vanished in to thin air most of the time. I cannot trust something which crashes this often. CDS was much better in the earlier versions.
4) LookOut – Yeah.. The world has come to a full circle once again. Circa 2004 thingie. LookOut was lightning fast and my favorite. Microsoft took over this tiny tool to make the MSN Desktop Search. Since then, most of us forgot about LookOut. But in these days of bloated Desktop/Outlook search tools, to see something like LookOut – which just does its job – is a rarity. Fortunately MajorGeeks still have a copy of LookOut 1.3 for download. I installed, indexed and was ready to go in just half an hour. Fresh Air!
LookOut works well with my Outlook 2003 install and there are ways to make it even work with Outlook 2007.
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I totally agree with you on Google Desktop. I also hate Yahoo’s new desktop search tool. But I love love love Yahoo’s old one – based on x1 – which they now make you pay for.
This guy has an even better way of getting Lookout to work on Outlook 2007:
http://www.wirwar.com/blog/2008/01/22/search-e-mail-at-lightspeed-using-lookout-with-outlook-2007/
You should definitely checkout Xobni
http://www.venukb.com/blog/2008/01/15/xobni-i-have-5-invites/
Let me know if you want an invite :)
Twitter: @pvinod
Thanks Venu. But I’ve already tried Xobni few weeks ago. But it just sank with my Outlook. Uninstalled the next hour!.
Lookout is as far as I know the only tool which searches through multiple .pst files and even if they are located on a network server. MS Desktop Search does not have the possibility to search on network drives for archived e-mails and files. If anyone knows a better tool then I am interested to know.
Xobni is the best so far… but for the first hours or two it makes your system slower. So if you try Xobni, leave the computer running overnight and then try it.
It really works well.
/j
Twitter: @pvinod
I agree with the Observations on Xobni. After the private beta, Xobni has improved so much so that – it has become an integral part of my Outlook!
You should check ParadiSearch – it’s much lighter than Xobni:
http://www.paradisoft.com/paradisearch.asp
I ran into this blog today.
I checked out ParadiS.. thats not software, thats a one day programmers homework! Its a shame to call it software.
Xobni looks cool, but i have to search my attachments. I think it cant do. Yet?
Lookeen looks promising..
Keep you informed
I haven’t deleted an e-mail since 2000. I am using Neo Pro Caelo and can find anything I want.
Neo Free is fully free – I started with that; now I don’t recall what is left out – I think it is more clumsy in searching across several PST files.
I loved Lookout but i am not willing to patch thinks on my customers pcs.
When it comes to mail search i recommend http://www.lookeen.net. Its quite simply the most reliable product in the hood.
cheers adam
You should check Xobni or ParadiSearch first. Both are free (unlike Lookeen).
Xobni gives you much more than only search but it takes a part of the Outlook window for good & takes more space to index the Outlook.
ParadiSearch just adds the Outlook search feature.
A living forum..nice!
Nick, you are right about the price. But as I told I have >6GB of mail – over networks and public folders (uncached). I tried ParadiSearch – sorry but they are miles away from a professional product. Xobni is very nice for mail – but there is no attachments, no files, no appointments etc.
In my opinion: They both will charge money if they come out of alpha/beta phase. So why wait for good software – its already there (ok, its $39).
What do you think?
I agree with both.
Have you tried contacting the people behind Xobni/ParadiSearch regarding the issues you have with their product? All the products (including Lookeen) are new and come from small startups so there’s a chance they will actually implement your comments.
Lookeen: Yes. I had a few suggestions regarding search options. They did 50%.. quite ok.
Xobni: Yes. But they have quite a big todo list in front. I dont see local file indexing there in the future.
ParadiSearch: No. Its approx. one year behind Lookeen. Since I have my favorite there is no need..
Thanks
Twitter: @pvinod
@Adam : What exactly you mean by 50% of search?. I am getting a new laptop next week and planning to have a fresh XP install to boot with!. So all these suggestions should come handy.
@Vinod: XP ;-))
Sorry for the misunderstanding, they do an amazing job with Lookeen!
I meant 50% of my feature suggestions were implemented already (e.g. including SenderOnBehalfName mail addresses which were important for my boss, group policies etc.).
When it comes to fast, lean and reliable search, lookeen is my choice – and the best investment i made this year.
Hope that helps..
I’m using the old X1/Yahoo Desktop search on one PC and Windows Desktop Search 4 on another. Never did like google desktop for searching email since it didn’t return a search which could be refined (column sorting, additional searches within fields after initial results). All in all, I prefer X1/YDS since i can search by one term and then type into the field headings to narrow the search. I also like the way the results are narrowed with each key I type. WDS is accurate, though, and handles my 7 PST files well.
I really LOVE Lookeen! Thanks for the tip Adam! Does anyone know when they will release their version 2.0?
Best WIshes
Has anywhone of you checked lookeen (http://www.lookeen.net/en/ )?
Are there some experiences? Is it good?
i only have positiv experiences with lookeen and just can recommend it to everybody!
i tried some other tool like xnobi and windows desktop search too, but wasnt very satisfied with it…xnobi slowed my computer down and both didnt bring me the results i was searching for…
lookout on the contrary was very good, but doesnt run on vista and outlook 2007…
then i tried lookeen and just can say its great…really similar too lookout, searchs even through attachments and appointments and the search is really fast and brings the right results!
For me the best follower of lookout!
Brandon mentioned the old X1/Yahoo Desktop Search tool which I’ve been using for ages and love dearly. Unfortunately, I’ve just had my PC upgraded and so have to reinstall everything. Does anyone have the install file for this version by any chance?
I looked at the 1.3 version workarounds for Lookout and have repackaged it to work for Outlook 2007. We have been using it for >1 year w/o issue. I can post it if somebody gives me a site. Good Luck Searching…Lead, Follow, or Get the @#$%!! Out of the Way.
I haven´t heard of lookeen…. until two weeks ago ;). I agree that it is one of the best outlook search-tools which you can find at the moment. There is also a video on youtube, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuRea7kZtoI
Lookout is the best option =)
make sure you archive version 1.3 incase it ever goes MIA
I used to use look out, but got a new computer and didn’t reload it. Just did yesterday. It made outlook crash and couldn’t restart it until I repaired outlook and disabled look out.
I’m running XP and outlook 2003. Any ideas???