CYBERSPACE — Every now and then a high concept search engine is introduced to the world. Dogpile’s multi-search engine responses and Ask Jeeves’ intuitive searching are just two innovative ways to find things online, yet neither has ever come close to rivaling the efficient simplicity of Yahoo or Google. Now Microsoft appears to have entered the race for online market share with Ms. Dewey — a search engine likely to change the way surfers look at research, even if it won’t help them find many things along the way.Ms. Dewey isn’t just a clever way to personalize an impersonal process; Ms. Dewey is a seriously hot, young, black librarian played by actress Janina Gavankar who works behind a smooth black desk and in front of a futuristic cityscape. Unlike other search engines, the pun-inspired Ms. Dewey is fully Flash animated, likes to sing and dance — and will both become bored if not asked the right question or if a search takes too long — something that happens on a regular basis.
Web addicts with slow internet connections will likely find Ms. Dewey’s bandwidth sucking capabilities frustrating in the extreme, and even those with speed to burn will find her response time infuriatingly slow. But she is entertaining, if nothing else… and exceptionally easy on the eyes.
Although the site provides precious little information about who is responsible for this hot-for-librarian treat, it appears that it is a product of Microsoft’s Live Search. Whoever is responsible for her, Ms. Dewey is more useful as a web toy for the bored than a search engine for the hurried and curious. Although users type in their query keywords in a search form like they would on any other search engine, Ms. Dewey provides no advanced search options, doesn’t explain how she works, and is mum about her origins or what — other than the obvious — makes her special.
What does make her special is her interactivity. When ignored, she taps on the screen, calls out the surfer, pouts, waves, picks up a notepad, vows to rule the world, and generally lets it be known that she is waiting — something users of her service will come to know a great deal about.
However, for those merely seeking a way to wile away a few spare minutes, Ms. Dewey is packed with fun. While waiting for her search responses to appear, she shoots rubber bands at the screen, fidgets, grins, looks coy, and generally experiences enough mood variations to justify a prescription for anti-depressant. Those who reload the page will see a variety of introductions, including the young miss belting out a tune while listening to her MP3 player, writing in her journal, wearing sexy lingerie, sharpening a spooky looking knife, using a riding crop to move toy soldiers, and arguing with someone off camera, among other scenarios.
