Microsoft, as previously reported, has been testing its new search engine for weeks with Microsoft employees. Company executives have said the new search engine -- which carries the code name Kumo -- is designed to help users more easily find relevant results to online searches. The company is planning a major advertising campaign to promote the new search engine.

If Microsoft ends up doing a search deal with Yahoo (YHOO), this could all be for nothing. But either way, Microsoft needs help if it ever wants to be competitive in search. It represented 8.2% of the search market last month, down from 8.3% a year ago, according to comScore.