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Lenovo loads up on Windows Live Search

Microsoft search engine, Windows Live Toolbar to become default on all Lenovo PCs worldwide, replacing Google.

Candace Lombardi
In a software-driven world, it's easy to forget about the nuts and bolts. Whether it's cars, robots, personal gadgetry or industrial machines, Candace Lombardi examines the moving parts that keep our world rotating. A journalist who divides her time between the United States and the United Kingdom, Lombardi has written about technology for the sites of The New York Times, CNET, USA Today, MSN, ZDNet, Silicon.com, and GameSpot. She is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not a current employee of CNET.
Candace Lombardi
All Lenovo computers worldwide will soon come bundled with Microsoft's Windows Live software, the companies announced Wednesday.

By April, the Windows Live Search portal will be the default Web search service of Lenovo PCs. Installed browsers will also include the Windows Live Toolbar, which uses the Live Search engine, the companies said.

The partnership includes all Lenovo brand computers, including ThinkPad notebooks and ThinkCentre desktops.

The deal marks a big win for Microsoft. Lenovo became the world's third-largest PC company after acquiring IBM's PC business in May 2005.

Lenovo previously installed a suite of Google applications on its PCs, which included the Google browser toolbar and the Google Desktop search application, as well as the search giant's Picasa photo-editing program.

According to Lenovo, the Microsoft Windows Live deal is set to replace the Google preferences.

"Google's search and toolbar (have) been removed as (defaults) for users to access on their Internet browser. However, Google search can still be selected and made a default," Lenovo spokesman Ray Gorman said.

"Independently, we continue to work with Google in other areas of our business," Gorman added. "Today's agreement really supports our strategy to provide customers with a global platform to enhance and customize their online-computing experience."

Lenovo has closed several bundling deals. In 2005, the Chinese company offered a limited amount of PCs loaded with Sun's StarOffice 8, a suite of applications using the OpenDocument format.