AOL recently launched a new search toolbar. Currently, it is available for Internet Explorer, Firefox and Flock browsers. The toolbar stands out against other toolbar with its dark blue background and sort of recedes into the browser. It will help you link to your favorite AOL products, such as AOL Classifieds, AOL Yellow Pages and Reference Center. In addition, the toolbar also allows you to quickly search the web.

After Yahoo, Ask.com and Google, it's time for AOL to release the top searches for the year 2008!

Top searches for selected niches:

• ‘American Idol’ – Top TV & Movies
• NASCAR – Top Sports
• Britney Spears – Top Celebrity
• Flat Belly Diet – Top Health
• iPhone – Top Shopping
• Jonas Brothers – Top Musician
• Presidential Election – Top News

Greg Sterling has improved its mobile search feature, especially for Windows Mobile devices.

“In the latest version, there are two kinds of search modes:

1. an enhanced Windows Mobile experience, and
2. a non-Windows Mobile version, which is also improved albeit with a slightly different presentation.

An AOL press release informs that AOL will acquire TACODA, an online behavioral targeting advertising network where the Advertising Network will perform as an entirely owned subsidiary of AOL.

Though AOL has not announced the purchasing fee yet, sources told the NYPost that the acquisition costs somewhere between $200 million and $300 million.

In the latest news, Loren Baker has a report on “AOL’s New Local Search Beta”.

AOL Beta Central explains their new Search Beta as in three simple ways:

• “Enter a query term, such as PIZZA, a business name or the type of business you're looking for, such as plumbers, in the search field.