Today's New York Times runs a feature on Internet start-up Xobni.com (get it —"inbox" spelled backwards) that launched a plug-in which helps index your Outlook Express 2003 or 2007 messages, making them easily searchable. Considering we spent three minutes earlier today trying to find someone's email address, this seems like a good thing.

Investors see value beyond simple search functions. "The software also interprets the social relationships between people who are sending messages to each other ... an enticing proposition for Silicon Valley," the article states.

Former Yahoo vice president Jeff Bonforte sees promise, as he signed on as the CEO in February. Microsoft discussed buying Xobni earlier in the year, but was about as successful as it was in purchasing Bonforte's previous employer.