Yahoo! snags email search company

Yahoo! has quietly purchased email software company Stata Labs, in what could be an investment in a coming PC search tool to rival Google and Microsoft.

Stata Labs, a privately held company based in San Mateo, California, sells an email application called Bloomba that lets people search message text and attachments. Yahoo! apparently bought the underlying technology of Stata Labs and does not intend to continue sales of Bloomba.

"This acquisition will provide Yahoo! with exceptional technological expertise and strategic assets," according to a posting on Stata Lab's website notifying users of the buyout.

Financial terms have not been disclosed. Yahoo! and Stata Labs did not immediately return calls requesting comment.

The acquisition comes only a week after Yahoo! rival Google unveiled new technology that allows people to search data in email, Word documents and web pages. Microsoft also has designs to integrate desktop, email and web search from the operating system, and toward that end it recently bought a small email search company called Lookout Software.

Yahoo! executives have said previously that the company plans to introduce a desktop search tool.

For now, Stata's engineers will join Yahoo!, and Bloomba and Stata's professional email software will no longer be sold, according to the notice. However, Yahoo! will provide support for up to a year for current customers.

Stefanie Olsen writes for CNET News.com