Twitter Search: The Discovery Engine

The Discovery Engine is described by Twitter co-founder Biz Stone as being a "far more awesome" version of the site's current search capabilities. Still under testing with a limited subset of users, the updated tool brings real-time Twitter search right into the home page sidebar. When you conduct a search, the results appear there, too, popping up in the big white box instead of on a new page. You can also track the hottest trends on Twitter at any given moment within the same space.

Twitter Saved Searches

Perhaps the most valuable addition in the Discovery Engine is its "saved search" feature. With it, you can create a permanent space on your sidebar to keep tabs on any term you want -- say, your name, your company name, or the name of a band you like to discuss. Twitter will maintain an active link there so you can monitor discussions surrounding that term without having to continually search. Think of it as Google Alerts for Twitter, built right into the site.

Discovering Discovery