Accoona.com has unveiled a search functionality that the company says dramatically improves the quality and relevance of Internet-based data search and retrieval.

"From this day forward, Internet search will never be the same," said Eckhard Pfeiffer, Accoona chairman and former president and CEO of Compaq Computer Corp. "With Accoona, high-quality, relevant results are delivered instantly, saving consumers and businesses time and money."

Pfeiffer and other Accoona executives made their remarks at a press event hosted by Accoona at the United Nations.

The News and Business functions of the improved site enable users to instantly focus and refine the results presented to them with a simple mouse click.

In addition, Accoona executives revealed that the company will soon unveil a new model of online advertisement. Thousands of major advertisers and advertising agencies have already signed letters of intent to participate, according to Stuart Kauder, chief executive officer of Accoona.

The company has more than US$100 million in financial backing from private investment funds and strategic business agreements with Dun & Bradstreet, Euro News, FAST Search and Transfer, GuruNet, Moreover and Yahoo.