Microsoft to Open Web Search R&D in Paris, London and Munich.

After several fail deals to acquire search company Yahoo!, Microsoft is doing everything to catch Google in the field of Internet search marketing. Another step from Microsoft is that they are opening three research centers in Europe. The three centers will be in Paris, London and Munich.

"We are the challenger, not the leader, in search, but we believe strongly that search is in its infancy and there is so much room for innovation," chief executive Steve Ballmer told a news conference in Paris.

Microsoft need to work very hard to catch internet search leader Google. Microsoft has only about two percent of the European online search market, while Google has about 79 percent.