I think Microsoft has alot of things going for it with the Live search services. They have improved quite well for me to use it in conjunction with Google; but not to the point of completely forsaking Google yet.
One thing I am certainly not going to do is put the Windows Live Toolbar onto Internet Explorer. Why?
This is a feature with nice intentions, really. A pop-out dropdown that dynamically lists out past search histories or common searches according to what I type. But this becomes a mighty irritant like a fly that keeps flying into your face taunting your inability to smack it down - it regularly refuses to close/disappear when I am done with my search, and sticks out blocking sight of what is usually the most crucial space of a web page.
Get out of my face already!