DevonTechnologies says its DevonAgent research tool is now available in version 3.0 public beta 3.

Public beta 3 of DevonAgent integrates web search even tighter into the system with a brand new menu extra that makes DevonAgent’s unique search technology available from anywhere on the Mac, according to DevonTechnologies President Eric Böhnisch-Volkmann. Placed on the right-hand side of the menu bar the menu lets the user type in queries and open interesting results with a single click in DevonAgent or any other web browser of choice, he adds.

In addition, public beta 3 brings two new search sets querying Google and Bing unfiltered, a new plugin for the Highbeam article archive, and detail improvements. Reports support OPML and HTML now, search sets can be exported by dragging them to the Finder, and phrases can contain the asterisk operator. DevonTechnologies has also slightly overhauled the styling of search results and fixed a number of bugs and glitches.

DevonAgent requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later and can be downloaded as a free trial version from http://www.devon-technologies.com. It runs for 60 hours until it needs to be properly licensed.

DevonAgent 3.0 public beta can be used for free but expires end of June when it will need to be replaced by either a new public beta or the final release. Users who purchased DevonAgent on or after January 1, 2009, will be eligible for free upgrades. Upgrade offers will become available before the final release is published. Just remember: beta software is unfinished software, so use with care.

DevonAgent sells for US$49.95 in DevonTechnologies’ online shop and is also available bundled with DEVONthink Pro Office or DEVONthink Pro.