Houdah Software’s HoudahSpot 4.0, an upgrade to their desktop search tool for Mac OS X, has been completely reimagined for OS X Yosemite, is faster and easier to use.

Version 4.0 has been completely reimagined for OS X Yosemite. It’s faster, easier to use and packs many new features, according to the folks at Houdah Software.

With disk space ever growing and our digital lives continuously producing more and more data, much time is wasted searching for files. Even files you know are there can be hard to find when hidden in crowded folders. HoudahSpot builds upon Spotligh and can help you get to the files you’re looking for.

You can use the tool to create precise searches. Start with a simple search. When this turns up too many results, you can refine it by adding and combining criteria. With HoudahSpot you can: quickly sort through search results; add columns; apply filters; preview files and text matches; and set up templates for recurring searches.

Version 4.0 provides a: quick search field (you can start a search by typing just a few words); an improved criteria editor (you can set up and combine search criteria faster than ever before); save sets of frequently used search criteria; and reduce the number of results shown by selecting values in the Info pane. It also adds a Tabs feature.

HoudahSpot 4.0 draws from nine years of customer feedback. In eleven months of development, it has been rebuilt from the ground up with a focus on productivity and ease of use. It has been field tested for one month in a public beta test. First feedback took only minutes to come in:

HoudahSpot 4.0 is priced at US$29 for a single-user license. A full-featured trial version is available for download (http://www.houdah.com/). Licenses may be purchased from the Houdah Software store. A family license is available for $44. Upgrades from previous versions are $17 and $26, respectively. HoudahSpot licenses purchased on or after Nov. 1, 2014, qualify for a free upgrade.