Some good search engines PLUS!

 

BROWSERS
You can't use the Web without them ... yet. Other methods of viewing the Web are on the way, but the browser remains the number one way to access the Web.

• Microsoft Internet Explorer
  Now owns roughly 70% of the browser market, depending on whose study you consult. IE is now in version 5.01 and version 5.5 is in beta. IE's features in version 5 are very impressive and include instant form fill, auto searching, Windows Radio, Web accessories and a slew of other features that make it Traffick's recommended browser.
  
  
• Netscape Navigator
  Netscape is the lovable upstart that changed the world with its browser, which was based on the NCSA Mosaic browser. Navigator is currently in version 4.7, with 6.0 on the near horizon (Netscape skipped version 5 due to the lateness of the release). Version 6 is based on the Gecko rendering engine, which is a lightweight code base that will allow Navigator to run on a host of portable devices and TV set tops and make the browser run faster.
  
  
• Opera
  An independent browser company based in Norway. Many people love Opera as an alternative to the Big 2 and claim it's faster and easier to use. It may be a fine piece of software, but it still costs $30 or so to register. The features of Opera are impressive, however, especially the ability to customize the interface and view multiple browser windows concurrently.
  
  
• Neoplanet
  It's really a shell that runs on top of IE, but it looks nothing like it. Neoplanet comes bundled with discussion groups, e-mail and other features, but it's most popular feature is the ability to customize the interface with pre-built "skins" that can be downloaded from the Neoplanet site.

METABROWSERS
Browsers allow you to view the Web with one window. Metabrowsers enable the browsing of multiple sites at one time, each in its own way.

• Clickmarks - NEW!
  Clickmarks provides personalization software infrastructure for portals, ISPs, wireless carriers and enterprise clients. Clickmarks empowers users to create customized, personal portal through which they can access any Web content on any device, wired or wireless.
• OnePage
  Lets users surf to a web site, identify particular content on that page and bring it back to OnePage. Once captured, the windows of information refresh at user-defined intervals. Users can also create windows from the OnePage catalog. The catalog is OnePage's collection of interesting and useful pre-made windows - like weather, news and shopping.
  
  
• Websplit - (2.98 MB download)
  Splits your browser in up to 9 windows that display a thumbnail screenshot of the site. Other features include remote bookmarks storage and chatting with other surfers who are visiting one of your favorite sites. This first version is in beta.
  
  
• Netcaptor - (1.2 MB download)
  Open up as many browser windows as you want. Windows are docked as tabs along the left or bottom. Save any number of open windows as CaptorGroups for fast access. Free version requires tolerable ads that run in the blue title bar; the pro version is $19.95, but it's worth it.

• Quickbrowse
  Stitches Web pages together to create Masterpages that allow you to gather all of your favorite sites on one page. To make this process even more efficient, you can bookmark these Masterpages or have them e-mailed to you everyday!
  
  
• Katiesoft (2.5 MB download)
  A browser program that provides up to 4 windows that you can browse at the same time. Take snapshots of your custom configuration to create a nifty shortcut to your favorite metaview of the Web. Beta of version 7 now available.
  
  
• Call The Shots
  Create "combo" pages that enable you to grab blocks of content from other sites and display them on one master page.
  
  
• Octopus
  Configure your own unique "views" of content from other sites that is reformatted to fit on one page. Only works on PCs with Internet Explorer.
  
  
• Yodlee
  Control several Web-based accounts and keep tabs on news and get your e-mail from one interface.
  
  
• LiveClips from EZLogin
  Capture content from other pages that is constantly updated on your personal LiveClip page.

BROWSER TOOLBARS
These handy gadgets extend the functionality of your browser, giving you one-click access to portal services and many other useful services.

• Hotbar (382 KB download)
  According to the Hotbar site, over 10 million users have downloaded their toolbar. Along with several Web navigation, search and directory features, Hotbar's claim to fame is the ability to dress up your browser's menubars with custom background textures and photos. Choose from 37,000 available skins.
  Go to Hotbar review at Download.com
  
  
• UCmore (304 KB download)
  UCmore is an unobtrusive Internet navigational tool that simplifies and organizes your web browsing by showing you relevant information and web sites when you need it. Download UCmore and get to better content faster without having to search for it! UCmore let's you see more of what you're looking for. Versions are currently available for IE 4 and above.
  
  
• Entrypoint (549 KB download)
  Once it was the bandwidth-hogging Pointcast; now it has been reborn as a browser toolbar. Similar to microportals offered by major portals, Entrypoint is a viable alternative that offers every key portal feature in a convenient toolbar that docks to your browser window for always-on access.
  
  
• Alexa (1.7 MB download)
  Find related links to the page you're viewing. Alexa is invaluable when you want to find out where a site ranks, who the owner is, how users rate it and more. Also, you can search from the Alexa pane, which attaches to the side or bottom of the window. The new version includes zBubbles, which is a somewhat dubious shopping tool, considering that Alexa is owned by e-tail giant Amazon.com.
  
  
• Obongo (64K download)
  Offers a metalogin feature, form filler, price comparison shopping, Web search and more. It's one of the smoothest toolbars, and if you access numerous password-protected sites, you will find it useful. Obongo is AOL 5.0 compatible.
  
  
• Jotter 2000 (2 MB download)
  Fills out forms, remembers IDs and passwords for sites that require log ins, and provides tickers for news, stocks, weather and sports. Allows multiple user profiles.
  
  
• NetSanity SmartBar 1.5 (396 KB download)
  An editor's choice of CNET Download.com, NetSanity sits on your desktop and provides real-time updates of your favorite sites, all in the form of "Pebbles." These are tiny apps that pull info from your sites and doesn't force the user to view ads. Links to many popular sites are also offered.
  
  
• Winfire (1.4 MB download)
  Fully customizable toolbar that allows uses to add or remove buttons for 1-click access to Web sites and entire categories. Not the best-looking toolbar, but works fairly well.
  
  

• Flyswat (177 KB download)
  Another innovative navigational aid, Flyswat is an Internet toolbar that highlights words in the document that it recognizes and that, when clicked, display further detail about the topic.

• Yep (4.2 MB download)
  A browsing companion in the vein of Alexa that gives information about the site you're viewing. Also post notes and vote on any Web site. From WebSideStory, a company that tracks Web stats and trends.

ONLINE BOOKMARKS >>
If you've ever bemoaned the hassle of keeping bookmarks on two different computers, online bookmarks are what you need. Most of the following sites allow you easy management and neat extras that make it a breeze to access your bookmarks on the Web from any computer.

• Backflip
  Auto-categorizes and stores your links based on the text of the site that you are saving.
• Blink
  Bills itself as a "bookmark community." It suggests new sites based on sites that you've already bookmarked on Blink.
• Clickmarks
  Drag and drop simplicity and "one-touch" management of files are the strong points of this bookmarks service.
• MyBookmarks
  Allows users to capture links of other users with one click for faster link building.
• Hotlinks
  Covers the basics and creates Web directories from your publicly accessible bookmark collections.
• Traffick Favorites
  The online bookmark manager preferred by Traffick! Offers much more functionality than other managers, such as MindCircles, forums, surveys and other community features.
• Quiver
  The "Human-Powered Directory." Features the QBar, which enables customization of your Web browser and the ability to share your bookmarks with friends.

SEARCH UTILITIES
While search engines are still perfectly fine when you need to find something on the Web, there's a new breed of sites/tools that enable new and innovative ways to find information.

• Zapper (750 KB download) NEW!
  Uses the context of a user's selected words or phrases to directly access the most relevant information available from anywhere on the Web. Also searches the so-called invisible web of database-driven pages. It claims to be the only search resource that actively searches the entire Web.
  
  
• Nano (595 KB download) NEW!
  A browsing companion that enables context menu search of the current page or specific words on the page. Works in Web pages or on desktop documents. Refine searches by highlighting the word of phrase. Search results bring back relevant Web pages and shopping ideas.
  
  
• Flyswat (177 KB download)
  Flyswat is an navigational aid Internet toolbar that highlights words in the document that it recognizes and that, when clicked, display further detail about the topic. Now owned by portal NBCi.
  
  
• GuruNet (755 KB download)
  Innovative contextual search app that searches on words based on text that you highlight. Data is provided by Whatis.com. It's customizable and even works inside desktop applications.
  
  
• Bullseye (300 KB download)
  A desktop "portal" that searches through 700 or so search engines and highlights your search term in the matching result.
  
  
• Copernic (3.4 MB download)
  Desktop app that can search the Web, newsgroups and e-mail using over 30 sources. Also can create search results in Web page format, with multiple options. Like GuruNet, it offers a contextual search capability, and it interfaces with IE by replacing its search bar. Finally, it also online shopping search categories.
  
  
• Third Voice 2000 (423 KB download)
  The first version made a splash by allowing uses to post notes on Web sites that only other users of Third Voice could see. The newest version also functions like Flyswat by turning words in a Web page into links to further information.

PASSWORD MANAGERS
These tools provide the means to organize your life online by keeping information saved from the Web as well as remembering your passwords for Web-based accounts.

• Password Corral (999 KB download)
  Made by Cygnus Productions, this handy utility is completely free and has no ads or nags for registration. And if that weren't enough, the fact that it is easy to understand, free of clutter and packed full of features is more than enough reason to download this password manager. Ed Bott, an About.com Guide, called it one of his "Fabulous Freebies," and says, "Don't confuse Password Corral with Gator. Password Corral is more powerful, less likely to crash your system, and doesn't require you to watch ads."
  
  
• Gator (260 KB download)
  Gator remembers passwords and other account information for you so you don't have to. It's the most popular password manager with over 10 million downloads, but has recently started bundling an ad service called OfferCompanion, which pops up ads related to the site you're viewing. It's annoying, but they have to pay the bills, too! Also, Gator will fill in forms that require address and credit card info by storing this data securely on your computer.
  
  
• OnMoney
  See and manage your financial accounts online, including your bills. There's plenty of feature articles and other tools, including stock screening, retirement planner, mutual fund screening and life insurance planner
  
  
• Obongo (64K download)
  Offers a metalogin feature, form filler, price comparison shopping, Web search and more. It's one of the smoothest toolbars, and if you access numerous password-protected sites, you will find it useful. Obongo is AOL 5.0 compatible.
  
  
• Jotter 2000 (2 MB download)
  Fills out forms, remembers IDs and passwords for sites that require log ins, and provides tickers for news, stocks, weather and sports. Allows multiple user profiles.
  
  
• MetaMe
  Provides a single login for all your Web-based accounts, such as e-mail services. Other features allow you to store your existing passwords, control your level of Internet privacy and have portable access to your MetaMe data.
  
  
• MyLockbox
  Web-based service that makes online living easier by securely storing your personal information. It provides one-click access to your password-protected and membership sites. With MyLockbox, you can also create and store user names and passwords, software registration information, insurance policy information, PIN's and more.
  
  
• Yodlee
  Control several Web-based accounts and keep tabs on news and get your e-mail from one interface.

INSTANT MESSENGERS - NEW
Instant Messaging, or IM, is like real-time e-mail and chat combined. When you're "talking" to a friend, your messages instantly appear in the other person's IM client, such as the programs below.

• AOL Instant Messenger 4.0 (1.9 MB download)
  The powerhouse of instant messengers boasts over 50 million users! That is precisely why other companies are pressing AOL to open its IM to other products like Yahoo IM. Other features, according to AOL: Receive instant alerts; share photos, pictures and sounds; stay on top of the news and stocks.
  
  
• ICQ2000 (6.1 MB download)
  AOL bought the pre-eminent independent chat company a few years back and so now is by far the number 1 provider of IM software. ICQ just launched the 2000 beta.
  
  
• Yahoo Messenger 3.0 (1.3 MB download)
  If you're a Yahoo devotee and want to try instant messenging, this is the only way to go. Yahoo's registered user base rivals AOL's, so you shouldn't have trouble finding someone to chat with. Features other than IM include: voice chat and file transfer; alerts for your stock quotes; Yahoo! Mail messages; and Calendar appointments News, Weather, Stock Quotes, Sports Scores.
  
  
• MSN Messenger 3.0 (430 KB download)
  A very capable and easy to use program that will be perfect for MSN users. Integrates well with Hotmail, and requires a Passport account. Features voice conversations, file sharing, communication with pagers and cell phones, and a cool automatic typing indicator so you know when someone is typing a message.
  
  
• PowWow 4.2 (3.5 MB download)
  In addition to chat, this IM client from Tribal Voice features voice chat, Web tours, multiuser whiteboards and games, and a built-in bulletin board. The killer here is that PowWow is compatible with MSN Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger, a claim that not many other IM clients can make.

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