 Search Engines, Browsers -- (?) New and Improved (?)
By Ria Mastromatteo, Educational Technology Consultant ()
A current trend in technology is the "new and improved" browser or the "easy-to-use" search engine (browsers connect you to the Internet and search engines allow you to find information on the Internet). When surfing the web using these tools, your goal should be to find the information you're seeking in the shortest, most efficient way. Here are a few of the new ones and a little about each. They are new -- but YOU will have to decide if they're really an improvement.
Search Engines
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Kartoo.com If you like graphic organizers, this might please you. You put your search words (descriptors) on the search line and hit OK. This meta search engine searches 14 other search engines, but gives you the information graphically. When you put your cursor over one of the circles, you get a synopsis of that web site plus other terms you might use. It's an interesting new look. Go to http://www.kartoo.com/.
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Google is trying some new and exciting things with their public labs. The "new" ones are Google Voice Search. You call a number and tell it your search words. Then you click a spot on your screen and get your search results. (This is really incredible! How do they do it?) Also new is Keyboard Shortcuts, which allows you to use shortcuts when you search instead of the mouse. These programs are in the development stage, so if it doesn't work when you first try, go back at a later time. These two sites along with Google Glossary and Google Sets can be found at .
Browsers
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Browse3D This product uses the analogy of a room. The center wall is the current web page you are viewing. The right wall gives thumbnails of the sites that the current page links to. The left wall gives thumbnails of places you've already visited. You can save your web session. There is a $29.95 price tag on this program, but you can preview it at http://www.browse3d.com.
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MicroSurfer lets you select links to preload while you browse the current site. When you're ready to move on, there's no wait. You can also save your session with this program. The cost is $49.95 but there is a free preview download on the web. Go to http://www.microsurfer.com.
Give these new approaches a try. See if they suit your learning style.
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