Another New Toolbar - MSN’s New Live Search Toolbar
Everyone get excited MSN has added just what everyone needs… another toolbar. Joking aside though the MSN toolbar does have some advantages over the more established Google offering. The toolbar offers something called Smart Menu which in plain English means that it enables immediate access to information about items that you select on any Web page. Because Smart Menu presents the information almost instantly in a preview window, you don”t have to navigate away from the page you’re on to find and use the information.
So for instance, if you’re out which where a store is in relation to you but the site only offers an address you can simply highlight the address and get an instant map preview from Windows Live Local. Also worth noting is the fact that the usual Windows Live Local features (like zooming, continuous dragging, aerial vs. road view) can all be used in the preview window. So without any extra clicks, or navigating back and forth you easily map whatever you want.
Maps aren’t the only thing that work with the smart answer though. Whenever text is highlighted that the Smart Menu understands, a menu bar appears providing you shortcuts to weather, stocks or web calling through Windows Live Messenger, as well.
The MSN toolbar sounds interesting but with the widespread popularity of toolbars from Google, Yahoo, and other sites it remains to be seen how many people will add or switch over to MSN’s new offering.
Jennifer Kothe is the talented marketing coordinator at Internet Traffic Solutions (http://www.itsontarget.com) which is a full service marketing agency that offers clients a profitable way to get the attention of their target audience online. She alsp writes on internet marketing and technology in her blog (A Guide to Internet Marketing and Technology).
Tags: Google, Internet Toolbar, Internet Traffic Solutions, Live Search Toolbar, MSN, Smart Menu, ToolbarsApril 14th, 2008 No Comments posted in Computers and Internets
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