*Internet Explorer Shells*
These three programs turn Internet Explorer into the browser that it could
be if Microsoft were interested in updating its venerable product. By
repackaging and augmenting IE's own features with tabbed multiple windows
and other innovations that are already de rigueur in other browsers, they
can make standing by your old faithful program easier.
*Avant Force Avant Browser 10*
1.1MB
Avant browser and Maxthon are virtually clones, with a few minor differences
that could make one or the other more appealing to you. As with other
browsers, be ready to reconfigure Avant's interface to reflect your version
of Web reality. For some reason, Avant's window tabs show up at the bottom
of the screen by default; things felt right once we dragged the tab bar to
the top of the window. We also dragged and dropped other interface elements
to their rightful places. For example, the browser's handy row of buttons
for navigating among tabs and managing them appears in the top-right corner
of the screen by default, but this row cries out to be nearer the main
navigation buttons at the top left.
In addition to blocking ads, pop-ups, and ActiveX controls, Avant lets you
erase your browsing history and other tracks, and bookmark groups of tabbed
windows. It also serves as an RSS reader, complete with dozens of feeds. Not
surprisingly, Avant Browser's log-in automation and site compatibility
closely mirror those of IE.
*Mysoft Technology Maxthon 1.1*
1.8MB
Maxthon <http://www.maxthon.com/en/download.htm> transforms the Ubiquitous
One (IE) into a tabbed browser bristling with toolbars and utilities. Like
Avant Browser, this IE shell blocks ads, pop-ups, and ActiveX controls, and
its privacy tool makes it easy to erase your Internet cache, cookies, and
browsing and search history. Maxthon gives you lots of control over whether
and how new Web pages open in new tabs; and, like Firefox and Mozilla, the
program lets you bookmark sets of tabbed Web pages so that you can open them
all at once. You can also close open sites by domain or by screen
position--all those to the right or to the left of your current position.
Even if you turn off many of its bells and whistles, these core features
make Maxthon useful for anyone who continues to rely on Internet Explorer
for their browsing.
Like Avant Browser, Maxthon had a few compatibility issues with some of our
test Web sites. However, if all you want is to fill a few of Internet
Explorer's feature gaps, Maxthon could be just what you need.
*Stilesoft NetCaptor Personal Edition 7.5.3*
1MB
If the interfaces of the Avant Browser and Maxthon IE replacements are a bit
too busy for you, NetCaptor may be more your style. The program looks a lot
like plain-vanilla Internet Explorer, tacking on only a few unimpressive
interface flourishes and toolbars. But NetCaptor does add two indispensable
features: tabbed browsing and the ability to bookmark groups of tabbed
pages. You can even e-mail these groups to other NetCaptor users. The
program defaults to lining up Web page tabs at the bottom of the screen,
just as Avant Browser does; switching the tabs back to the top of the
browser's window requires a trip to its configuration settings, as well as a
program restart. The smallest enhancement to IE of the three shells we
reviewed, NetCaptor's two-trick fix may keep the alternative-averse from
switching to Firefox.
*New Names Shake Up Web Searching*
Look out, Google. Make way, Jeeves. The Internet is evolving--and the way
people use it is changing as well. Amazon's A9.com, for example, lets you
probe the contents of books. And Craigslist.org gives you a way to get
personal on a very local level. I scoured the Web, asked the advice of
search mavens, and spent endless hours snooping deep into Internet sites of
all sorts to find the coolest, most searchable spots on the Web.
*Keep It Local*
*Yahoo Local: *Say you need a neighborhood PC repair shop or a dry
cleaner. Yahoo
Local <http://local.yahoo.com/> lets you search within a mile of your
home--or up to 50 miles away. You can save your location preferences and use
a drop-down menu to repeat a recent search around town, or in a city you
visit often. Broaden the search area with a few clicks, or sort the results
by name or distance from an address, city, or zip code. You can view the
search results on a map that highlights their location and provides even
more information.
*Chowhound: *Whenever I travel, I worry that I'll walk into the worst
restaurant in town. I'm not even sure I trust my own local newspaper
reviews. That's why I rely on Chowhound <http://www.chowhound.com/>, where
the area locals undoubtedly have the last word. Whether you're looking for
the best barbecue in Birmingham or top-notch sushi in Seattle, Chowhound's
experts clue you in to the best of the local dives--and the eateries you
should avoid.
*Craigslist: *If you're ready to get really local, try
Craigslist<http://www.craigslist.org/>,
which offers regional listings for over 50 cities in the United States as
well as many in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. Each month you
can find about 3 million new classified ads--featuring 75,000 job postings,
plus personals, services, and items for sale--and more than 50 discussion
forums.
*Gasbuddy: *In the era of $2.50-per-gallon prices, remember to visit
Gasbuddy <http://www.gasbuddy.com/>, which lists the lowest gas prices state
by state--and province by province in case you're heading north.
