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PARC's Popout Prism Aids Web Navigation

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the interesting-ideas dept.

sulo writes "Popout Prism is a Web Browser that reduces the amount of time users end looking for information in Web pages. By creating visual "popouts" that emphasize critical elements in Web pages, Popout Prism draws users' attention to the right information." Not a very complicated idea, but one that could be useful.

6 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. Re:a problem by dj_paulgibbs · · Score: 3, Insightful

    probably the same way as you'd see a level in a game such as Unreal Tournament.

  2. I call fluff by sunbeam60 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This stuff wouldn't be necesary if web designers were better doing their jobs. Sure it might be warranted on all the poorly designed web pages, but when you arrive at one that is well designed, you know exactly where to go.

    1. Re:I call fluff by Malc · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Who cares about the web designers? Google cached pages already does highlighting. If a web designer can't produce a well-designed web page, they've wasted their time AFAIC because I will just move on to a better site.

  3. A good application... by GillBates0 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    for this would be cellphones or PDA's, which have displays that are too small to view normal webpages designed for larger displays.

    If the user is looking for specific information/keywords that are too small to read on the display, the browser could "popout" a magnified/highlighted/easier to read version of the surrounding context.

    And rather than coming out with a whole new browser, maybe it could be incorporated into The Google Toolbar or something similar....they've recently added new features to make searching within a webpage easier.

    --
    An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
  4. How long before this is hijacked for ads? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful
    If this becomes commonplace, the only thing it's going to really do is make popup ads into Popup Prism (tm) ads.

    Oh, and it will probably suck more bandwidth to do it, too.

  5. Curmudgeon's Corner by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Those whose idea of a Web page is a Photoshop mockup or big fat Flash banner will hate this browser, and people using this browser will hate such pages.

    Those who produce well-structured and meaningfully-styled Web documents have nothing to fear from it... but people surfing such pages probably won't gain that much from using this browser.

    --
    Il n'y a pas de Planet B.