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Axis, Yahoo's New Browser

Posted by samzenpus on from the new-kid-on-the-block dept.

markjhood2003 writes "Fresh on the heels of Slashdot's discussion of the lack of browser choice on mobile devices comes the announcement of Yahoo's new web browser Axis. According to VentureBeat, the browser runs on iPad and iPhone as a separate standalone browser and as an extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, with support for Android and Windows Phone coming soon. It actually appears to bring some innovation to mobile search, displaying results and queries on the same page for more productive navigation between the two."

8 of 194 comments (clear)

  1. That is cool, but... by bonch · · Score: 4, Insightful

    That search result display is actually really cool. I'd love to see that in other browsers (including desktop browsers). The problem is Yahoo's track record is poor when it comes to updating their products. For instance, Yahoo Mail is embarrassingly behind other web mail services. If Yahoo treats this like they treat their other products, I can't help wondering if it will just become another obsolete Yahoo thing.

    1. Re:That is cool, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      someone didn't take her meds today

    2. Re:That is cool, but... by aardvarkjoe · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You can create unlimited spam decoys in Gmail too, just use "youremailid+arandomstring@gmail.com"

      This feature is worthless as a spam decoy strategy, as anyone can use it to find your real address. I would be amazed if spammers don't already strip off the "+whatever" from gmail addresses, and those that don't would certainly start if any appreciable number of people used it. It's got its uses, but spam prevention isn't among them.

      I wonder why Google hasn't stepped up to supply actual disposable email addresses yet. It doesn't seem like a difficult feature to add, and would have a lot of value to their users.

      --

      How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
    3. Re:That is cool, but... by galaad2 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What, exactly, does Yahoo! have that Gmail doesn't have? Other! Than! Excessive! Punctuation!

      well, there's one thing: yahoo mail has stupid and obnoxious graphical ads, sometimes with flash&sound and sometimes the ads expand to fill the page if you accidentally mouse over them (happened to me a month ago when i was installing a new computer and i didn't had time to install AdBlock Plus. ABP was the first thing i installed after that).

      Gmail only has text ads and those are not even remotely as annoying as the crap that yahoo shows.

      --
      root@127.0.0.1
  2. This can't be a browser due the Apple Store by Skuto · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As covered in the article about mobile browser choice yesterday, just by virtue of being on the Apple Store this cannot be a real browser in any significant meaning of the word. So saying it's a "separate standalone browser" is just a flagrant lie. At best it's a shell around the existing WebKit/Safari browser on those devices.

    Given that it's also listed as an "extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari", what is this really? Yet another privacy-invasion toolbar? :(

    1. Re:This can't be a browser due the Apple Store by Rennt · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I believe the point is that if it is sold on the App Store we know it cannot be a stand alone browser by virtue of Apple's store policy.

  3. Re:What's it for? by interkin3tic · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I too was wondering what it's for. From the link: "Yahoo! Axis offers a faster, smarter search with instant answers and visual search previews."

    ... why do I need a new BROWSER for that? Google image search takes one extra tap. And the search engine in question is of course yahoo. I made the switch away from Yahoo a long time ago for better search engines. Don't really see a reason to go back: google is working fine. Is Yahoo going to respect my privacy more than google is? Because that's the one reason I could see for switching, but if they're not saying that to begin with...

    There is nothing else on the site save two ads. Anyone have a list of features this thing is supposed to have?

  4. Read the source Luke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    because its just a toolbar re-modelled,
    its primary purpose seems to be setting a GUID, a yahoo cookie and tracking everything you do with a web bug beacon, and it injects external scripts on every page
    reading the source reveals their true intents and its not an extension to help you

    basically its good old spyware