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Search Stylishly With NeoPlanet Update

Browser utility incorporates Flyswat technology for faster Web searching.

By Paul Heltzel, PCWorld   

NeoPlanet 5.1 is a minor upgrade to the add-on that lets you choose from hundreds of 'skins' that change the look, feel, and sound of your browser. The biggest change is that it now bundles Flyswat, a powerful search program, into its self-styled 'Internet Desktop.'

Flyswat is a separate, free download that creates links within the pages you view. These links are in addition to any existing hyperlinks on a page. Flyswat's links are a different color, and they help you find information related to the content you're browsing.

When you install the new version of NeoPlanet, a splash screen asks whether you want to also use Flyswat. If you agree, you need to register by entering your e-mail address. You can choose whether to accept promotional offers and e-mail messages from the NeoPlanet mailing list. You must at least fill in your e-mail and zip code. And you have to view an advertisement before you can get started with the browser.

To activate Flyswat, select the insect icon from the main toolbar. If you find its links too intrusive, you can always turn it off.

Decorative Browsing

Flyswat creates links for company names, people, and technical terms. Click the Flyswat link and a pop-up menu appears. From there you choose from several options Flyswat provides. Click the name of a company and Flyswat offers links to the corporate Web site and a company profile.

If you've used NeoPlanet 5.0, you won't notice many other changes. The browser ties in with Lycos NetClubs, which offer instant messaging, a buddy list, chat, and bulletin boards. The update provides other small changes in its instant messaging to further integrate with the NetClubs service.

Despite its various ways of pushing advertising at you, NeoPlanet is attractive and fun. I picked a skin from a recent movie, and my toolbar and buttons now display its visual theme.

The seamless bundling of Flyswat is a smart move for NeoPlanet. Too often its features promote the cosmetic over the functional. Flyswat adds true usefulness to the program and a reasonable inducement for using the browser rather than the vanilla Internet Explorer.