The battle for a better browser is on and hopefully end-users will reap the benefits. One of the latest browsers vying for your attention is Wichio, also known by its full name, 27 Tools-in-1 Wichio Browser, an Internet Explorer-based web browser that will talk to you, automatically find song lyrics, and alert users when their favorite web page is updated, among 24 other things.
On the downside, it isn’t free ($29) and it’s reportedly a resource hog. But it can be tried for free for a month and a half.
Wichio offers the popular tabbed browsing feature along with the ability to save tabbed sets of web pages. The 27 features are represented by 27 buttons on the screen, though the minimalist users can pare down that listing to suit their needs.
A quick list of the more notable features:
Creates private URL lists that are only accessible by usernames and passwords so others who share the computer can’t access URL histories.
Automatically retrieves song lyrics when a song is playing in Winamp or by typing song or artist.
Notifies when selected web pages are updated or when someone answers posts in message boards.
IP-URL Checker shows Whois, Trace route, DNS lookup of IP or URL specified.
Screen Capture function removes limits and need for pasting to other documents.
Netstat shows who is connected to your computer, allows you to get their information and shows unusual connections, like Trojans.
Shows IP address every time computer is online.
Has dictionary, web translator, pop-up blockers, and weather alerts.
Reviews have been mixed. While some enjoy the added customizable utility, others complain that $30 is too steep a price to pay when there are open-source browsers like Mozilla Firefox and all the plug-ins that come with.
