Linspire unveiled “Hot Words,” a set of features within Linspire’s new Internet suite that allows one-click Google searches on words on any Web page or email message.
Every word that appears on a Web site or in an email can be clicked and then instantly searched using a pop-up menu that performs Web, shopping and news searches. Screenshots of the new Hot Words search feature are available at http://www.linspire.com/hotwords.
“Searching needs to evolve beyond putting tool bars into browsers,” said Michael Robertson, chief executive officer of Linspire, Inc. “If searching is embedded directly in the operating system, people can immediately search when they want to. This is an emerging trend — you’ll soon see this kind of search implemented in all operating systems. With Hot Words, Linspire is leading the way toward integrating effortless, efficient searches directly into the user experience.”
Traditional searching methods require copying and pasting a word or phrase into a separate browser window or tool bar. With Hot Words, the search is embedded right into the open page or email. Holding the mouse over a word in a Web page or email highlights the word. When a user clicks on the highlighted word, an instant pop-up search menu appears where the user can choose to perform a Web search, shop for products, or look up news on related topics. These pop-up menus are customizable so users can choose the specific features and search engines they prefer.
Hot Words also contains an instant auto-suggesting spellcheck function — not only are misspelled words underlined, but spelling suggestions are generated into a menu when a user clicks on the word. Users will not have to perform a separate spellcheck each time they send an email — they can simply select their preferred spelling and keep typing. The instant spellcheck works within email or in Web mail clients like Google Mail.
The Linspire Internet Suite uses the same advanced “Gecko” layout engine that powers the popular Firefox and Mozilla Web browsers. Linspire worked closely with top Mozilla developers when creating the technology behind Hot Words. This will ensure seamless integration with Firefox when this innovative technology is contributed back to the Mozilla Foundation.
In addition to Hot Words, the new suite includes an email management system called MailMinder. MailMinder organizes email by allowing the user to designate messages to be resent on later dates, even to multiple email addresses.
The Linspire suite also includes free Internet calling via the built-in PhoneGaim product. PhoneGaim allows free digital-quality phone calls to other PhoneGaim customers or regular telephones, plus gives users a free phone number and voicemail sent as email, all built in to the popular Gaim instant messaging service.
Murdok | Breaking eBusiness News
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