browsing

Web of Trust (WOT) for Internet Explorer provides users with a simple meter for gauging a Web site's danger level. With easy to read warnings, this program only leaves one thing to chance with your safety.

The program does not have anything to offer on your computer's desktop because it embeds itself into your Internet Explorer browser for quick access. Depending on the Web site you visit, the program's icon turns red, yellow, or green to illustrate the danger level. Clicking on the icon displays a chart showcasing Trustworthiness, Vendor Reliability, Privacy, and Child Safety. The warnings … Read more

Apple's latest iteration of Safari has a lot to offer, putting it among the top browsers in its category, but those who like to customize their surfing experience may need to look elsewhere. Version 4 features the Nitro engine, which runs JavaScript up to 4.5 times faster than Safari 3 (according to Apple) and it was certainly blindingly fast in all of our testing. The browser supports all modern Web standards, like HTML 5 and advanced CSS effects so you don't need to worry about whether Safari will work correctly on your favorite sites. Though Safari 4 … Read more

Initially met with some skepticism, the Windows version of Apple's Safari browser has developed into a strong Web-surfing candidate. Previous versions felt unfinished, but Safari 4 can stand should to shoulder with the other major Windows Web browsers--depending on what kind of experience you want.

Safari lacks most customization features. Skins and other aesthetic tweaks exist in the Mac version, but not here. Just about the only thing you can alter is the font. However, the new version represents a radical departure in look and feel, and the changes are for the better. Safari now looks much more like … Read more

Invisible Browsing has a nicely designed user interface that makes it incredibly easy to change your IP address. Unfortunately, doing so slows your browsing speed down to a halt.

The program's interface was made to accommodate all user levels. It comes with two modes: Automatic and Manual. The Automatic mode displays prominent buttons for changing your IP and restoring it. You can view your real IP address, and with a single click of your mouse, you can change and view the new address in the same window. But as soon as we started browsing with our new IP, we … Read more

Although plain in design, this handy tool lets you easily store and view your favorite Web sites offline. Instead of supplying a built-in browser, your stored pages can be quickly viewed in your designated browser.

This freeware program's bland interface is all business. A simple Wizard that leads you through the process of copying Web sites is a welcome touch. Users need only enter a project name, insert the URLs to be copied, and adjust settings as desired, including choosing how many layers of a page the program will pick up. HTTrack Website Copier goes to work very quickly … Read more

Free Internet Window Washer is yet another contender in the browsing-privacy category, but its spotty performance and lack of navigational flow left a lot to be desired.

The user interface is bland in appearance, but simple enough to understand. However, the commands along the left side of the small window aren't in the most logical order. The result is an interface that lacks any kind of flow, making it difficult to know where to go next. Regardless, using the Wash Settings menu, we were able to check off the cleaning options we wanted to include in the wipe process. … Read more

This free browser works, but doesn't offer users any compelling reasons to replace their current program. GreenBrowser is set up in the basic style of popular browsers like Firefox and Internet Explorer.

The good news for new users is how intuitive the buttons feel and how quickly anyone familiar with those systems can adapt to GreenBrowser. Its homepage offers a variety of links to entertainment, technology, and news sites. The program also touts "special" features to auto-fill forms and prevent ads, but these have become standard in many browsers.

While GreenBrowser searched for sites and functioned properly, … Read more

Here's some good news that you should forward to your boss.

A study conducted in Australia found that people who engage in "Workplace Internet Leisure Browsing" (WILB) are more productive than those who don't. Workers who "surf the Internet for fun at work--within a reasonable limit of less than 20 percent of their total time in the office--are more productive by about 9 percent,"* according to the study's author, Professor Brent Coker, from the University of Melbourne's Department of Management and Marketing.… Read more

GSA Cleandrive is a privacy tool that promises to rid your computer of harmful spyware and browsing traces. But thanks to its restrictive trial limitation, it failed to clean any of the problems it found on our PC.

The user interface is very straightforward and easy to navigate. You can view the overall status of your computer's privacy, and a one-click button lets you clean your system in one fell swoop. If you want a little more control over the scanning process, a custom cleanup button lets you decide which areas of your computer that you want to clean. … Read more