Search Panel 1.6

CNET editors' review

Reviewed by: CNET Staff

Few people know it, but Internet Explorer comes with a pretty powerful search sidebar. Trouble is, it doesn't search Google. But Search Panel does, as well as Yahoo, Looksmart, and Amazon. This IE plug-in automatically searches text you select on the page or type into the search box. Results appear in the sidebar, which is both a strength and a weakness. On the one hand, you don't have to start a new browser instance or surf somewhere else to run a search. On the other, the narrowness of the sidebar can make results hard to read. Search Panel maximizes its space by packing search engines' features, such as image, video, and news search, into a tabbed interface. Ominously, there's room set aside for Sponsors, and an Amazon ad appears under every Web search. But the shilling isn't obtrusive. IE users may get a lot of miles out of this freeware utility.

Publisher's description

From Naturally Open :

Search Panel is an Internet Explorer add-on that lets you do Web searches (including images and news) by simply selecting text right on the Web page. The results are displayed in a compact, attractive left-hand sidebar. Details are available on any search result just by mousing over. You then can open the link in the same window or a new one. Search Panel is not a toolbar, so you avoid toolbar clutter. You can open or close it by pressing on a single icon.

Version 1.6 adds the ability to do Yahoo Web, image, video, news, and local searches. Another tab provides instant access to the Amazon.com catalog while you are browsing.

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