Watson for Windows

Used Watson for Windows?

Editors’ Review

Download.com staffNovember 7, 2008

This application stays one step ahead of the game, offering search results on topics before you even ask, although its offline clairvoyance act didn't work as well. Watson's organized interface automatically displays search results based on the content of the current page you're on.

Its guided setup lets you determine which sites the program searches, and you can add multiple URLs. As you surf, Watson quickly scans your resource list and presents the top search results matching the text on the current page. You can dock the results window on any side of your screen. A space-saving toolbar appears on Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers to search and focus on specific text when you've got the docked window hidden.

Watson wasn't as effective with its offline tools. It's supposed to offer information based on your typed text in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook, but it didn't return any results when we tried it. At times, Watson informed us that it needed more direction and suggested we highlight a term and hit Refresh. Even with this miss, this freebie is a welcome resource for regular search hounds.

Watson for Windows

Used Watson for Windows?

Explore More

Full Specifications

GENERAL

Release: November 30, 2006

Latest update: November 7, 2008

Version: 2.5

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Platform: Windows

Operating System

Windows 2000
Windows 10
Windows XP

Additional Requirements: Windows 2000/XP/2003 Server

POPULARITY

Total Downloads: 10,222

Downloads Last Week: 0

Report Software

Program available in other languages

Descargar Watson

Last Updated

User Reviews

2/5

1 User Votes

Powerful concept; resource hog; generates conflict with other software
LoneStarGazer1June 23, 2006
Pros
It's a really powerful concept where you are working on a document in an application such as MSWord, and the program simultaneously analyzes the document for relevant searchs, and searches your hard drive and the internet for related material. It's a real boon to a researcher or technical writer. <p>Although the product claims compatibility with pre-existing search tools (Paperport 11, MSN Desktop Search) -- my copy came bundled with Paperport, it just slows everything down too much to be useful. It would be better if it would sit in the background UNTIL you gave it a "fetch" command.
Cons
I have a 1 year old laptop that was really fast and tricked out with a full panoply of memory. However, it slows down loading an applications to the point that they are painfully slow. I think this is promising technology, but it is analagous to voice recognition of 10 years ago -- a powerful concept that is too far ahead of the technology and power of computer technology. In another 6 years (2 hardware generations), nobody who write technical material will want to be without it.
Summary

Developer’s Description

Find information that's relevant to what you are doing in real time.