Yahoo Launches Web Browser Axis, Makes Searches More Visual

Yahoo Launches Web Browser Axis, Makes Searches More Visual
24/05/2012 by Emily Price on Mashable

Google isn’t the only search engine in town with it’s own web browser. Yahoo announced its own new browser Wednesday evening: Axis.

Working seamlessly between your iPhone, iPad and desktop computer Yahoo is aiming to streamline your searches and connect your experience across devices by giving you access to the same information no matter what device you’re accessing it on.

Visual previews of sites in Axis eliminate the traditional step in web searches where you’re looking through links and replaces that experience with an image of the website you’ll be going to. Some searches can even be done without leaving the page you’re on.

IOS

Tapping the Axis Bar -– which combines the search box and address bar into one -– will bring up a list of trending searches. You can tap a particular trending search to learn more, or enter your own search term or website address into the bar.

Answers will begin to appear automatically for common searches like movie times and weather, often allowing you to see what you’re looking for without having to leave the page you’re on.

For other searches the browser will create a row of visual previews to websites matching your specific query. You can swipe through the results, and then tap on a picture to visit a specific page. If you don’t like the result you’ve selected you can swipe across the screen to check out the next search result.


An Axis homepage gives you access to the sites you’ve recently visited not only on your iOS device, but also on your home computer or any other device you might use running Axis. So, the homepage on your iPad will show a website you visit frequently on your iPhone, or one you check out often while browsing at home.

Searches can also be continued from one device to another. For instance, a “Continue from iPhone” button will appear on your iPad and allow you to continue viewing search results you were looking at one your phone on a bigger screen.


On your computer

On your computer Axis is a plug-in for your favorite web browser rather than a stand-alone product of its own. Available for Chrome, Firefox, IE, and Safari, the Axis toolbar shows up at the bottom of your web browser and can be used much like the iOS version to see visual previews of sites, and to look up information without leaving the page you’re on.

The homepage option is also available within your browser, allowing you to look at favorite websites and continue viewing search results from your iPhone or iPad.

Axis is available now. What do you think of the web browser. Can you see yourself using it? let us know in the comments.

Yahoo Japan dips on reports of asset swap talks failure

Yahoo Japan dips on reports of asset swap talks failure

Jack Ma

Shares of Yahoo Japan fell 5% on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on reports that talks regarding the swap of Yahoo's Asian assets had hit a stalemate.

Yahoo owns a 43% stake in China's Alibaba group, which it acquired in 2005 for $1bn (£636m), and a part of Yahoo Japan.

It had been negotiating a complex swap-deal that was expected to save it billions of dollars in taxes.

However, various reports indicated that no agreement had been reached.

"I think the deal is either dead or it's going to take a lot longer to complete, which means we don't have a near-term catalyst; hence the selloff," said Brett Harris, an analyst with Gabelli & Co.

'Another year of turmoil'
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The honeymoon is already over. Yahoo is probably looking at another year of turmoil”

Colin Gillis
BGC Financial
The stalemate in talks has come as a huge surprise.

Analysts and industry experts had expected the deal to be formalised, not least because trading in Alibaba's shares at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange has been suspended since 9 February.

The reported failure of the talks is a big blow for the Yahoo, which has been seeking to restructure its operations in a bid to boost its flagging fortunes.

The swap-deal, worth almost $17bn according to some estimates, was not only expected to save taxes, but also provide Yahoo with billions of dollars in cash.

Analysts said unless an agreement is reached soon, Yahoo may see its problems escalate further.

"The honeymoon is already over,'' said Colin Gillis an analyst with BGC Financial. "Yahoo is probably looking at another year of turmoil.''

More trouble
To make matters more complicated, Daniel Loeb, of hedge fund ThirdPoint, which owns more than 5% of Yahoo, launched a campaign to install his own directors on the firm's board.

"Installing the hand-picked choices of the current board does nothing to allay investor fears that Yahoo is poised to repeat the errors of its past,'' Mr Loeb wrote in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Mr Loeb's move comes just days after Yahoo announced changes to the board after Chairman Roy Bostock and three board member's quit.

Their exit followed that of Jerry Yang, Yahoo's co-founder, who resigned from its board last month.

Yahoo said it had sought suggestions for new directors from several shareholders.

"We have received constructive suggestions from several of our major shareholders and, therefore, it is especially disappointing that Mr. Loeb has chosen a potentially disruptive path, just as the company is moving forward under new leadership to aggressively increase the value of Yahoo,'' the firm said in a statement.

Alibaba, shareholders, Daniel Loeb, Colin Gillis, Turmoil, Yahoo Japan, Alibaba group, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Yahoo Japan, Jack Ma, Shares of Yahoo

Source: BBC