Search engines trying to compete with Google need to have features and products to set them apart. Yahoo! Axis has an add-on for popular web browsers and apps for iOS devices to aid and synchronize searching no matter where you are.
One of the difficulties of searching the web for anything is having to jump from page to page to find all of the information you need. It always ends up having too many tabs or windows open and becomes confusing. Yahoo! Axis is a great way to search the web and research different topics without messing up the whole search experience.
Starting out with Yahoo! Axis
This article I’ll mostly be talking about the desktop version for Google Chrome. However, there are add-ons for Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer, not to mention the iPad and iPhone applications. When starting out from the desktop, you’ll need to go to axis.yahoo.com. Click on the Yellow button at the top of the page.
Depending on the browser, you will either be taken to the download page or the extension will start to install.
Once installed, a tutorial page will pop up. There’s a few arrows pointing out key points to the page. You’ll need to do some searches before email access some of what shown in the tutorial.
In the bottom left-hand corner, you see the search bar. Start by clicking the text area to add in the search term. When you click on the search box, the Yahoo! Access bar will expand and show you some trending searches.
Searching with Yahoo! Axis
As you type in your search term, the left side of the Yahoo! Axis search bar will start to auto complete with popular searches.
The right side of the search area will start to show previews of webpages or pictures depending on your search.
Clicking on a website will take you to the page shown. When searching for an image, you can click on the image and have it expand without taking you directly to the image source page.
Why you should take the time to download Yahoo! Axis
To make the change to any new service or software, a real benefit needs to be obvious. With mobile web browsing and searches increasing by leaps and bounds, it’s important to have have a great way to search the web while mobile. What’s even better is when you can see any of the searches you’ve performed be it on your iPhone or computer.
Shared bookmarks and a search history visible from any device is a big convenience. Being able to preview the webpages in the search results while mobile is a great data saving feature. Another reason why the mobile to desktop syncing is great is the Read Later option. Instead of using a 3rd party application or service to save a website for later reading, it’s all done through Yahoo! Axis.
Conclusion
Google may have the lions share of the search market, but sometimes convenience wins. Yahoo! Axis offers a good mix of search features and convenience to make it worth checking out.
How do you keep track of your bookmarks and search history across all of your devices?
Trevor is a freelance writer covering topics ranging from the Android OS to free web and desktop applications. When he is not writing about mobile productivity, He is coaching and playing the world’s greatest game… Soccer.
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