Archive for March, 2009

What are the differences between Ambiently and a search engine?

March 29th, 2009

Most obviously, Ambiently is simpler than a search engine. On a search engine, you need to think of a good query and type it into a search box. Using Ambiently, all these steps are unnecessary. With Ambiently, all you need to do is to click a button. That action leads to a list of web links related to the current webpage. In other words, every webpage now is a automated “search engine.”

One of the biggest problems with today’s search is that we often know roughly what we want, but cannot easily get the right query. Sometimes, our need is broader than a simple query can describe. With Ambiently, there is no such need. You get relevant web information by one click.

Using a search engine, you get web links related to your query. However, you get web links related to the webpages you are reading, viewing, or enjoying. As the noted author Peter Morville said, the future of search will be “a future where search and browsing work together.” Ambiently is doing just that.

How do you use Ambiently?

March 29th, 2009

From any webpage you are viewing, one click on a toggle button takes you to an “ambient page.” That ambient page displays a list of relevant webpage links. Usually these links are related to the current webpage. You scan this page and check out listed webpages, just like using a search results page.

No matter if you are happy or not with the current webpage, you can go to its ambient page to see more related webpage links. It is an easy way to find interesting information.

When you are on the ambient page, one click on the toggle button switches you back to the current webpage.