A brilliant browsing experience (Neoplanet)

Member Name: sandrabarber

Product:	Neoplanet
Date:	11/02/02 (57 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Funky, Fun, Brilliant email integration

Disadvantages: None

The trouble with Netscape and Microsoft browsers is that they are so BORING. Yes, they keep updating them, and the current ones do look better than ever, bit it's still just a slightly different take on the same old template. Tried adding a skin to Microsoft IE? Hideous result!

Thank god for Neoplanet from Lycos, a totally different browsing experience altogether. Neoplanet is quick to download and easy to install (address at end of op).

Neoplanet offers a choice of 'skins' - i.e. browser designs - and there are literally thousands to choose from, ranging from the pretty standard to the truly beautiful to the downright bizarre. You can import as many skins onto your hard drive as you like, and you can set Neoplanet to run your favourite or to choose a random skin each time it opens.

So every time you surf, you can do it through a completely different looking screen. Some of them make great noises too when they're alerting you to e-mail arrivals or saying goodbye when you close them down. Try 'Dark Haunting' - it's really eerie and a clown laughs very sinisterly to grab your attention. I also particularly like 'neobabyclub', a very cute baby who makes very strange noises indeed, and 'tiger tiger' which roars at you to say hello, goodbye, and alert you to incoming emails.

The NeoPlanet Browser features a powerful e-mail program that can automatically import your e-mail settings from a variety of other e-mail programs. You have a preview pane for e-mail, customizable filtering, an address book, spell check and more.

A great feature is e-mail notification, in which an animated presentation appears in the lower, right-hand corner Infobox. And unlike IE, neoplanet automatically checks all the email addresses you've told it to without trying to dial up other connections.

But what of its capabilities? Well, it's as good as IE and Netscape at managing your connectio
n, your e-mail accounts (setting up to import mail from other accounts couldn't be simpler)and your favourites.

You can also have special Neoplanet channels down a sidebar which you choose yourself and you can go to with just one click.

And there is an integrates search facility along the top of the browser which means that you no longer need to have half your screen taken up with IEs sidebar if you're doing a lot of searching.

The only drawabck I've encountered is that the 'skins' act as a barrier to automatic form-fillers such as Gator, so you have to fill in your forms manually. However, Neoplanet tell me they're working on this.

I've been using neo planet for almost 2 years now and it has given me no problems system-wise at all.

Whenever I'm using a PC with only IE or Netscape, I really miss the bright funkiness and the seamless email of NP.

Tech Info: The NeoPlanet Browser is less than 4.0 MB and is fully compatible with Windows 95/98/NT and IE4.0. It is also compatible with Windows 2000/ME and IE 5.5+. It works with all existing Internet connections available from any Internet Service Provider.

Download from:
http://www.neoplanet.com/site/products/browser /browser_download.html

Give it a try and you'll never look back!

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