For Ask3D Power Users

If you're looking to get the most out of Ask3D, you should know all the tools. We've already covered our home page, our three-panel results screen, and our right-rail filled with vertical content and in-line functions. But wait, there's more…

Binoculars 2.0

As tech columnist Walt Mossberg noted the other day, We've taught our popular site preview tool some new tricks. Our binoculars window is 50% larger, 50% faster, and there's more of them, so they show up--all together now--50% more often.

What's more, it gives you more than just a visual preview. Within each binocular, you'll find these three pieces of info about that Web site:

- Number of pop-ups on the Web site
- Whether or not the site is Flash-based
- How fast/slow the site takes to load on a 56k connection

"Freeze" Your Search Results to Make Changes

Any good searcher knows that real power searching is done by performing advanced searches, modifying your search preferences, and saving searches that really hit the mark. The problem's always been that you usually have to click away to do any of these things-or set them up before you even start searching. That means you'd waste loading a new page, clicking the "back" button, or worse, starting your search all over again.

Until now. With Ask3D, you can change your preferences, do an advanced search, or add your search results to MyStuff without leaving the page you're on.

For example, click the "Options" link in the top corner of the Left Panel, and a new window will show up on top of your search results, "freezing" them until you change your preferences. You don't waste any time loading a new page. Once you finish changing those settings, your results will "unfreeze" and you can continue on your way.

And that, in six simple blog posts (1 2 3 4 5 6), is the new Ask3D.

Ask3D--the Audio Nutshell

Want the entire lowdown on Ask3D while you drive or go to the gym? Webmaster Radio did a podcast interview with Daniel Read, Ask.com's VP of Site Product Management & User Experience, that covers the whole megillah. Click here to get it.

Hopefully, by this time, you've tried a search or two. If not, what are you waiting for?

Ken Grobe
Product Content Manager
Ask.com