Yahoo Releases a New Toolbar (P.S. It's Broken)
A few days ago, Yahoo! released a new version of their browser toolbar and this time, they've made it available for Firefox users, too, albeit in a beta format. Previously, the new Yahoo! Toolbar was an IE-only download which delivered an integrated search box and links to Yahoo-owned sites and applications. Now the toolbar introduces some new features like "Site Previews" and faster search courtesy of Inquisitor. There's only one problem with the software (besides the fact that toolbars in and of themselves are incredibly passé): it doesn't work on Windows 7.
Yahoo Toolbar, All Brand-New and Broken
In the comments of the Yodel Anecdotal blog post and the Yahoo Search blog post about the toolbar's release, several commenters noted that the toolbar did not install on Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system. Another complained that it crashed when installing to IE8. Later, a Yahoo employee jumped in to report that the team "made some adjustments" and asked the commenters to try again.
Unfortunately, as of this morning, I'm still unable to test the new toolbar on my Windows 7 PCs. Going to toolbar.yahoo.com brings me to a page where the download button is greyed out and the text beneath it reads:
We're sorry. This version of Yahoo! Toolbar requires Windows 2000 or later. It will not work on your system.
Nice going, Yahoo. Way to test your software before releasing it.
Toolbar Features
It's too bad that the toolbar is broken because it has a couple of features that look like they might be interesting to try. The first new addition is something being called "Preview and Go" which provides drop-down boxes reminiscent of IE8's "Web Slices" feature that deliver live previews of other web sites without you having to leave the page you're currently on. This is handy for checking multiple email inboxes, staying on top of your eBay listings, reading breaking news, checking stocks, weather, or movie showtimes, and more. Since Web Slices are IE8-only, the Yahoo! Toolbar could deliver similar functionality to those who prefer surfing in Firefox instead.
The other new feature of note is the toolbar's Inquisitor integration. If you haven't tried Inquisitor before, already available as a browser plugin for Safari, Firefox, and Internet Explorer, you're missing out on one of the cooler search experiences coming out of Yahoo. The toolbar, like the plugin, lets you search using traditional searche engines like Yahoo or Google, but also site-specific engines like Flickr, Wikipedia, and Amazon. You can customize Inquisitor, too, by adding other search engines to its list.
Sadly, I can't actually try any of these new features because Yahoo's Toolbar doesn't work on Windows 7 - in either Firefox or IE. Although Windows 7 has not publicly launched, its release candidate has been out for a while now. You would think Yahoo would want to support the millions of users who have downloaded the latest version of Windows. Apparently, Yahoo thinks they've fixed the issue so who knows when Windows 7 users will ever get a chance to try the new toolbar.
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Not that I like or care for Yahoo! Toolbars etc, but this is article is simply a hatchet job.
You are demanding a firm make a product work with an operating system that isn't even out yet! Talk about finding an excuse to stick the knife in.
I'm disappointed in RWW which usually produces interesting content well worth sharing. On this occasion, you have just been plain mean!
As you described new features of Yahoo toolbar I am willing to install it and tryout its features.
@Josh: Oh please. They clearly *meant* for it to work or they wouldn't be trying to fix it now as per the Yahoo employee's comments in the blog post. It's a screw-up, not an intentional oversight.
I would agree with Josh. First it is a beta product so you can expect a few issues, second regular users don't have access to Windows 7 yet so it doesn't matter at this. Good on Yahoo's behalf that they are working on fixing it.
P.Arora
www.omture.com
Agree with Josh. A beta product that doesn't work with software that hasn't been released yet? Who cares if it is a screw-up or oversight. Couldn't you have found a computer near by that it would install on to do a real review? I really do like most of the articles on this site specifically because they tend to avoid writing an article just for the hell of it.
>>Previously, the Yahoo! Toolbar was an IE-only download
I've had Yahoo's Firefox version their toolbar installed for at least 2 years now. Yahoo has always been good supporting FF.
If it is only a beta for firefox at this time and supposedly it is "Previously, the Yahoo! Toolbar was an IE-only download" How have I been using it for quite some time (thinking between a year and a year and a half) on Mac using Firefox?
I've corrected the post so it's clear that I'm referring to the latest iteration of this toolbar when I said "previously IE-only". Because, per Yahoo's blog post:
"The new Yahoo! Toolbar, already available on Internet Explorer, is now available on Firefox (beta)..."
Bringing the *new* Yahoo Toolbar to Firefox is, in fact, something new. Older versions of the toolbar supported Firefox, but this one did not until now.
OK, so lots of love for Yahoo out there. Windows 7 is no longer a beta, though. It's a release candidate. And the RTM is available next month.
Even before I read the other comments, I was already thinking "who cares that it doesn't work with Win7. It's not out yet!" And last time I checked, a release candidate is not a final version. No software vendor should be required to or waste their time supporting a product that is not final. This article is a hate-job. Poor taste!
Ah, good catch Sarah, that i didn't checked on. this time i totally agree with you. http://url4.eu/17LA
The funny part is how late they are releasing it. Google Toolbar 8 got months and months out and the same goes for IE8 webslices if you have been using IE8 since beta. the other one they are copying on it is MSN Silverlight Toolbar. the only truly exclusive thing is the inquisitor search.
OMG I could never understand tool bars. They are a nuisance!
RT
www.anon-tools.tk
You honestly expect them to support a RC OS that has less than 1% marketshare ?! LOL
Skype, nvidia and numerous other companies have made their products compatible with windows 7.
How hard is it to make a simple toolbar compatible with windows 7?
If nvidia can support an operating systems complex new architecture, along with the complexity of their powerful graphics cards drivers perfectly well, in a very short time span,
then Yahoo should be more on the ball with a little toolbar release.
Wow, could you find something more useless to write about. Beta software that doesn't work on a RC OS.
And who in the F uses browser toolbars anymore except for stupid people who don't uncheck the options when installing software.
You can download the toolbar from this address:
http://download.yimg.com/ycs/toolbar/ff/us/minified_yahootoolbar-2.0.0.20090605061254_intl-us_sc-_pc-_dc-v2_tyc.xpi
(for those using Windows 7)
I agree with Ryan. You shouldn't be using a beta OS for production PCs. Of course some software won't work.
By the way, you can spoof your Firefox user agent with either an extension or by going into about:config, but I'd expect that a writer for tech blog would know this...
Toolbars do nothing but track your site visits and add extra junk on your screen, of course I could never live without my weather bug toolbar.
Wow, I find it hard to believe that several still agree with this article. Expecting them to support an RC OS. Well, I guess I am just as bad as Yahoo! then, cause I have not tested any of my apps in Win7 yet. So where's the article about my apps not supported an unreleased OS?
This article is misleading. Makes you think Yahoo! is doing something wrong. "Yahoo Releases New Toolbar P.S. It's Broken)... umm, no it's not. It just doesn't work on an OS that itself does not completely work yet. Big freaking deal!
Looks like the Yahoo viral marketing team is out in full-force in the comments section for this article.
I would say that this is more an indictment of Microsoft than Yahoo! Didn't Microsoft say that Vista programs would work on Windows 7 unmodified? It seems that some modification is necessary since this works just fine on Vista.
I saw an article today that hopes these types of devices or applications may be the saviour for the newspapers. I still have my doubts because you don't need a kindle to get your news, it's still free online.
thanks so much 4 a nice topic. it's really a wonderful