HotBot has a new look

and a new "deskbar"

[keyplyr]

HotBot [hotbot.com] has a new look and considering what they've been using since time began, I think it's a vast improvement.

They also present their new "deskbar."

The HotBot Quick Search Deskbar allows you to search over 200 search sites, including HotBot, from one searchbox! You can also access a number of useful tools from the same input. Free up browser and folder windows with the HotBot Quick Search Deskbar as it is installed directly into your Windows Explorer

[digitalghost]

That is still one of the ugliest sites on the web. RC, did you help them with the design? ;)

Lots of tools packed into their deskbar, not sure I'll ever have a need for a Roman numeral converter but they made a decent attempt to claim some desktop space, now if they'd just get a new logo and redesign their interface...

[keyplyr]

...they made a decent attempt to claim some desktop space

With reports of MS's upcoming longhorn OS integrating internet search from the desktop, this may be the next gold rush for search utilities. After all, there's a limit to how many toolbars can be attached to the browser.

[papamaku]

vast improvement

- r u sure?

i think the execs must have been on something when they aproved this one! (my personal opinion - i know it will differ to others, but we're all entitled.)

not just that its ugly, but why put a 46k image as a background (http://ly.lygo.com/ly/hbot/skin/tiki_bg.gif)

but they're always gonna have design issues until they change that dreadful logo!

+ i love the way the logo moves off the sun as you resize the browser ;)

[richardb]

Look like some exec at HB’s been spending too much time on ATW and has come away with some hip ideas ;)

Rich

[pixel_juice]

>>+ i love the way the logo moves off the sun as you resize the browser

That's the only good thing about any of the new 'skins' that I can see. Simulated sunset maybe? If only the sky got darker at the same time ;)

A real shame they couldn't make it validate either.

Actually, the minimalist skin isn't too bad

[xcandyman]

This will be temporary, the current look is the winner of the "Hack Hotbot" contest:

[hack.hotbot.com...]

If you dislike the "new look" you can change skin @: [hotbot.com...]

Steve

[Fiete]

They also present their new "deskbar."

The Hotbot toolbar looked nice at the first view. But it has caused problems with my Norton Internet Security. So I deinstalled it again.

The idea is great, anyway.

[jeremy goodrich]

Looks like I missed this when you posted it -> kind of funny, I picked up the news from Search Engine Watch on Hotbot's Deskbar [webmasterworld.com] a few days ago myself :)

Neat toy.