OpenDNS Offers Keyword Browsing Shortcuts
OpenDNS, the service that makes it easy to set up an alternative DNS server, has announced a new service that allows users to browse the web by using keyword shortcuts. The new service allows people to create keywords that point to their favorite web sites.
For instance, Compiler lovers could create a shortcut that allows them to simple type “compiler” in the URL bar and the browser would be directed to this page. OpenDNS sees the service as a ways to make the browser’s url bar more usable.
Of course there are already Firefox plug-ins that can do the same thing and Opera comes with such features built in, but OpenDNS allows the shortcuts to be totally independent of browser choice.
In addition, because the shortcuts are actually on the OpenDNS server it’s possible to for administrators to easily create network wide shortcuts. For example, if you administer a large network you could use OpenDNS to create a shortcut “mail” which would lead to your company’s mail servers. And that shortcut would be usable by everyone on the network.
To create shortcuts you can either login in to your OpenDNS account and use the system tools to create new shortcuts, or to add a shortcut while browsing there’s a Javascript bookmarklet available. Shortcuts can also take parameters which means a shortcut can take the form g Compiler where “g” is a shortcut to Google search and Compiler is the search term.
OpenDNS, which we profiled when it launched last year, also offers phishing protection, caching services and quite a few advanced options for the network savvy to tweak to their liking.
