Mozilla Labs has rolled out an experimental Firefox plug-in that promises to streamline the way Web surfers manage the mountains of information online. Called Ubiquity, the proof-of-concept prototype is an experiment with two parts — it’s both an interface and a development platform, notes the plug-in’s developer, Aza Raskin.
“Ubiquity 0.1 focuses on the platform aspects while beginning to explore language-driven methods of controlling the browser,” Raskin said.
Instant Translations
The main goal of Ubiquity is to simplify the time-consuming interactions that Web surfers typically perform on the Internet today, Raskin said. “It’s even worse on mobile devices, where limited capability and fidelity makes this onerous or nearly impossible,” he added.
Browser users now must use cut and paste along with a separate Web site such as Babel Fish to translate foreign-language content on the Web. With Ubiquity, however, users simply highlight the text they wish to translate, then right-click to open a menu of commands that includes the “translate” option. The text is then automatically converted into English and inserted right onto the original Web page.
The same technique can be used to initiate a wide range of other commands, such as defining an unfamiliar word or technical term, access weather information, or even Twitter friends with the latest news. Moreover, Web developers eventually will be able to build customized Ubiquity commands to which online visitors can subscribe.
Language-Based Instructions
Ubiquity also features a separate command-line box that opens in the upper left-hand corner of any Web page whenever a user presses the Ctrl and spacebar keys simultaneously. The command line, Raskin said, empowers users to control browsers with language-based instructions.
“Let’s say you’re arranging to meet up with a friend at a restaurant and you want to include a map in the e-mail,” Rankin said. “Today, this involves the disjointed tasks of message…