Companion
This little Java download will make your life a hundred times easier by attaching to your browser and giving you one-click access to your favorite Yahoo services. The killer app of Companion is its excellent integration with Yahoo Bookmarks. If you access the Web from more than one computer, you know it’s a pain to synchronize your bookmarks, if you bother to do it all. With Companion, if you add a bookmark at work, you will have it at home instantly!
PROS: If Yahoo is your portal, this is one thing you gotta have.
CONS: Takes up valuable screen real estate.
Notepad
Allows you to make text notes and access them from any Net-connected computer. So who would use Notepad? Anyone who wants to be able to make lists or other documents that need to be easily updateable and accessible by colleagues, perhaps. Notepad fits that bill well, and it is a convenient way to access recipes, compose letters and more.
PROS: Writers will especially appreciate this feature; no more hand scribbling on Post-It notes!
CONS: There is a 5,000-character maximum, so you won’t want to store long notes.
Bill Pay
Don’t write any more paper bills! This is one of those truly life-altering services the Web provides that were never possible before. The service is reliable, cheap and easy. Get with the Internet banking revolution!
PROS: Think of the time you’ll save and the stamps you won’t have to lick.
CONS: Will there ever be security on the Internet? There’s always a chance that someone could hack into your account.
Broadcast.com
Still the leader of the streaming-media portals, Broadcast is now just another Yahoo site. It seems to have lost its luster now that its been genericized by Yahoo, but it remains the best place to find streaming media and audio.
PROS: The Yahoo approach may have genericized Broadcast but has also improved it by making its navigation simpler.
CONS: Broadcast could suffer due a possible lack of attention by Yahoo.
Geocities
Now given the unwieldy title of Yahoo Geocities, but it’s the same old free homepage service you’ve come to know and maybe love, unless you prefer Tripod. With Geocities, even total HTML newbies can create tolerable Web sites about their families, hobbies and favorite sites.
PROS: Lots of site building wizards and tools and tips.
CONS: The horror of the long URLs!
Yahoo Site
Not the best option for businesses looking to establish a Web presence, but a simple one nonetheless. For $29.95 per month you get a hosting account, 25 MB of disk space, URL hosting, search engine submission, detailed statistics and free upgrades of future Site versions.
PROS: The trustworthy Yahoo brand.
CONS: Can they be a viable hosting company for a business?
Yahoo Store
Allows you to create your e-commerce site on Yahoo’s server, using a Web browser. Build a store and start taking orders in minutes! Features: No per-transaction fee, no startup cost, and no minimum time commitment. Starts at $100 per month for 50 items.
PROS: Let someone else take care of the complexities of e-commerce sites.
CONS: Cookie-cutter approach may not be that effective.
Yahoo Briefcase
Get in on the online storage boom. Briefcase is an easy way to manage files between home and work, and to share photos online. You get 10 MB of storage, which is plenty for documents, but not so much for MP3s and images.
PROS: Handy way to access and share files from any Net-connected computer
CONS: If your Internet connection is slow, Briefcase may not be of much use.
Yahoo Family Accounts
Provides many ways for parents to control their children’s Yahoo accounts and monitor what their kids are doing online. Also offers tips and tools to ensure that your family’s Net experience is family friendly.
PROS: Every parent would love this service.
CONS: If you’re a parent, there aren’t many cons!
Yahooligans
The “Web Guide for Kids” is a useful version of Yahoo specifically aimed at kids and education. Lots of great resources for kids and schools, and it’s child-safe.
PROS: Kids will love it.
CONS: Kids will love it too much, maybe!