Flock

Flock is a new self-dubbed "social web browser" that borrows the goodies from Firefox and integrates a host of multimedia shortcuts---for pictures, favorites, and blogging. I have my Firefox biases (earlier evinced), but when I read somewhere that it incorporated all the best Firefox extensions automatically, I had to try it out.

After a short bit of testing, these are the results:
The good:
- Bully, I can drag-drop pictures for sites like Facebook, Friendster, Myspace+ (too bad not blogger)
- Nice, a drop-down for easy navigation of favorites.
- Like that the holistic thinking---venturing to bring a browser that can streamline many user applications and facilitate multidimensional demands. They can do even more in that direction.
- Photo sharing becomes very easy. Updates of friends photos can become automatic; and a handy picture-viewer bar drops-in to display pictures for you to upload, tag, share, etc.
- Learns the right lessons from Firefox: tabs, search...(or does it?)

The bad:
- Image file coordination works with Flickr and Photobucket, but I'm testing out Picasa Web Albums.
- New, empty tabs open with a double-click on the bare part of the bar--feels like premature carpal tunnel. And the 'bare' part approaches zero in about six tabs.

The ugly:
- What's going on with my folders? Flock imports favorites import fine. But once in, folders are difficult to move. In Firefox I had several drop-down favorite files in the bar--but Flock moves all folders to a cabinet tab of them. This is fine for small files; but if you select a folder with many sites or with long titles, because it automatically unfolds the whole folder, the rest trickle into run-off in the continued-tab. That doesn't save me time and it's visually messy.
- So, yes, they took the tabs idea (good job). But does it work? Even after 'preferencing' new links to open in tabs--or even new windows---Flock persisted in opening links in the same tab (nearly losing this post, mind you). Some links from favorites did open in tabs, some didn't. That really doesn't cut it. Tabs are essential, people. Steal the idea if you have to, but if you do steal, steal well. (there's a lifehack motto to live by)

Still review hungry? If only really want good news, the NewsForce review does a good job of showing what's cool/new. If you want someone to hold your hand and show you pictures, this guy claims to have the definitive reivew. (note, I only skimmed those ---probably why this post sounds like this---their just for reference.)

Best of all, the review I'm actually going to read through: how to get Flock to work with Firefox extensions. Because that's the goldmine. Flock is great in adding peripheral value, but Firefox has scope-scale---an infinite base of new updates, improvements, and a constant in stream of new toys. If you can get that into Flock, well then, I may upgrade Flock to my default browser (not the novelty show I've downloaded it for).