Netscape Tests 'Desktop Navigator' Beta

Netscape has salvaged its classic Navigator moniker from obscurity and is beta testing a desktop application that borrows heavily from Web browser toolbars. Dubbed Netscape Desktop Navigator, the new software offers insight into the future of the AOL subsidiary, which has seen its market share dwindle into single digits.

Like a toolbar, Netscape Desktop Navigator is an aggregation of search utilities that offers customers access to Google keyword searches, breaking news headlines and weather, directory lookups, personals, as well as entertainment listings. Users can customize content by keying in US zip codes, five of which can be stored.

An AOL spokesperson told BetaNews that Desktop Navigator is an example of how Netscape will continue to develop, test and experiment with different approaches and technologies to learn more about what products users want and how they want to use them. Desktop Navigator is one such product, born out of consumer focus group research Netscape performed last year.

It is unclear as to whether or not Netscape is developing Desktop Navigator to populate the Sidebar found in Microsoft's next-generation Windows release, currently code-named Longhorn. The Sidebar is a new desktop interface element developed by Microsoft Research, which is designed to present an array of information to users on the desktop.  The current iteration of the Navigator beta does not dock itself in the Sidebar, but AOL has left open the possibility of Longhorn support in future builds.

An open beta of Desktop Navigator is currently available as a free download for users running Microsoft Windows. Despite its native support being limited to Windows, Navigator will work with almost any Web browser. A broadband connection is recommended.