1-Click Answers

While this tool is oh-so-helpful in searching for information via Answers.com without interrupting your work, results aren’t always only one click away. 1-Click Answers provides two search options: you can enter a keyword or phrase into the Answerbar, a discreet bar that docks on the side of your desktop, or you can use Alt-Click to pull up a small window for a brief summary.

The great thing about 1-Click Answers is that you can search for information directly from an e-mail, a Microsoft Office program, or browser. Our searches never came up empty, and the information on Answers.com was thorough. The Answerbar worked like a charm, yielding quick results each time we performed a search. The Alt-Click function, however, was a disappointment, often producing a blank window that took a few seconds to load. Also, we found ourselves repeatedly hitting Alt-Click. It does give you the option of changing the hot key combo, but you still have to incorporate a mouse click, which didn’t help the situation.

We ran into a glitch while performing a search in a Word document that caused multiple browser windows to open, but uninstalling and reinstalling the program seemed to fix the problem. Even though sluggish behavior and functionality quirks are minuses for 1-Click Answers, the easy-to-use Answerbar is a winner. By bringing a wealth of information to your desktop, this free tool is a worthwhile download for any user.