SpaceTime
Encyclopedia
SpaceTimeSpaceTime is trademarked by SpaceTime3D, Inc.: and is also patented by SpaceTime3D, Inc. : (also known as SpaceTime3D) is a 3D graphical user interface that displays web pages in a 3d tabbed stack. The interface is available as online as a flash
application, or as a free desktop software download for the Microsoft Windows
operating system
.
The technology was presented at the 2008 CES tradeshow.
reporter Dean Takahashi noted that the software was "the most advanced 3-D navigation system I've seen. It doesn't make me dizzy, except with the thoughts of what this could become."
The software's capabilities have been compared to other current browsing and 3D technologies such as in TechCrunch
's comment that SpaceTime is "pure eye candy, sort of like Second Life
meets Firefox
."
, Google Images, Wikipedia
, and YouTube
.
, XP
, and Vista
systems. A Mac OS X
version was planned for 2008, but has yet to come to fruition. SpaceTime developers are currently working to port the product to the OpenGL
framework in order to support the Linux
and Unix
operating systems.
When using search engine
s including Google
, Google Images, Yahoo!
, Yahoo! Image, eBay
, and Flickr
, SpaceTime loads the first ten results as a stack of pages.
stated that "though I’ll still rely on Google
for basic searches, visual search
can save time and turn searching into a fun process." Rich Menga of PC Mech described how "thoroughly disgusted" he was with "any product that takes already-fast things that everyone does on the internet and tries to '3D-ize' them." Jack M. Germain, of TechNewsWorld described how "SpaceTime delivers on its promise to save me time and provide a revolutionary online searching too" stating that "while I continue to use the 3-D searching environment, though, I am having more fun than I should at work." Edward N. Albro of PCWorld
gave the beta browser a 2.5/5 stating that while its "visual results can make searches easier", that "for basic browsing, SpaceTime has no appeal" and that the browser was too "buggy and slow for basic browsing".
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
application, or as a free desktop software download for the Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
.
The technology was presented at the 2008 CES tradeshow.
History
CEO Eddie Bakhash began working on SpaceTime in 1999. The product debuted in beta on June 4 2007. On the day of the release, San Jose Mercury NewsSan Jose Mercury News
The San Jose Mercury News is a daily newspaper in San Jose, California. On its web site, however, it calls itself Silicon Valley Mercury News. The paper is owned by MediaNews Group...
reporter Dean Takahashi noted that the software was "the most advanced 3-D navigation system I've seen. It doesn't make me dizzy, except with the thoughts of what this could become."
The software's capabilities have been compared to other current browsing and 3D technologies such as in TechCrunch
TechCrunch
TechCrunch is a web publication that offers technology news and analysis, as well as profiling of startup companies, products, and websites. It was founded by Michael Arrington in 2005, and was first published on June 11, 2005....
's comment that SpaceTime is "pure eye candy, sort of like Second Life
Second Life
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
meets Firefox
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
."
SpaceTime online search
The online version of SpaceTime features the ability to search GoogleGoogle search
Google or Google Web Search is a web search engine owned by Google Inc. Google Search is the most-used search engine on the World Wide Web, receiving several hundred million queries each day through its various services....
, Google Images, Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
, and YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
SpaceTime Browser
The desktop application was released in beta form on June 4, 2007 and is currently available for Windows 2000Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the...
, XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
, and Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
systems. A Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
version was planned for 2008, but has yet to come to fruition. SpaceTime developers are currently working to port the product to the OpenGL
OpenGL
OpenGL is a standard specification defining a cross-language, cross-platform API for writing applications that produce 2D and 3D computer graphics. The interface consists of over 250 different function calls which can be used to draw complex three-dimensional scenes from simple primitives. OpenGL...
framework in order to support the Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
and Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
operating systems.
When using search engine
Search engine
A search engine is an information retrieval system designed to help find information stored on a computer system. The search results are usually presented in a list and are commonly called hits. Search engines help to minimize the time required to find information and the amount of information...
s including Google
Google search
Google or Google Web Search is a web search engine owned by Google Inc. Google Search is the most-used search engine on the World Wide Web, receiving several hundred million queries each day through its various services....
, Google Images, Yahoo!
Yahoo! Search
Yahoo! Search is a web search engine, owned by Yahoo! Inc. and was , the 2nd largest search engine on the web by query volume, at 6.42%, after its competitor Google at 85.35% and before Baidu at 3.67%, according to Net Applications....
, Yahoo! Image, eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
, and Flickr
Flickr
Flickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
, SpaceTime loads the first ten results as a stack of pages.
Reception
The beta browser received mixed reviews. Katherine Boehret of The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
stated that "though I’ll still rely on Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
for basic searches, visual search
Visual search
Visual search is a type of perceptual task requiring attention that typically involves an active scan of the visual environment for a particular object or feature among other objects or features . Visual search can take place either with or without eye movements...
can save time and turn searching into a fun process." Rich Menga of PC Mech described how "thoroughly disgusted" he was with "any product that takes already-fast things that everyone does on the internet and tries to '3D-ize' them." Jack M. Germain, of TechNewsWorld described how "SpaceTime delivers on its promise to save me time and provide a revolutionary online searching too" stating that "while I continue to use the 3-D searching environment, though, I am having more fun than I should at work." Edward N. Albro of PCWorld
PC World (magazine)
PC World is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal-technology products and services...
gave the beta browser a 2.5/5 stating that while its "visual results can make searches easier", that "for basic browsing, SpaceTime has no appeal" and that the browser was too "buggy and slow for basic browsing".