Start pages come in all shapes and sizes. There is the very simple and straightforward Google.com that many Web users maintain. Others prefer the more general-purpose Yahoo.com domain. Some segments, though, enjoy customizable, widgeted palettes like Netvibes, PageFlakes, iGoogle. That last pick was especially popular with the Mashable crowd, in fact, winning top honors at the inaugural Open Web Awards, held in January.
Alas, another party enters the fold. MySurfPad is its name, and while it is not the most visually appealing item to come about as of late, it is useful. If the color wheel suits, and you’re a fan of tabbed categorization, this one might make you stick.
By default, MySurfPad presents you with a variety of components, including a calendar, Google, Yahoo, YouTube, and Wikipedia search options, a mixed news feed, Weather Channel widget, notepad and calculator. Plus Google Maps and a simple app for bookmarks to finish the front page. Across the top of this set of devices are seven tabs, each with their own purpose. The ‘News’ option displays - you guessed it - lots of news headlines. ‘Email+’ runs the gamut of email, instant messaging, as well as MySpace and Facebook connections.
‘Tools’ will likely go into relative disuse, because, well, how often do you require a currency converter, a stop watch, or a global time tracker? Or for that matter a widget-bound spell checker? Also, the ‘Music/TV’ section is a bit lacking in real utility as well. The same goes for the ‘Fun’ tab, in my view. The last option, ‘Travel,’ might be worth a look, if only for its flight tracker apps.