Expanding LookSmart’s Search Ecosystem with Furl.net
LookSmart’s recent acquisition of Furl.net signals a strategic move to deepen its presence in the personal search and data‑management arena. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the partnership promises to broaden the company’s portfolio of tools that help users organize and retrieve online information. Furl.net, which has carved out a niche by enabling users to save full‑text copies of web pages, aligns with LookSmart’s long‑standing focus on personalized search experiences. The acquisition builds on LookSmart’s prior successes with products such as Net Nanny and FindArticles, positioning the company to offer a more comprehensive suite of services that combine browsing, saving, and searching in a single ecosystem.
At its core, Furl.net provides a straightforward yet powerful solution: users can “furl” any web page with a single click, preserving a complete, searchable copy of the content. Unlike the traditional methods of printing or saving static PDFs, the Furl service captures the page’s text, links, images, and metadata in a structured format that can be queried later. The result is a personal archive that grows automatically as users continue to browse. The toolbar, which can be installed in Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari, displays a “Furl It” button that integrates seamlessly into the browsing workflow. When a user clicks the button, the page is uploaded to the Furl cloud, where it becomes part of the user’s searchable library. No separate software installation is required, making the experience frictionless and accessible to anyone with an internet connection.
LookSmart plans to keep the Furl service free for users, while generating revenue through relevant sponsored listings on search results and content pages. By leveraging its established advertising network, LookSmart can insert contextual ads that match the user’s saved content, creating a revenue stream that complements the free offering. The company also announced a generous 5‑gigabyte storage allocation for each public archive, a capacity that can accommodate tens of thousands of saved pages. This move not only underlines LookSmart’s commitment to user value but also positions Furl as a competitive alternative to other archiving services that often limit storage or charge for higher tiers.
Kevin Krim, LookSmart’s vice president of web properties, emphasized how Furl fits into the broader search strategy. “Furl’s technology and desktop toolbar are a perfect match for LookSmart’s search vision,” he said. “Just as Net Nanny and FindArticles help users control and discover high‑quality data, Furl enables them to search and interact with a curated set of content that is tailored to their interests.” Krim’s statement highlights the complementary nature of the products, reinforcing the idea that LookSmart is building a unified platform where control, discovery, and personalization intersect.
Founder Mike Giles explained the problem Furl solves: before this service, the only ways to keep a permanent copy of a web page were to print it, save it to a local folder, or email a snapshot to oneself. Furl eliminates that friction by offering an immediate, searchable backup. “With Furl, you can easily save any page and then find it again instantly by searching the full text of your personal archive,” Giles noted. The result is a private search engine that operates independently of the changing dynamics of the public web. Giles added that the archive can serve as a reliable reference source when the original page is modified or removed entirely.
Early adopters have already praised the convenience of a personal “Web” created by Furl. John Battelle, founder of Wired Magazine and The Industry Standard, described the service as a “PersonalWeb.” He remarked, “Every page you care about is now saved, and it’s searchable. I wish I had Furl while researching my book for the past year.” Battelle’s endorsement underscores the potential of Furl to transform how researchers, writers, and everyday users maintain a digital knowledge base.
Beyond functionality, Furl emphasizes security, stability, and privacy. The platform encrypts user data during transit and at rest, and users have control over the visibility of their archived items. By default, items are private, but users can share selected pages via email, RSS feeds, or embedded links. Furl’s integration with blog platforms and its recommendation engine also enable users to surface related content, turning the archive into a dynamic hub of information rather than a static repository.
The Power of Personal Web Archiving: How Furl Transforms Browsing
Personal web archiving has always been a challenge for the average browser. The transient nature of online content - pages that disappear, URLs that change, articles that get updated - creates a moving target for anyone who wants to revisit or reference past information. Furl addresses this issue by offering a straightforward method to capture the full text and context of any page and then retrieve it later with the same precision as a native search engine. By turning a browser into an archive manager, Furl eliminates the need for manual note‑taking or bulky download managers.
When a user visits a page they wish to keep, a single click on the toolbar’s “Furl It” button initiates an upload process that stores the page’s text, links, and metadata in a cloud database. The page is indexed immediately, making it searchable from the Furl home page or directly from the toolbar. Users can search using keyword phrases, exact titles, or even by referring to the page’s author or publication date. This level of granularity gives power users a way to sift through large archives quickly, while casual users can benefit from simple keyword queries.
Beyond individual searching, Furl offers a suite of sharing and recommendation features that amplify the value of the archive. Users can create RSS feeds that automatically update subscribers with newly archived content. Email subscriptions allow for notifications when particular items are added or updated. The platform also integrates with popular blogging services, so a saved page can be embedded directly into a post or shared across social networks. These sharing options transform the archive from a personal storage solution into a collaborative knowledge base, especially useful for teams or research groups that need to keep a collective memory of sources.
Furl’s storage policy is generous, with a 5‑gigabyte public archive available for free. For most users, this capacity can hold thousands of pages, depending on the average size of the documents. The generous allocation encourages extensive use without the friction of upgrading to paid tiers. Additionally, the public nature of the archive means that users can share entire collections with peers, creating a networked web of curated content that can be explored beyond the original author’s intention.
Security and privacy remain core concerns in any archiving solution. Furl uses industry‑standard encryption protocols to protect data during transmission and at rest. Users can control the visibility of each archived item, choosing between private, shared, or public settings. The platform’s privacy policy states that user data is not sold or used for targeted advertising outside of the context of relevant sponsored listings that appear alongside search results. This focus on user control is especially reassuring for professionals who handle sensitive information or researchers who rely on accurate, unaltered references.
Compatibility is another strength. The Furl toolbar supports major browsers - including Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome - across both Windows and macOS. This cross‑platform support ensures that users on desktops or laptops can benefit from the service regardless of their operating system or browser preference. The toolbar’s minimal footprint keeps the browsing experience smooth, and because it is a lightweight extension rather than a full‑blown application, it requires no installation steps beyond the usual extension process.
Mike Giles, the founder of Furl.net, highlights the emotional impact of having a permanent copy of a web page. He says, “With Furl, you can easily save any page and then find it again instantly by searching the full text of your personal archive.” This quote captures the essence of the service: a reliable personal search engine that protects against the impermanence of online content. For journalists, scholars, or avid readers, this capability translates into a more organized, efficient workflow and a safeguard against information loss.
John Battelle’s comparison of Furl to a “PersonalWeb” echoes a broader trend in digital consumption: the shift from passive browsing to active curation. Instead of letting information slip through the cracks, users can now build a personalized, searchable library that evolves with their interests. As more people seek to keep track of vast amounts of data, tools like Furl will likely become integral components of their digital toolkit, reshaping how we capture, store, and retrieve web content.
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