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WSJ Personal Technology Columnist Walt Mossberg reviews new software that compares prices of online items for free.
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Well do doesn't low.
-- shopping on lot.
Well it's about to get a whole lot easier with the -- lots of free software from digital -- That lets -- our -- searches compare prices and -- much more efficient.
Be more efficient.
Fish it's all things digital from Washington DC Walt -- -- joins us the personal technology columnist at the Wall Street Journal.
So while first of all great to see you as always.
Rates you -- the this new software.
You tell us about a pretty high -- what.
I am pretty high and and its new and it and it does have some rough edges and some limitations but it.
It's almost magical when it works.
The way -- it's designed to what it does so here's here's the deal.
If you have IE Internet Explorer -- bomb on windows or Firefox and either windows or Mac.
You can install this browser add on it's a side bar it sits at the left side of your browser.
And as you're gone through the web if -- trying to make a decision on some purchase that's kind of complicated where you're going through a lot of possible choices you just drag him over into this side bar.
You can save for reference later you -- -- ones you've eliminated whatever and so that's kind of the personal.
You know.
Shopping list store or consideration.
Let's say feature but the really cool thing is their price comparison feature they have deals.
With five big online.
Stores Amazon Best Buy Wal-Mart.
Target and Sears and if you click on one of the product you've saved it'll show you even if you originally dragged it over from let's -- Amazon.
A you've never been to this year's site with Sears has suddenly put the same.
TV your camera dish warfare whatever it is on sale it'll show you.
What the prices are all those five stores.
And if it changes the next day it'll change its dynamic it keeps track of the what you want.
And so in that sense it's very efficient it's very -- -- really could save you hours and hours of shopping for a you know a a kind of complicated product decision.
Why I know you -- in a powerful tool for saving time and money but -- won't -- some of that what -- the the limitations of the that could one of the things you mentioned was just.
It was a clumsy installation.
Right.
-- on I -- Not on Firefox so much but on an IE there's you know a number -- -- to go through that too many I think.
When you're dragging products over makes you kind of go through dialog box to decide what.
What they call off polio which folio -- -- -- -- in the fall -- are like.
Different collections of of items that you might -- -- set up yourself I just thought they could make the the process smoother the other limitation is.
They only have these five merchants that they have deals with now they're big and heavily traffic merchants but they're not all the big ones on the web and a need to keep building that out.
And they need to do these partnerships.
Because they're hoping eventually get to the point where.
If I'm about to say oh I'm in -- by the so Wal-Mart -- -- Amazon Amazon.
Might be able to offer me a coupon all of a sudden that would -- even up the price that's.
Sort of often their future is number things that they could do but and they also only cover.
Certain categories right now at launched they cover.
What mostly electronics and appliances -- and -- appear shop for clothing.
Let's say it's not -- you can you can save those items in there for your research for its not gonna give you the automatic.
Price comparison.
It's done maybe close I'm talking about power tunnels while power -- oh alright.
This and they don't have I don't believe their rifles in there yet I don't know didn't benefit to keep her out of that they didn't want.
Pick Soledad I'm -- of them while they even made it was great to see you as -- way.
