Start Pages

Today I have been learning about start pages. A "start page" is the first thing that boots up when one uses the Internet and it can bring together a whole range of things in one place, such as search engines, emails, the latest news, social networks and apps.

Start pages can also be called home pages or front pages. They are free to set up and there is no special software required.

Examples of these are iGoogle, Netvibes and Pageflakes.

http://www.google.com/ig
http://www.netvibes.com/privatepage/1#General
http://www.pageflakes.com/

It saves a lot of time when you combine all the stuff you've created into one page. Some libraries are already partnering with Anywhere.me, which puts a start page onto the front screen of every People's Network terminal.

I have been looking at some library start pages set up by several local authorities, such as Doncaster, Edinburgh, Devon and Manchester.

http://library.doncaster.gov.uk/web/arena/welcome
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/libraries/
http://www.devon.gov.uk/community/libraries.htm
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/libraries

I actually have an iGoogle start up page on my home computer which shows things such as the weather forecast, my horoscope and the latest news.

Here is the Netvibes start page for the Corvus Watch Company:

http://www.netvibes.com/corvuswatchcompany#General

As a big James Bond fan I was interested to read on their start page that they are recreating the watchstrap that Sean Connery wears in the classic James Bond films Goldfinger and Thunderball.