When the internet was young, performing a search with a search engine could almost be considered exciting. Users were on an adventure to discover something new in the vast virtual world. Today, searching has become a very common, mundane activity. Worio was created to help bring back some of that original enthusiasm and excitement by giving users more flavor with their search results. Worio skims the social side of the web, looking for relevant posts on popular sites like Digg, Twitter, Facebook and Delicious. Worio also turns to the world of blogs to produce even more unique results. The user gets a well rounded selection of interesting results that is personalized and compliments the standard web search.

Visit www.worio.com

Worio was founded in 2005, born out of the Laboratory for Computational Intelligence at the University of British Columbia. The company currently consist of around 10 individuals, including CEO Ali Davar, CTO Mike Klaas, Scientific Advisors Nando de Freitas and Kevin Leyton-Brow and Advisor Mark Johnson.

Searching the internet is something that has been done for decades. What makes Worio a little different is its approach to searching. The application scans for relevant results in places that a regular search might miss, such as among social networking posts or in blogs. The user can review standard search results and those that come from the more interesting side of the internet.

The Worio website invites users with a very professional orange and grey design set against a primarily white background. The stylish W logo lingers over the Worio name and adds a hint of scientific style to the site as a whole. Users can easily access the search bar found at the top of the page or easily install the Worio plug in for their browser without leaving the homepage.

An account is not required to perform a search from the Worio homepage or to download the application’s plug in. Users who want to sign up can click on the blue “Log In” link at the top, right hand corner of the homepage. A small box will appear asking the user to log in. Just below the log in fields is another blue link that reads “Sign up.” This must be clicked to access the registration form. Users are also given the option of registering through a Facebook or Twitter account. Those who choose to go the traditional route can enter their username and email address. After clicking the grey “Create my Account” button at the bottom of the form, the user is advised that they have been logged in but must access the activation email to fully activate their account. The current log in is only valid for one time until the user accesses the email and follows the instructions provided.

Anyone can create a Worio account for free. There are no subscription fees or other charges for doing so. The site offers a simple service that really would require a little more substance to warrant a fee. The creators have kept Worio accessible to everyone with no cost membership. This could change in the future, although no indication that there are plans to add a paid membership has been posted.

Worio is a fun way to spice up the standard internet search. Almost anyone can use Worio, however users who enjoy exploring the internet for fun can really get into Worio. The application produces interesting search results that are relevant and unique.

• Perform a Worio search from the website
• Download the Worio plug in
• Add friends to your Worio account
• Invite friends from Gmail, Yahoo and Windows Live contact lists
• Register and sign in using a Twitter or Facebook account

Visit www.worio.com