Search Amazon.com From SL

Thanks to the awesome set of Amazon Web Services (AWS), I'm very happy to announce that the latest version of the SearchHUD (version 1.0.6) now supports in-world searching of Amazon.com.

To use this feature, when doing a search with the SearchHUD, prefix your search terms with the operator "amazon:".

example: "/411 amazon: SnowCrash"

Instead of teleporting you (like normal, in world item searches do), the returned links will launch the corresponding webpage for each item that's returned.

Admittedly, this feature is more of a proof of concept than something that will vitally effect the life of the every SecondLife resident. However, I do think it's interesting as this is one more bridge between the greater Internet and SecondLife.

If you need a SearchHUD, you can get one at the (slurl) Second411 shop in Takalo

Very cool, Hal9k. I agree with the proof of concept for Amazon - but the SL applications to this could be almost limitless.

I've tried it, it's cool. Good work Hal. Of course why stop at Amazon? Anyone who offers a search web service or interface should be applicable.

Hal! Hal! He's our man. If he can't do it, well... I dunno, the universe would probably implode, but we should be safe for now.

MM

Flipper - Thanks for the encouragement. Since posting this, I've found a few other people working on different Amazon integrations as well. Everyone is still bumping into the 2 big limitations:

1. Text representation is hard
2. The massive number of images (book, dvd covers) is hard to bring in as well.

This isn't to say that there aren't niches where it would work well, but that there are constraints.

Russ: I've already got Yahoo and Google integration set for the next release. I'm mainly focusing on making the HUD more user friendly as lots of people (including yourself) have struggled with it.

Thanks!

Cool, can't wait to see the next version!

*turns up the noobie HUD user control another notch*