In the early days of the internet, the World Wide Web was a seemingly unending free-for-all of digital space. With little in the way of regulations or rules, surfing the web in the late ’90s and early ’00s was akin to exploring uncharted space; there was no telling what you might stumble across, but the direction you went in was distinctly of your own volition. In the years since, not only has the internet become more algorithmically driven, but it has also remained stuck in the past with rigid constraints around how to access and view the web.
Now, when you’re online, it can be increasingly challenging to stay on task due to being inundated with messages, notifications, tabs, and more without a way to personalize your online spaces.
This can make surfing the web a much more frustrating experience than enjoyable and can make performing a specific task online (such as working or paying a bill) slow, unproductive, and time-consuming.
Fortunately, the Shift browser is striving to change all of that.
Shift is an internet browser company working tirelessly to fully put control back into the users’ hands and make the internet fun again. The company recently announced the launch of the world’s first completely customizable browsing experience, which allows you to drag and drop, color-code, and choose a layout for your browser that suits your needs.
The Internet: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Another crucial element of the online experience that has shifted over the past few decades is the sheer volume of activities conducted in the online space. In its halcyon early days, the internet was viewed as an invaluable resource with untapped potential. It was a dictionary, a thesaurus, a phone book, and a global map, all wrapped together.
In addition, the internet also provided people with the means to communicate with one another more intimately and openly than ever.
However, in the present day, this potential has been thoroughly tapped, to the point that nearly everything is done online. From social media platforms to online shopping, work, and beyond, people perform numerous tasks online throughout their day, both for personal enjoyment and for professional purposes.
Because people now do so much online and constantly have so many tabs open, studies have shown it is becoming far more psychologically difficult to differentiate and separate these tasks. This can make focusing on any one thing tricky, and leave the user feeling utterly unproductive.
The Shift Difference
Startup company Shift recently introduced a new modular browser, aiming to end the one-size-fits-all approach to browsing. Rather than locking users into fixed layouts, Shift has built a new type of customizable browser, where every element, from sidebars to app stacks, can be tailored to your workflow.
With six starter templates and a drag-and-drop interface, Shift makes it simple for anyone (from freelancers to side hustlers) to create a digital environment that suits them. Whether you want separate spaces for work and hobbies or need quick access to your most-used apps and accounts, Shift adapts to how you live and work online.
Forging a New Digital Path
If you don’t control your online experience, it inevitably controls you. As life becomes increasingly digital and multitasking becomes the norm, users must find a way to shut off portions of their online world at any given time, allowing them to focus and be productive. Tools like Shift’s new browser offer a way for people to reclaim focus, reduce clutter, and streamline productivity.
