Microsoft has launched a brand new replace to its Edge net browser which features a new sidebar, permitting you to answer to emails, use elements of the Workplace suite, and extra.

After beforehand being confirmed as in-development, the brand new sidebar is one other try by the corporate to tempt you away from different browsers reminiscent of Google Chrome, Opera and others.

As Microsoft explains in a blogpost, (opens in new tab) you may entry a bunch of options, reminiscent of Workplace information, your Outlook electronic mail, play video games, and attain helpful instruments reminiscent of a clock, a calculator, and a dictionary for some cause.

A sidebar of hyperlinks and never a lot else

You may launch it by going to the three dots on the highest left, and there shall be a ‘Present Sidebar‘ choice on the backside or by urgent Management + Shift + /. You may’t resize it, however you get six choices, prepared to select from.

The ‘Uncover’ function is welcome sufficient, the place it will provide you with bits of trivia as you browse the net, from recipes to movie trivia. There’s additionally the calculator and different capabilities as a substitute of you reaching for the Taskbar.

Nevertheless the Workplace tab leaves lots to be desired, as clicking on any of the apps launches the net web page for those in query. This is similar for Video games as properly, main us to surprise what the purpose of this sidebar is already.

It nearly harkens again to the pop-up bars of older net browsers the place you’d be capable of set up a search engine bar beneath the tackle bar. Or if you happen to have been to put in an app, there’d be an choice to put in a toolbar.

The above is an instance of how you may set up a bunch, with most not being terribly helpful. The sidebar jogs my memory of those, with it primarily being a bunch of hyperlinks and a few helpful utilities, however not a lot else.

Microsoft can do higher right here, reasonably than attempt (and fail) to play catchup to different net browsers.