Ulaa, the new browser by Zoho Corporation, aims to empower users to safeguard their privacy by offering built-in features to block tracking and website surveillance. In a recent study by Norton, it was revealed that 85% of adults worldwide wish to take stronger measures to protect their online privacy, with two-thirds of global consumers feeling that tech companies exert excessive control over their personal data.
Ulaa represents a significant stride in Zoho Corporation’s ongoing commitment to privacy, providing users with the means to protect their sensitive information and online activities from prying eyes and surveillance entities. The browser comes equipped with customizable privacy settings, various browser modes, and integrated productivity tools, all while ensuring the security and privacy of user data. Furthermore, Ulaa enables seamless synchronization of browsing sessions across devices, allowing users to effortlessly switch between multiple devices while maintaining a consistent browsing experience.
Derived from the Tamil language, Ulaa translates to “journey” or “voyage” and epitomizes the browser’s purpose of shielding users against tracking and surveillance. Ulaa is grounded in three core pillars:
Privacy:
Ulaa incorporates ad and data tracking blockers to prevent websites and third-party trackers from monitoring user data. Additionally, it thwarts unwanted ads, notifications, and pop-ups, safeguarding users against targeted advertising, identity theft, and other forms of online tracking and surveillance. Unlike existing browsers that employ time trackers or idle monitors and feed user data back to the software provider, Ulaa does not track or share user data with any third parties. It prohibits DNS pre-fetching and motion sensors that track mouse movement and clicks. To enhance privacy, Ulaa adopts a multi-ID model that frequently refreshes, making it impossible to correlate a signed-in user with a browsing session. Users can also activate browser ID auto-reset on each startup for added protection. Furthermore, Ulaa disables the API that allows websites to connect and communicate with devices connected to a computer’s network, ensuring robust privacy measures.
Modes:
Ulaa offers Dynamic Mode Switching, enabling users to seamlessly transition between five distinct modes that cater to their preferred browsing experiences. Each mode operates in isolation, providing unique protection and functionalities tailored to specific needs. Ulaa’s five modes are:
Personal Mode: Designed for online banking, music or video streaming, and shopping, this mode allows users to view their browsing history, search records, favorite pages, and cookies data without signing in. Personal Mode ensures secure logins, prevents ads, and maintains online privacy.
Work Mode: Geared towards dedicated work functions, Work Mode automatically integrates preferred apps, websites, and browser extensions. With a robust ad blocker, users are shielded from intrusive ads, potential phishing attacks, and distractions, promoting focus and productivity.
Developer Mode: This mode caters to professional web developers and testers, offering a suite of developer tools and suggested extensions within the browser. Developers can ensure website compatibility across different browsers and devices, test new features, and develop cross-platform applications. The mode allows for inspecting HTML elements, CSS styles, and JavaScript, monitoring page assets’ loading time, and more.
Kids Mode: This mode provides a safe online environment for children to browse, learn, play games, and explore content. Equipped with native content filtering and parental control features, Kids Mode restricts access to inappropriate content identified by parents. It offers ad-free entertainment, learning games, and a user-friendly interface suitable for children of all ages.
Open Season Mode: This mode imposes no privacy restrictions, allowing access to all websites, including “zero-restriction” sites. With disabled ad and tracking blockers.
In terms of supplementary productivity tools, Ulaa comes equipped with tabs management options to view all open tabs in one place to be grouped and organized. Users can easily switch between tabs, close tabs that are no longer need, or move tabs to a different mode or a new window.
Ulaa comes with integrated apps, including Zia Search for existing Zoho users, and Zoho Notebook, a dedicated note-taking space that works across all tabs, so a user can easily jot down ideas, reminders, or important information without leaving their browsing session.
Ulaa includes Annotator, a new, built-in feature that allows users to screen capture a page or a page section, add annotations directly to web pages and images, and easily share their edits and notes. All Chrome browser extensions are compatible with Ulaa, and can be directly installed from the Chrome Webstore.
Ulaa is free to all. The iOS and Android versions are currently in beta and available for download. For more information, please visit: www.ulaa.com
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