This new browser could change everything you know about bookmarks
I can tell you the exact moment when a new browser called Deta Surf clicked for me.
I was getting a demo from Deta cofounder Max Eusterbrock, and he showed me how Surf can take screenshots of web pages and add them to a digital pinboard. But unlike a standard screenshot, this one contained a link to jump back to the web page it came from, and its content was searchable from Surf's menu system.
Aha, I thought. Too often, I'll open dozens of tabs on a certain topic, only to forget which page had the quote or chart I was looking for. Surf solves that problem by making it easier to revisit what you've researched. It's as if a browser was built around the idea of bookmarking, instead of the other way around.
It's still early days for Deta Surf, which is launching a public alpha today after months of being invite-only. The software has all kinds of rough edges and can feel like it's trying to do too much, and there's also no mobile app and no business model yet. I'd caution against getting too invested in it.
But as a tool for short-term research that involves wrangling a lot of web page content, it's one of the most interest concepts I've seen.
Beyond basic bookmarks
On the surface, Deta Surf borrows some ideas from other power user browsers such as Vivaldi, Arc, and SigmaOS. It supports both vertical or horizontal tabs, and you can arrange tabs into separate workspaces, which Surf calls 'Contexts.'
But Surf also lets you save web pages to a 'My Stuff' menu, which is a powerful spin on the standard browser bookmarks folder. Every tab has a button for saving the page to My Stuff, but you can also use Surf's screenshot tool ((nvoked with Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+1) to save snippets of web pages with your own annotations.
The My Stuff menu supports more than just web page content. You can also import images and PDF files from your computer, and there's a built-in notepad for adding freeform thoughts.
Everything you save to My Stuff is searchable, and not just by title. Surf also indexes the full content of web pages along with the text of screenshots and PDF files, so you find specific words or phrases. The result is a feeling of finally being able to close inactive browser tabs, because Surf provides an easier way to reference them later.
My favorite organizational feature, though, is the 'Desktop' view, where you can rearrange and resize any the items you've saved to My Stuff alongside any number of sticky text notes. It's a neat way to visualize all the different things you've been researching on a single canvas.
Yes, of course there's also AI
Like lots of other startups, Deta is finding ways to bring AI into its browser as well.
Some AI features are similar to those of other AI-powered browsers. There's an 'Ask this Tab' button that can summarize and answer questions about the current page (including YouTube videos), and you can highlight text on web pages to translate, rephase, or ask follow-up questions.
The more interesting use of AI involves interacting with what you've saved in My Stuff. By clicking the 'Ask Context' button, you can ask Surf to summarize details from across your documents or ask for supplemental information.
These AI queries then feed back into Surf's notepad feature, essentially helping to organize or build upon your research. It's kind of like what Google is doing with NotebookLM, but built around what you're already looking up in your browser.
Eusterbrock also showed me a more ambitious 'Surflets' feature, which can turn data from webpages into interactive visuals. If you were comparing web browsers, for instance, you could open up a bunch of pages that explain various browser features, then ask Surf to create an interactive chart comparing them.
Expect things to break—a lot
While Deta Surf is brimming with smart ideas about what a desktop browser could do, I wouldn't say it all comes together the way it should.
For one thing, it's just a lot to take in. Between the My Stuff menu, the Desktop, and all your open browser tabs, you've essentially got three different organizational surfaces to work with, and they multiply each time you create a new 'Context.' My gut feeling is that the Desktop and My Stuff features should be streamlined into a single menu system for organizing and managing your research.
Surf's AI features can be cumbersome to use as well. Deta has stuck AI buttons into seemingly every corner of its interface, but they all flow back to a notepad that opens in a sidebar menu. I've continually run into issues clicking the correct button to generate an AI response, and the latest build seems to have hidden the option to switch between large language models.
The biggest issue, though, is that a lot of things just don't work properly. In my time with Surf, I've dealt with disappearing bookmarks, information that appears in the wrong Context, and web searches that get truncated after typing them in the address bar.
Surf's AI answers are even less reliable. For instance, I asked the browser to provide links to YouTube backing tracks for a list of sheet music in a Google Drive folder, and none of its generated links worked. I've also had responses that don't accurately reflect what's in my notes and appear to be hallucinated, and I've yet to successfully generate a single 'Surflet' on my own.
Meanwhile, I can't bring in my workflow from other browsers, because Surf doesn't work with most browser extensions (password managers are the exception) and doesn't support bookmarklets. The lack of a mobile app means I can't send pages into Surf from my phone, either.
Deta is clearly moving fast and breaking things in search of what sticks, and that's totally understandable for an alpha product, but it makes for rough sailing if you're trying to use it as an everyday browser.
What to expect
Eusterbrock acknowledges that a lot of what comprises Surf today is subject to change. Eventually the company wants to charge for things like cross-platform sync and collaboration, but it plans to spend the rest of the year nailing down the core product.
Deta had already shifted gears a couple of times before developing Surf. The Berlin-based startup began as a free web app deployment platform for indie developers, then tried spinning that product into a wildly ambitious online operating system with its own set of interconnected apps, called Deta Space, which raised around $3 million, according to Pitchbook.
It was a neat idea, but its parallel universe of apps lacked immediate appeal to end-users, so Deta pivoted to building a browser instead. The core idea is still that you should be able to search and contextualize across your entire online workflow, but the browser allows Deta to work with existing web apps and sites instead of trying to build its own. (Deta killed off Space and deleted users' data last year.)
The resulting product is more immediately compelling than Deta's previous efforts, but it comes with the same risk of getting shut down if things don't work out, and there are few examples of startups turning wildly ambitious browser into thriving businesses. The most notable startup in the space, The Browser Company, gave up on developing its ambitious Arc browser for desktops and is now pivoting to something much simpler.
Still, I hope Deta Surf proves the exception to the rule. As a way to actually make sense of your browser tabs and the research you do around them, there's nothing else like it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Travis Hunter gets his full $30.57 million signing bonus up front
When it comes to rookie contracts, there's not much to negotiate. On one of the few negotiable items, Jaguars receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter did very well. Adam Schefter of reports that Hunter will receive his full, slotted $30.57 million bonus up front. He's the first non-quarterback not taken first overall to get the full signing bonus up front. Advertisement Often, teams stagger the payments. Sometimes, a portion of the money isn't paid out for nearly a year. There's real value in getting the cash right away. It can be put to work, earning interest while Hunter does nothing. It's the least the Jaguars could do for a player who relishes the opportunity to work overtime. His contract won't pay him extra to play both ways; the total money is driven solely by the position in which he was drafted. When it's time for the Jaguars to pick up Hunter's fifth-year option, it will be driven by the position at which he takes the most snaps. Ditto for the franchise tag. Only in his second contract will Hunter have a chance to get paid for playing both positions. He won't be eligible for that until after his third regular season ends. Advertisement That's when it will get interesting. After the 2027 regular season. Hunter, if he's playing both ways on a full-time basis, will have every right to be paid for both of his jobs. The stakes will be high, for both sides. The Jaguars happily gave up their 2026 first-round pick and more to trade up three spots in the first round because they were getting two players in one — as their two-pronged social-media announcement of his signing confirms. At some point, they'll need to depart from a Collective Bargaining Agreement that doesn't contemplate paying extra money to a player who plays both ways.
Bloomberg
44 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Inside Disney's Campaign to Protect Darth Vader From AI
The heads of the world's largest technology companies are all competing to sustain their dominance in a world reshaped by artificial intelligence. Inc. said it is going to reduce its work force as AI handles more tasks, Meta just invested more than $14 billion in Scale AI and Apple has weighed bidding for Perplexity AI. Down here in Los Angeles, most studios, producers and talent agencies are preoccupied with other topics — the summer movie slate, the flight of production and the uncertain future of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Has the ‘Resilient Consumer' Been Pushed Too Far?
Kearney's latest Consumer Stress Index report predicts that the current market is in a moment of calm before the storm with calculations of consumer sentiment mirroring consumer behavior and spending in the market. The authors of the report said that the findings 'provide a snapshot of sentiment unclouded by immediate reactions to these economic changes,' adding that predicting consumer behavior is never straightforward. Notably, Kearney Consumer Institute's surveys were taken ahead of tariff announcements. More from WWD Suite Talk: Frank Darling's Kegan Fisher on Making the Move From Tech to Art Suite Talk: Tanya Taylor Finds Inspiration in Her Everyday Routine Shoppers Are Investing in Luxury Handbags Over Stock Overall, the Consumer Stress Index report revealed a general sentiment that consumers 'feel less flexible and less able to impact the macroeconomic challenges they are facing' as they continue to be pulled in different directions, with global uncertainty as a persistent factor. Compared to the consumer stress index taken during the first quarter of 2024, Katie Thomas, lead at Kearney Consumer Institute, said 'a critical development is that consumers have moved from a phase of optimization to being on the brink of sacrifice.' Thomas explained that in recent years a persistent and accurate narrative has been around the resilient consumer and that despite rising prices, they had continued to spend. But tariffs could put consumers over the edge in terms of prices and job security. 'The most notable change in this edition is the sharp increase in consumer concern about trade disputes,' said Thomas. According to Kearney's data, in third-quarter 2024, only 36 percent of consumers expressed concern about trade disputes affecting them personally, but by first-quarter 2025, that number had surged to 54 percent — a 50 percent increase. The findings represent a significant shift in consumer awareness of macroeconomic trade implications. Thomas explained that without buffers, like stimulus checks, and post-pandemic spending gone, 'retailers should expect consumer resilience to run out when tariffs and additional price pressures hit.' Reactions will be delayed but retailers should prepare for a lag effect where consumers 'wait and see' before purchasing. 'Most consumers will wait until price increases hit shelves before changing their habits — a delay that could mask the full impact of tariffs until later this year,' said Thomas. 'This means the current calm could suddenly shift to significant behavioral changes once new costs become visible.' Looking specifically at consumers in the U.S., Kearney's research found that the current consumer stability is fragile and temporary, requiring retailers to have proactive strategies rather than relying on continued resilience. 'The overall picture suggests that while stress levels appear stable, consumers are reaching a breaking point in their ability to adapt to rising costs and economic pressures,' said Thomas. 'Retailers need to understand that consumers have already absorbed substantial price increases and made significant behavioral adjustments. This apparent stability indicates that consumers are operating at their adaptation limits, not that they're comfortable.' Early indicators of recession behaviors are being seen across categories. As an example, Thomas pointed to hair care and salon services reporting a pullback in spending as consumers go longer between appointments or try to do the service at home. 'There is a general thoughtfulness around spending money, with many consumers price shopping, experimenting with private label and evaluating whether they need to purchase luxury goods or higher-ticket items,' said Thomas. Apparel and footwear brands, Thomas told WWD, are particularly vulnerable to tariff impacts given their supply chains. This means consumers are likely to revert to pandemic-era behaviors such as delaying purchases and prioritizing essentials. 'Brands can expect extended purchase cycles and increased price sensitivity.' Kearney's report also called out the beauty category as the company continues to watch for headwinds and tailwinds. While traditionally the lipstick effect has worked because consumers had fewer alternatives and established brand loyalties, the flood of new options in recent years means that not all brands will win. Thomas warned that this abundance of choices can 'work against individual brands during economic stress, as consumers can find lower-priced alternatives or dupes, and often do not feel they are sacrificing quality or status.' As brands look ahead, Thomas said that a key metric to watch will be job security. 'While the focus to date has largely been on how tariffs will impact prices, many brands are also considering layoffs or right-sizing their workforces,' said Thomas. 'Consumers are already cutting back, but the budget will completely change if they are no longer employed.' Best of WWD The Definitive Timeline for Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Sean John Fashion Brand: Lawsuits, Runway Shows and Who Owns It Now What the Highest-paid CEOs at U.S. Fashion and Retail Companies Make Confidence Holds Up, But How Much Can Consumers Take? Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
