KallOut Beta Support Forum
KallOut is currently in Beta and it is likely that you will run into bugs from time to time. It is important that if you run into bugs, you let us know so that we can continue to improve the app.
The best way to contact us is to either email or fill in one of the feedback forms below. We love hearing from people running KallOut so please do not hesitate to contact us.
Please Report any Known Issues
KallOut is a BETA product and we love receiving input from people using the app. Please help us improve by reporting any bugs you see in the app in the box below. If you leave your email (optional), we can work with you to solve your problem. Thanks!
PLEASE TELL US IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH KALLOUT:
Localization is on the way...
Many people have reported that they love KallOut but want to use it in their own language. Please contact us with your desired language and a list of region-specific sites you consider "must-have"
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General
What is KallOut?
KallOut is the first application to bring selection-based search results to any email, presentation, document, spreadsheet or web page. Unlike other search methods that are trapped inside the browser, KallOut serves up content from the most popular sites on the web inside floating information palettes (which we call KallOuts).
Why would I want to use KallOut?
No matter what you're looking for, you can find it faster with KallOut.
Unlike traditional browser-based search systems, KallOut's selection-based search system provides access to the best information available on the web with fewer steps, less use of the keyboard and no distracting browser launches.
In this way, KallOut puts the web within easy reach of any Office application you happen to be using.
Is KallOut easy to use?
Yes, KallOut is as easy as 1-2-3. To find the information you seek, simply:
1. Select a word or phrase
Select a word or phrase inside Microsoft Office or on the web.
2. Choose an item from the menu
Mouse over the KallOut target and choose a site from the context menu.
3. Enjoy Results in Context!
View the search results in the floating KallOut window.
Contrast these three easy steps with what you are probably doing today.
For example, if you see a street address in an e-mail and you want to get a map to that location, with today’s browser-based search systems you’d have to:
- Select the full address (this example assumes it is all on one line)
- Remember/Decide how to copy the address to the clipboard
- Copy the selected text to the clipboard by either
a. Hitting Ctrl-C on the keyboard (after setting the mouse down) or
b. Right Clicking the mouse and choosing Copy from the menu - Launch a browser (which will likely cover up your e-mail reading program) by
a. Clicking in the Start Menu or
b. Clicking a Desktop or Tray icon (after picking up the mouse) - Navigate the browser to your favorite search engine by
a. Typing in the Search engine URL or
b. Having the search engine as your default Home Page - Paste the selected text by either
a. Hitting Ctrl-V on the keyboard (after setting the mouse down) or
b. Right Clicking the mouse and choosing Paste from the menu - Hit Return or Click the [Search} button to view the search results
- Choose the link to your preferred map provider
- Navigate your way back to your e-mail reader application
In addition to having three times as many steps, the shifting back and forth from the mouse to the keyboard and launching a new browser that covers up your e-mail reader application, causes the actual elapsed time required to use a browser-based search system to be much longer than with KallOut. In addition, this complex set of steps creates a level of disruption to your thought process that may make it difficult to get back in the flow of what you were doing before.
Does KallOut only work over web pages?
No, in addition to enhancing web pages inside of Internet Explorer and FireFox, KallOut is designed to enhance the content in applications such as Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Adobe Acrobat/Reader. This means that you can access content from the best sites on the web without losing the focus of your primary activity.
Context Menu
What is the Context Menu?
The Context Menu appears after selecting text in a document or web page and hovering over the Context Menu Target that appears next to the selected text. The Context Menu is divided into a top area that offers BestGuess™ menu suggestions and a bottom area that contains a series of sub-menus that organize over 20 content providers.
The categories of information available and the content providers supported by KallOut within each category are as follows:
What are BestGuess menu items?
BestGuess menu items are suggestions for specific content providers that KallOut believes are most relevant to your selected text.
In some cases, BestGuess choices will be based on the type of information selected (e.g., a street address may yield a Google Map BestGuess). In other cases, BestGuess choices will be based on the “wisdom of crowds” as represented by prior KallOut users who have tended to select a specific KallOut whenever a certain term is selected (e.g., if the term is “Betsy Ross House” and others have chosen Wikipedia).
The BestGuess system attempts to match your selection with the most relevant KallOut choices from a database of trained terms. Over 60 million terms (and counting) have been processed inside the BestGuess system and the choices are continuously re-ranked to perfect the top choices that appear in the menu. If you are unsure about a topic, there is a good chance that BestGuess can point you in the right direction.
Do I have to select the BestGuess menu items?
No, they are simply suggestions. If we get it wrong, all you have to do is pick the most appropriate KallOut from the bottom portion of the KallOut menu. Your selection will help us make better BestGuess suggestions in the future because each selection made represents a vote in favor of that particular KallOut. This is part of the magic that allows KallOut to get smarter and smarter over time as more people use it.
Settings Dialog
What is the Settings Dialog?
The Settings Dialog appears after selecting Adjust Settings from the KallOut Options sub-menu or from selecting Settings from the tray menu that appears after Right-Clicking the “K” in the Windows system tray (typically at the bottom right of your primary display screen).
As the Settings Dialog is coming up it will show a “Loading” animation. During this time it is downloading all of your user-specific preferences from the KallOut server. These preferences are organized into the following categories:
- Applications
- Context Menu
- BestGuess
- Search Bar
- Dock
- Advanced
- Diagnostics
Can I configure which applications KallOut will enhance?
Yes, the Settings Dialog allows you to check a box next to each application that you want KallOut to enhance. If you uncheck the box next to a particular application in the list (e.g., Excel) and save this setting, KallOut will no longer attempt to detect your text selections inside of that application and display the context menu target.
Can I configure which content providers are available in the Context Menu?
Yes, the Settings Dialog allows you to check a box next to each content provider that you wish to appear in the context menu. If you uncheck the box next to a particular content provider in the list (e.g., Google Shopping) and save this setting, KallOut will no longer list Google Shopping in the sub-menu of content providers related to Shopping.
Can I configure other user preferences?
Yes, the Settings Dialog has a series of different types of preferences that are organized into the categories shown above. Changing these preferences is as easy as selecting the Settings Category in the left-hand pane of the Settings Dialog, changing the preferences to your liking and hitting the Save button.
Connection Issues
This error most commonly appears when you have no connection to the internet.
FIREWALL
If your internet connection is working, you may have an issue with your firewall or proxy server. First, make sure that your firewall is configured to Allow KallOut.
PROXY SERVER
A proxy server requiring a proxy username and password could also cause this problem. To configure your proxy:
- Click "Configure Proxy Settings..."
- Select "Use the following proxy"
- Check the box next to Proxy requires Authentication
- Enter the proxy username and password
- Click OK
Still need help? Ask us a Question!
We are currently expanding our support forum. If you can't find the answer to your question, ask us in the box below. Leave your email (optional) if you want us to follow up with you directly. Thanks!