TASSY P2P FORUMS

We've all had to Alt-Tab. Whether you're driving down the streets of Liberty City wondering how to pass a mission or twiddling your thumbs waiting for a raid to start in World of Warcraft, the temptation to Alt-Tab out of the game to switch to the Web browser is something we've all faced. Unfortunately, Alt-Tabbing is also a toss of the dice, but gamers are gamblers, willing to hit Alt-Tab with iron wills and steely gazes at the ready. When we're lucky, the windows flicker around in a voodoo-like fashion and take us to the desktop safe and sound. More often than not, the game will just crash on us or ignore the command altogether. And then there are times when lady luck spits in our eye, and the computer locks up completely--which is precisely the moment our steely gazes come into play.

A few companies have been toiling away on in-game Web browsers to make Alt-Tabbing a thing of the past. They figure you shouldn't have to leave the game and tempt lady luck to hawk a juicy one your way if you want to check a few scores, and find a FAQ. Programs like PlayXpert, Rogue, Xfire, and even Steam let you hit up the Web without leaving the action. All of the solutions are fairly young and consequently have their quirks (think gleek rather than loogie), but they are getting better over time. Read on to learn about four of the more promising in-game browsing applications.