Link Details

Just set the search box (the one you got built in to firefox) to open into a new tab. Tada! (might require extension)
Or you can hit ctrl+k, type something into the searchbox and hit alt+enter.

For the awezome bar, you can select something then use alt+enter to open the url in a new tab.
If you set up your search engine key words, you can hit ctrl+l, type 'g something' then hit alt+enter.
Or you can just paste an url from the clipboard then use alt+enter...

And wait for the "ubiquity" extension (sp).

The idea having it default to a search is nice (though I've been rather trained now just to hit Ctrl+T then Ctrl+E and start typing), but the latter stuff seems like it's just trying to do too much. A search box (even hooked into the Could-Be-Slightly-Awesomer bar) is simple. But going all the way with these ideas sacrifices simplicity to replace one or two actions that most of us are conditioned to do rather quickly anyway.

oh please guys. use opera. we have it all (except for memory leaks of course).