Powerful Extensions: Google Chrome

Google Chrome is Google’s first foray into the web browser market, in this post Tonick’s Jesse Cochran takes a look at the introduction of ‘Extensions’ to the Google Chrome browser, the potential impact this may have on it’s main competitor, Mozilla Firefox, and identifies the must have ‘Extensions’ currently available.

Mozilla’s Firefox browser is the most popular browser used for surfing the web today.  However, in late 2008 Google entered the market for the first time with the release of it’s own product, Google Chrome.

The idea behind Google Chrome was to create a more stable type of browser designed around the current web environment. In their own marketing they pushed the idea that they had gone back to the drawing board and reconsidered evey aspect of the browsing experience. However, many users of Firefox were disappointed with Chrome having grown accustomed to a range of features not included within Google’s new product. The principal feature missing from Google Chrome was the the vast collection of  ‘Add-On’s’ available to users of Firefox, customised mini-applications which could be downloaded and installed into the Firefox browser to provide additional functionality.

Adding a whole host of extended usability to the Firefox browser, Add-on’s had become a popular part of many people’s online experience and Google Chrome, lacking this functionality, was at an immediate disadvantage.

With the release of the Chrome (beta) extension gallery on the 8^th December 2009, Google finally caught up with public opinion, and began to offer similar levels of extended functionality through the introduction of ‘Extensions’. Working in a similar way to the Firefox Add-On’s, these extensions enable services such as Google Mail and Facebook to be accessed directly from within the browser, negating the need to visit each service directly through their websites.

As someone who found it difficult to make the change to Google Chrome in the past for the lack of Add-Ons the move to offer a range of extensions reawakened my interest and led me to give it another try. The results for me have been pretty positive, the extensions I’ve found allow me to carry out many, if not all, of the functions I could previously do within Firefox,  sometimes with much better results.

If other web users are anything like me, I believe Google’s move to a more customisable web browser could potentially draw others to make the switch too. Some of the areas I found improved via extensions include:

• Easier navigation control due to well structured delivery methods for all of your basic data (Email, RSS Feeds etc)
• Better data management through services which can store and sync your bookmarks and passwords remotely, cutting down on the number of things you need to remember.
• Organising your Social media services can be much easier with quick access to services such as Twitter, Bit.ly, Google Services and your RSS Feed subscriptions.
• Performance tools can be installed to monitor chrome performance and help diagnose any problems you may come across.
• Interconnectivity with other Google services is much simpler through the use of Extensions, you can check for new mail/feeds/Google Wave conversations all with just one click and without leaving your current page.

I have found a number of Extensions incredibly useful in my day to day web browsing. To make life easier for you I have included my favourite ones below with a brief description of the added functionality they provide. If you have your own favourites I would love to include them on future posts so please send me an email or leave your comment at the end of the post:

OneNumber Extension. Linking you with your Google account.

One Number - Linking you with other Google services.

Through a frequent set of updates this Extension checks your google account and lets you know if you have any new material which you may wish to review. This eliminates the need to check your Google Email account for example, as OneNumber can tell you if you have any new email and who it is from. Similar functions are carried out right across your Google account, checking for any of the following and alerting you through an easily recognisable set of images;

• Unread Google Reader Items
• Unread Emails
• Unread Google Wave Discussions
• Messages with Google Voice (Currently US Only)

Password Management in Sync

Last Pass – Password Management

Stores all passwords you use with Google Chrome and can then auto-fill the password fields or even auo-login to stored websites quickly, speeding up many tasks significantly. Your password database can then be used with other browsers, such as Firefox - Keeping everything in Sync.

Feedly – Feed Subscription Manager

Similar to Google Reader but a lot more stylish, Feedly lets you view your RSS subscriptions in a Magazine style format making it easier to stay on top of all the latest news.

Synchronised Bookmarks

Xmarks – Keeping your Bookmarks in Sync

By storing your bookmarks on-line it is possible to synchronise between browsers and computers, meaning you can copy your bookmarked sites from the office to your home computer with a single click.

eBay – Keep an eye on your eBay activity

Very handy extension, letting you check your Active and Ended eBay items instantly from anywhere through an easy to use drop-down viewer. Would defiantly recommend if a regular eBay user.

Shareaholic - Social Sharing made quick!

WhoIs+ – Website information at your fingertips

This Extension can perform whois, DNS checks, email verifications and can ping the currently browsed website, or another of your choice. This may not make sense to most of us, but for web developers and those more technically minded this can prove to be a fantastic tool, saving much time.

Shareaholic - Resource sharing made quick!

My favourite extension so far, Shareaholic enables you to quickly post a link to the currently browsed site to a multitude of Social Bookmarking/Networking sites and other services such as to the local Printer or E-mail program. This Extension can also make others redundant, such as the Delicious Bookmarklet, with a whole host of services supported. Quick, compact and fully customisable this Extension really gives Google Chrome the edge in my opinion.

Chromed Bird & Facebook for Chrome are a set of must-have companions if you like your social networking, through them you can easily send your Facebook updates, check your live feed and profile wall as well as access all your Twitter information. These Extensions will save you time and help you stay on top of your services.

Jesse Cochran is a Digital Marketing Executive with Tonick Media. His role is to work with clients in getting the most from the web, in particular Social Media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. If you would like to speak to Jesse or the Tonick Team please get in touch.