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Ten must-have Google Chrome extensions
With the Chrome Extensions gallery now fully up and running, the number of awesome extensions is multiplying at a rapid rate. What I've tried to do here is offer up the best, the most useful and the must-have extensions for Google Chrome.To use the extensions you will need to install the Beta if you're under Windows, or the Developer build for Mac. Linux users will also need the Beta version. Google has a quick walkthrough that I suggest you read, if you're new to extensions -- but mostly, it's just a matter of installing the Beta (30 seconds), clicking the links in this article and hitting 'yes'. Easy enough, right?
1. WOT (Web Of Trust) -- Direct Install Link
From what I can tell, this is like your usual 'link scanner' that's present in most security suites... only it's faster, and a lot more informative. WOT is a huge community that rates and appraises a vast majority of the popular Web. This is one of the many add-ons that has made the (quick) transfer from Firefox to Chrome -- it was incredibly popular over on Firefox, so I think you'll find this an invaluable extension if you're now exclusively using Chrome.
For every page you can view its 'scorecard' using the extension's icon in the top right of your browser, pop open the extended details (as you see in the screenshot above) -- and of course, you are encouraged to add your own ratings to the web of trust! Also of note, when you install the extension, you can choose default security settings -- this extension is ideal for protecting your kiddies from the dangers of the world wide web...!
2. Evernote Web Clipper -- Direct Install Link
This is an odd one, but cool. Basically, it allows you to annotate and tag any page on the web -- a bit like Delicious or Stumble Upon, but it's not social. It attempts to differentiate itself from the social bookmarking services with a few features. For a start, you can take clippings of entire pages, or just blocks of text that you like. There's also Twitter integration -- Evernote can be set to stalk your tweets -- and also easy access to the website (and your clips) from any Internet-connected device. Good for taking notes at home and then reading them on the move!
It's worth noting that the service could definitely be a bit quicker though. I imagine it's just a teething issue, with so many new users suddenly using the extension.
3. Feedly -- Direct Install Link
I'd never even heard of this extension until today, and it's totally unlike any other extension you'll install. Instead of directly interacting with how you surf it... does some clever stuff. From what I can tell, it sniffs out your Twitter and Google Reader login details and collates everything into a 'magaziney' homepage.
Seriously, it's as cool as it sounds. I guess it does it via my cookies or something clever like that -- but really, the first time you install this extension and hit that icon in the top right corner... you are suddenly looking at a web page that feels strangely familiar, but also not. Then you slowly realise it's your RSS feeds from Google Reader... and recommended items from Amazon... and shared Reader items from your friends! It's really quite odd, rather daunting, but very, very neat -- and well worth playing with!
4. Google Wave Notifier -- Direct Install Link
You probably know by now that I'm a bit of a Google Wave fan -- I'm one of those nutcases that thinks it's the key to Google's continued world domination -- and this extension is another neat way of keeping up to date with Wave, but without leaving its the resource-intensive monster open in another tab. Now you can close that CPU cycle-hogging behemoth and just keep an eye on the notifier in the top right corner.
It even shows you which waves have been updated, and links you directly to them. There are a few configuration options too, such as update frequency, and the colour of the icon (it's important for some people, damnit!)
5. Shareaholic -- Direct Install Link
No list of extensions or add-ons could ever be complete without the wunderkind that is Shareaholic. It's like... a social sharegasm, in an extension. It's all right there, in a single drop-down menu: share it, save it, email it, tweet it... you get the idea -- Shareaholic is really all you need, instead of pesky and bloated application-specific extensions.
As far as options go, pickings are pretty slim. All you really have to do is choose what services appear in the menu... and that's about it! Oh, it also automatically generates a shortened bit.ly link too, so no need for any of those pointless URL-shortening extensions either.
6. LastPass -- Direct Install Link
This one I'm lifting straight from Lee's excellent 'pre-release' list of Chrome Extensions that he did last month. LastPass is the password manager -- no other tool or add-on even comes close to LastPass in its functionality or usability. You can import password databases from almost every other similar service, and the developers say that it picks up more password fields (AJAX forms for example) than any other password-scanning tool.
LastPass has other neat bits too, like the ability to store secure notes and generate secure passwords. This is one of those vital extensions that every security-aware user should download.
7. Mouse Stroke -- Direct Install Link
Mouse Stroke is about as good as gestures get in Chrome, at least so far. It can be a bit tricky initially, using gestures, but after a little bit of training you'll wonder how you ever got by without them. I guess there are two ways you can go: either keyboard-only, with something like Gleebox, or mouse-only with a gesture extension like Mouse Stroke. Either solution is going to save your fingers and hands a world of RSI pain, so I suggest you pick one or the other!
Getting to the Mouse Stroke options screen is a little harder than usual: you have to hit the spanner, then Extensions and then 'options' next to the Mouse Stroke entry. Documentation is pretty slim, so the options page is your best bet -- U, D, R and L are the four directions. That should be enough to get you started with gestures (and if not, there's a rudimentary FAQ on their Google Code page).
8. AdBlock, FlashBlock, FacebookBlock et al. (Direct Install Links below)
Talking about the vast variety of 'block' extensions seems a little bit of a waste. If you want to block ads, or Flash elements or anything really, there's an extension that will do it. Yes, they have white lists for specific sites, and some are better than others, but at the end of the day... you all know what they do, so what's the point in me telling you something you already know?
But in any case, here are some links to the most popular Chrome 'blocking' extensions:
- FlashBlock -- Direct Install Link -- this one blocks Flash! (there are two FlashBlocks with the exact same name on the Chrome Extensions site, doh!)
- AdBlock -- Direct Install Link -- I'm told this one blocks ads... (and it has some neat in-line black- and white-listing functions -- take a look at the options page for more info)
- Facebook Adblock -- Direct Install Link -- if you just want to block ads on Facebook... (why?)
9. Speed Tracer -- Direct Install Link (requires the '--enable-extension-timeline-api' command line flag)
We actually covered Speed Tracer in its own article on Download Squad; it's that neat -- at least if you're a developer! This isn't a tool for the average user (unless you're the curious type), but I'm including it because it really is useful if you're a website admin or designer -- or even an executive type that wants to smack down your tardy webdesign department with great vengeance and furious anger.
It basically gives you a wealth of information about where your web pages/apps are being slowed down, be it in the Javascript execution or the AJAX callbacks. There's a cool video on the extension's page too, which is worth a watch so you can see just how much this extension does.
10. Chromed Bird -- Direct Install Link
Ladies and gentlemen, the customary Twitter extension. No! Don't throw rotten tomatoes at me! Really, this is quite cool. Think about it -- how often do you navigate to the Twitter website, or alt-tab to TweetDeck? Fairly often, if you're a contemporary social-networking nerd like me. Chromed Bird lets you send tweets and watch tweets as they come in from your friends in real time.
It would be nice if there was an 'automagic' button that tweets whatever page you're currently on -- you have to copy and paste at the moment -- but other than that, this is a very concise and cute Chrome extension. It even changes colour and notifies you when new tweets come in -- it lets you view @replies and direct messages too!
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As always, if there are other Chrome Extensions that you think people should know about, or 'must-haves' that I've sacrilegiously left off the list, please leave me a comment!
Comments
46
Subscribe to commentsNeoprimalDec 11th 2009 5:53PM
My list from 1 to 10 and why I've completely switched to Chrome as my default browser:
1. Lastpass (Can't live without it, I hope to God they never start charging for basic functionality)
2. Xmarks (Same as above. It's way more robust than Chromes bookmark sync - and of course is browser independent technically)
3. WOT. An all round great tool, especially when it blocks a website that something redirects to if you say, make a typo.
4. Invisible Hand. GREAT, has helped me find deals maaaany-a-time.
5. Google Voice.
6. Google Calendar.
7. Zoho Notebook and Google Docs.
8. Feedly
9. Send this with Gmail.
10. Bitly. I'm lazy, and typing bitly.com is just too much work.
Once lastpass, xmarks, wot and invisible hand became extensions I was an insta-Chrome user. Been admiring it for a long time for the sheer efficiency and speed but now it's got it all.
Sebastian AnthonyDec 11th 2009 5:57PM
Great list :) Some of those I don't use, or not enough to consider them must-haves in my browser -- but yeah, I would expect other people to have other lists... good to share 'em!
JayDec 12th 2009 5:02PM
Take a quick look at Shareaholic -- you may be able to get rid of a few other extensions.
der_tuxmanDec 11th 2009 6:43PM
Ah. A password manager. Something as basic as this one is only available as an EXTENSION? Oh well!
Sebastian AnthonyDec 11th 2009 7:20PM
Some people like their software light to begin with... rather than fat and chunky :)
I remember how fast Firefox used to be, back in the olden days...
NeoprimalDec 11th 2009 9:03PM
You should look up lastpass. Nothing compares except maybe billeo or robopass - and those store the data PER machine, so you STILL have to usb or xfer files across to other machines - which, face it, can turn sour if you leave the information on a usb key and it's lost/stolen. In the cloud they're safe unless there's some dedicated hacking attempt to steal the data and even then, each passworded file and entry is encrypted, so hackers would have a helluva time hacking each account and getting things like passwords to downloadsquad.com and twitter.
I have 3 computers and 2 laptops, no built in password manager satisfies this kind of traffic. That's why bookmark syncs and password managers are important for me, and people like me. 1 account in a cloud somewhere and the ability to sync bookmarks and passwords across multiple computers is simply necessary.
GregDec 12th 2009 8:21PM
Last pass is not just a"Simple" password manager. I use it on FF and its great.
AnthonyDec 11th 2009 7:44PM
AdThwart, FlashBlock, and KillText were what got me using Chrome regularly.
KillText kills IntelliTxt-style ads -- the double-underlined links that pop-up windows over the page you're viewing when you hover over them.
For FlashBlock, get FlashBlock by josorek at https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/gofhjkjmkpinhpoiabjplobcaignabnl
Autocomplete = on, InvisibleHand, and the YouTube HTML5-ifier are really nice too.
BrianDec 11th 2009 7:50PM
If you find a extension which downloads youtube videos in .mp4 be sure to report on it.
I'm needing one badly and it's the only reason I switch to firefox often.
ShaliniDec 12th 2009 2:22AM
Brian you seem to have missed the earlier post here - http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/12/04/google-chrome-extension-gallery-treads-lightly-on-copyright-issu/ so if you are looking for a Youtube downloader for chrome you can get it from the un-official Google Chrome Extension repository here :
http://www.chromeextensions.org/music-videos-photos/easy-youtube-video-downloader/
BrianDec 12th 2009 5:38AM
Thank you
atrDec 11th 2009 8:29PM
mouse stroke doesn't work on anything that's not http. sigh.
Sebastian AnthonyDec 11th 2009 8:32PM
As in no-go on HTTPS? Or things like FTP and so on?
Maybe the extension's developers will read this and fix it...!
jkroederDec 11th 2009 8:48PM
I can say I'm finally comfortable switching to Chrome now. Just a few quirks though.
First of all, no adblock extension for Chrome actually block ads. They hide them. So sometimes you'll see the ads for a split second.
Greasemonkey scripts. All the good scripts use Greasemonkey specific API meaning most scripts won't even work in Chrome.
Lastpass is a great password manager and all but the Chrome extension interface is horribly annoying to navigate through.
As for the issue with Mouse Stroke not working in all pages... this is the developers explanation
"Mouse Stroke, like all other extensions of Google Chrome, doesn't work in all pages. At the time of writing, extensions work in http://, https://, ftp:// and file:// protocols, this is Google's design."
NeoprimalDec 11th 2009 9:07PM
I bit the bullet and purchased a subscription to admuncher. They're getting a little greedy now, but so far it's been as invaluable to me as anti-virus software. As long as they don't raise the prices for a subscription I'll be tacking it into my 'security' budget. Admuncher covers everything...all or most browsers as long as they're based on mozilla, ie or webkit and even IM programs etc. Because of that I haven't needed to find tools like these for a while.
maf teechrDec 11th 2009 9:46PM
I personally use:
Mini Google Maps
Send from Gmail (no button)
Docs PDF/PowerPoint Viewer (by Google)
astrotoysevenDec 11th 2009 10:12PM
Apart from must haves like adblockers and video downloders which now seem to be increasingly cross platform, my main considerations are customisation and aesthetics. when something like integrated gmail, minimalist gmail and gmail redesigned come to chrome, Id look at a switch. I really like customising the browser and page interface to look exactly how I want.
meremDec 11th 2009 11:01PM
one feature that opera and its users don't seem to boast much about are the rebindable single key shortcuts. they are absolutely brilliant, and i would immediately switch to chrome if someone ports the feature properly.
DamianDec 12th 2009 5:15AM
The reason I like adblock for Firefox is that it saves my laptop downloading and processing things it doesn't need.
Currently adblock for chrome just uses CSS tricks to hide the adverts, which can be easily circumvented by the authoer. Either way it just means more processing for my poor old laptop. Chrome might be faster and have a slight edge on saving my battery, but it doesn't make up for the horrors adverts (and particularly flash) do to a laptop battery.
browsing dudeDec 12th 2009 5:18AM
All this extensions thing is great. Except there is no tabbed browsing manger, like Tab Mix Plus. You guys are satisfied with the tabs behavior in Chrome? Because I'm not and I need a good tabbed browsing manager. I need a MRU CTRL+TAB behavior.