Download Squad

Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[15+ free Windows apps to help you tackle Thanksgiving tech support]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/21/15-free-windows-apps-to-help-you-tackle-thanksgiving-tech-support/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/21/15-free-windows-apps-to-help-you-tackle-thanksgiving-tech-support/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/21/15-free-windows-apps-to-help-you-tackle-thanksgiving-tech-support/#commentsFiled under: Features, Troubleshooting, Lists

The holiday season has always been a time for gathering -- but in recent years, it's also been a time when family and friends come bearing gifts of computer troubles. Their computer friends -- people like the Download Squad team and you, our readers -- get asked to do everything from installing RAM upgrades to the annual computer tune-up. We're happy to oblige, of course, because there's a decent chance someone will pay us in beer or baked goods. Cash is welcome too, but never seems to be offered quite as readily.

To make your holiday tech duties a bit easier, I've put together a list of some of my favorite troubleshooting apps for Windows.
Where download links for the files aren't on the application's main page, I've included a link to the appropriate download page. I've provided a handful of FileHippo links as well -- they're an excellent mirror site and they don't surround download links in advertisements or "recommendations."

Continue reading 15+ free Windows apps to help you tackle Thanksgiving tech support

15+ free Windows apps to help you tackle Thanksgiving tech support originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 21 Nov 2010 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsavastcleancleaningdecrapifierdropboxfeatureshgghgg2010listsmalwaremalwarebytesmsepcdecrapifierrevosecuniasecurity_essentialssuperantispywareteamviewerthanksgivingtune-upuninstallerutilitiesviruswindirstatSun, 21 Nov 2010 10:55:00 EST<![CDATA[10+ handy Opera 11 extensions]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/09/10-handy-opera-11-extensions/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/09/10-handy-opera-11-extensions/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/09/10-handy-opera-11-extensions/#commentsFiled under: Features, Browsers, Lists

Opera 11 has finally joined the likes of Firefox, Chrome, and Safari in offering easy extensibility via extensions. While the list of available Opera extensions is comparatively short at the moment, there are already more than 100 to choose from -- and several that are quite handy.

You'll need Opera 11 installed to use these, of course. Grab a current snapshot build, as a number of extension-related issues have been fixed since the initial Opera 11 preview.

Now without further ado, let's jump in!

LastPass (new addition!)
I've been using LastPass to securely store and access my Web credentials since it first arrived. I've got it installed in Chrome, Firefox, Mobile Safari, and on my Droid Incredible. Now, I've even got it installed in Opera 11 -- it's a much more complete experience than the bookmarklet.

Translate (pictured)

A good number of extensions aim to add functionality from other browsers -- like Google Chrome's auto-translate feature. Translate (unsurprisingly) brings that functionality to Opera 11. Visit a page in a language other than your default (which you can set via a drop-down) and a toolbar offering to translate it appears.

Continue reading 10+ handy Opera 11 extensions

10+ handy Opera 11 extensions originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-onadd-onsextensionsoperaopera 11Opera11Tue, 09 Nov 2010 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[15+ Google Chrome extensions for better privacy control]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/01/15-google-chrome-extensions-for-better-privacy-control/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/01/15-google-chrome-extensions-for-better-privacy-control/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/01/15-google-chrome-extensions-for-better-privacy-control/#commentsFiled under: Features, Google, Browsers, Lists

If there's one thing all the recent Firesheep shenanigans have taught us, it's that we all need to take Web security and privacy a bit more seriously. Though you might not be aware, Google Chrome includes a number of privacy-minded features out-of-the-box. From blocking plug-ins, JavaScript, and the transmission of your location via its content settings to disabling prefetching, custom error messages, and usage statistics.

But for the truly privacy-minded, those features may not go far enough. Fortunately, there's no shortage of excellent options in the Chrome Extensions Gallery that can help provide you with better control over your browsing privacy.

Now, on to the extensions -- we'll get the big two out of the way first.

AdBlock

Apart from being an annoyance, Web-based advertising code also tends to harvest information about you and your browsing habits. It serves a purpose, obviously, allowing ad providers to serve more relevant ads. That doesn't mean you have to like it, of course, and AdBlock lets you choose which sites get to show you ads.

Flashblock

Some sites use Flash as a way to creatively store cookies and track you. Installing Flashblock gives you control over which pages are allowed to load Flash elements and which aren't.

Continue reading 15+ Google Chrome extensions for better privacy control

15+ Google Chrome extensions for better privacy control originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adblockbrowserchromechromiumflashblockgooglegoogle chromeGoogleChromenoscriptprivacyMon, 01 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Six kick-ass add-ons that already work with Firefox 4.0]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/09/29/six-kick-ass-addons-that-already-work-with-firefox-4-0/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/09/29/six-kick-ass-addons-that-already-work-with-firefox-4-0/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/09/29/six-kick-ass-addons-that-already-work-with-firefox-4-0/#commentsFiled under: Mozilla, Browsers, Lists

addons

I like the new Firefox 4 look, but the add-ons, ... the add-ons! Why can't they all work?

Instead of posting yet another rant, I've decided to take a more productive look at the issue and figure out what popular add-ons do currently work with the current beta release of Firefox 4. Here's what I found:

Adblock Plus works perfectly for me; it's one of the add-ons that I use every day, all day long (almost like Greasemonkey, which doesn't work for Firefox 4 yet). Blocking annoyances is great, but AdBlock also helps keep you under your cap by not downloading bloated ads.

Continue reading Six kick-ass add-ons that already work with Firefox 4.0

Six kick-ass add-ons that already work with Firefox 4.0 originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addonsbetaextensionsfirefox 4Firefox4mozillaWed, 29 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[5 great content discovery sites which aren't Digg]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/09/02/5-great-content-discovery-sites-digg-alternatives/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/09/02/5-great-content-discovery-sites-digg-alternatives/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/09/02/5-great-content-discovery-sites-digg-alternatives/#commentsFiled under: Features, Social Software, web 2.0, Lists

Despite what you may have heard in the last two weeks, Digg is not dead. It is, however, a very different service than when it started. What used to be a great place to find interesting links and hilarious commentary has become, for almost all intents and purposes, a Twitter clone.

Digg isn't about to shut its doors, but I do get the feeling that regular, loyal Diggers are looking to take their custom elsewhere. Judging by the 'Reddit incident' on Monday, where Digg users revolted in favor of Reddit, it looks like a mass exodus might already have begun.

So, if you're a disenfranchised Digger, or if you're just looking for the best of the rest when it comes to social news aggregators and content discovery, take a look at this list of alternatives!

Continue reading 5 great content discovery sites which aren't Digg

5 great content discovery sites which aren't Digg originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aggregationaggregatoralternativesdiggfeatureslistsredditslashdotsocialstumbleupontwitteryahooyahoo buzzYahooBuzzThu, 02 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Great Android Conspiracy -- a thrilling ride through six back-to-school Android apps for students!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/24/6-back-to-school-android-apps-for-students/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/24/6-back-to-school-android-apps-for-students/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/24/6-back-to-school-android-apps-for-students/#commentsFiled under: Features, Lists, Android

Download Squad contributor Mark Bowytz decided to go freestyle with this rundown of Android apps -- please enjoy his geeky thriller ... and the apps, of course!

Agent McCormick is to meet an informant who has some secrets to share about his Android phone...but will they make it out alive?

The air in the Imperial Palace restaurant was a pungent mixture of fried dumplings and chemical fumes wafting in from the nearby industrial park.

Though the room was dimly lit and cast in a red glow from the Chinese lanterns and other East Asian chotchkies hanging from the walls, Agent McCormick found the informant who had called him the week before; he was a bookish young man who nearly knocked over his bowl of wonton soup upon being discovered.

"I was never here, got it?" asked the informant.

"Sure, sure, but why are they after you? What do you know?"

The informant nervously glanced around and withdrew a slender, dark, and shiny object from his coat pocket.

"This phone...," he began while sliding a finger to unlock the screen, "... this Android phone. Sure, it does phone calls, messaging, and social networks, but it can do more ... LOTS more."

Continue reading The Great Android Conspiracy -- a thrilling ride through six back-to-school Android apps for students!

The Great Android Conspiracy -- a thrilling ride through six back-to-school Android apps for students! originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappsappstoreback to schoolbacktoschoolcloakcollegedaggerdangerMotorolaschoolspystudenttopappsTue, 24 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[5 must-have back-to-school apps for your computer and smartphone]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/19/5-must-have-back-to-school-apps-for-your-computer-and-smartphone/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/19/5-must-have-back-to-school-apps-for-your-computer-and-smartphone/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/19/5-must-have-back-to-school-apps-for-your-computer-and-smartphone/#commentsFiled under: Productivity, Lists

Chances are good that you use more than one gadget to help with schoolwork. If you have a laptop or desktop computer and do-it-all smartphone at your disposal there are some great applications which can be a huge help at school regardless of which device you've got your hands on.

From taking notes in class to accessing files at home to staving off forgetfulness, these five highly-useful apps are ready to lend you a hand at all times!

Dropbox
Those of you who need to work on projects with other classmates should definitely check out Dropbox. A free 2GB account gives you plenty of space to store and share documents, images, lecture recordings, or just about anything else. DropBox offers desktop apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux and mobile apps for Android, Blackberry, and iPhone -- plus there's a handy web interface. For anywhere, anytime access to files, Dropbox is an excellent choice.

Continue reading 5 must-have back-to-school apps for your computer and smartphone

5 must-have back-to-school apps for your computer and smartphone originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidback to schoolBackToSchoolblackberryfeaturesiphonelinuxmacstudentwindowsThu, 19 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[10+ extensions for better back-to-school browsing with Google Chrome]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/16/10-extensions-students-school-google-chrome/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/16/10-extensions-students-school-google-chrome/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/16/10-extensions-students-school-google-chrome/#commentsFiled under: Features, Google, Browsers, Lists

It's just about that time of year again -- time for millions of students to put their noses to the grindstone and head back to school for another year of academic excitement!

Few learning tools are as versatile as your trusty laptop or desktop computer -- and your Web browser is likely one of the most-used programs on it. If Google Chrome is your browser of choice, there are loads of useful add-on enhancements in the Extensions Gallery which can turn Chrome into a powerful tool for staying focused and productive while tackling your coursework.

Take the jump and have a look at thirteen Chrome extensions I've found useful... and be sure to share your own picks in the comments!

Continue reading 10+ extensions for better back-to-school browsing with Google Chrome

10+ extensions for better back-to-school browsing with Google Chrome originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>back to schoolBackToSchoolchromechromiumcollegeextensionsgooglestudentstudyuniversityMon, 16 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nine cool CD Art Display skins to showcase your music]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/26/nine-cool-cd-art-display-skins-to-showcase-your-music/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/26/nine-cool-cd-art-display-skins-to-showcase-your-music/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/26/nine-cool-cd-art-display-skins-to-showcase-your-music/#commentsFiled under: Design, Utilities, Lists

cdartdisplay

CD Art Display is a great little utility that puts the album art for the music you're listening to right on your desktop. It works with numerous players (iTunes, Foobar2000, Winamp, Helium, Windows Media Player, and more), and it shows you the album art for whatever track is currently playing with a beautiful skin. The art has to be in the album's folder, but if you don't already have it, CD Art Display can help you find it (it has a feature for automatically downloading covers).

Since it already interfaces with your player, CD Art Display also lets you switch to the next or previous track, pause/play, change the volume, and even rate the song and find and display its lyrics (right in the program, not in a pop-up browser window). It's pretty neat stuff!

CD Art Display isn't new; the last stable version (2.0.1) was released on September 8, 2009. The program is certainly not dead, though; CD Art Display 3.0 Beta was last updated on July 12, so it seems like development is definitely ongoing.

There are currently over 200 skins in the official gallery, so picking nine was tricky. However, I used the program's built-in browser to go through lots and lots of skins, installing and testing, until I found nine skins that I really liked. You can check them out after the jump!

Continue reading Nine cool CD Art Display skins to showcase your music

Nine cool CD Art Display skins to showcase your music originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artcdcoversmp3musicskinningutilitiesMon, 26 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Six great resources for budding JavaScript coders]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/06/09/six-great-resources-for-budding-javascript-coders/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/06/09/six-great-resources-for-budding-javascript-coders/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/06/09/six-great-resources-for-budding-javascript-coders/#commentsFiled under: Developer, Features, Lists

JavaScript Resources

As a relative newcomer to the world of web development, it sometimes seems to me as though there is a gulf in the field: The "pros" versus the "wannabe developers". As if there's a tight-knit clique of developers, all well-versed in arcane stuff like advanced user scripts, HTML5, or Ruby on Rails -- and then there's the "rest of the world", composed of mere mortals just trying to hack something together that would somehow display and sort of work across multiple browsers.

So the question becomes: How do I bridge the gap? How can I become a decent, skilled JavaScript developer without spending a boatload of money?

After the fold you can see my take on that issue, consisting of one piece of advice and five resources which I find useful in this quest!

Continue reading Six great resources for budding JavaScript coders

Six great resources for budding JavaScript coders originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crockforddeveloperseducationfeaturesjavascriptlearningvideoWed, 09 Jun 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ten awesome ways to find new music online]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/30/discover-find-new-music/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/30/discover-find-new-music/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/30/discover-find-new-music/#commentsFiled under: Audio, Features, Lists

uvumi

I think the need for music and rhythm is one of the most basic human needs; and as we evolve, so evolve our ways of hunting and gathering this precious commodity.

In this post, I've gathered 10 great places to expand your musical horizons: free, legal ways to discover music online, which work everywhere (not only in the US or in Europe)!

Not all of the sites below actually let you listen to music - they are not all players; but they can all help you find the next big thing, or just a tune to groove to.

Let's get started!

Uvumi

Uvumi is one of my favorite players in this space. You probably won't find much music you already know there; it's a community for budding artists, which lets them put their music online, be discovered and get direct feedback from their listeners.

I've covered Uvumi in detail, but if I had to sum it up in brief, I'd have to say that what impressed me most about the site is how well-managed it is. Marshall (the guy behind the site) seems to be taking both the listeners and the artists really seriously, and there's a true sense of community once you get into it.

YouTube Disco

When was the last time you listened to some music on YouTube? Probably sometime today or yesterday, right? It's something most of us do on a routine basis, and there's a whole cottage industry of mashups which use YouTube as a music repository and dish out recommendations.

And then there's Youtube's own Music Discovery Project. It's pretty much what you would expect, and it's certainly worth knowing about.

To see eight other ways to find and listen to music online (and a bonus mention!), keep on reading after the fold.

Continue reading Ten awesome ways to find new music online

Ten awesome ways to find new music online originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 30 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiodiscoverymusicmusical-webroundupSun, 30 May 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Four free programs for working with XP Mode, Virtual PC, and VHD files]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/01/free-program-xp-mode-virtualpc-vhd/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/01/free-program-xp-mode-virtualpc-vhd/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/01/free-program-xp-mode-virtualpc-vhd/#commentsFiled under: Utilities, Features, Windows, Lists

Windows 7's built-in virtualization tools let you do all kinds of useful things -- from multi-booting using virtual hard disks (VHDs), to mounting those same VHDs as local disks, to running older software that doesn't play well with OSes newer than XP. It would, however, be nice if certain tasks were a bit simpler.

Fortunately there are some great, free tools which can help.

Disk2vhd (pictured above)
Need an easy way to convert a physical machine to a virtual one? Fire up Disk2vhd and create a snapshot of any system running Windows XP or later -- including server OSes and x64 builds. Partition structure is retained, and you can even save your VHD to the same drive you're backing up.

Continue reading Four free programs for working with XP Mode, Virtual PC, and VHD files

Four free programs for working with XP Mode, Virtual PC, and VHD files originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 01 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>vhdvirtualvirtualpcwin7windows 7Windows7xpmodeSat, 01 May 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Five Windows 7 features average users should know about -- and use!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/30/five-windows-7-features-average-users-should-know-about-and-u/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/30/five-windows-7-features-average-users-should-know-about-and-u/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/30/five-windows-7-features-average-users-should-know-about-and-u/#commentsFiled under: Features, Windows, Lists

I've been using Windows 7 ever since test version became available. It's packed with useful features -- features power users and our Download Squad readers are probably familiar with. Average users, however, aren't quite as quick on the uptake. Most of my retail customers, for example, haven't even discovered that they can pin items to the taskbar. Heck, many of them don't know about the great carry-over features from previous Windows versions.

There are way more than five features average users should become familiar with. To start, I'll mention five basic features that can save time, protect valuable data, and keep malware and viruses at bay. Power users, share 'em with your friends!

Continue reading Five Windows 7 features average users should know about -- and use!

Five Windows 7 features average users should know about -- and use! originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>averagebackupfeaturessecuritytipsuserwin7windows 7Windows7Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[10+ great, free Windows programs for your small or home business]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/26/free-programs-software-small-home-business-soho/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/26/free-programs-software-small-home-business-soho/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/26/free-programs-software-small-home-business-soho/#commentsFiled under: Features, Office, Lists

Purchasing software for your business can take a pretty big bite out of your budget, but finding programs that you're actually allowed to use on a home business computer can be tricky. There's a lot of free software out there, but much of it is only free for personal use -- and you can't use it legally on your business systems.

Here's a list of 13 great, free programs that you can definitely use. Doing so could also help your small or home business save some serious cash.

Microsoft Security Essentials
Antivirus software is a good place to start, and Microsoft Security Essentials is an excellent option. It's been rated very highly in head-to-head tests and is every bit as good (if not better) than programs like Norton Antivirus, AVG, and Avast. Best of all, Security Essentials is free "for use in your home-based small business," as specified in the license agreement.

Continue reading 10+ great, free Windows programs for your small or home business

10+ great, free Windows programs for your small or home business originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternativebizbudgetbusinessfreehomemoneysavingssmallsohoMon, 26 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[5 geeky, free Windows programs non-geeks should know about]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/21/5-geeky-free-windows-programs-non-geeks-should-know-about/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/21/5-geeky-free-windows-programs-non-geeks-should-know-about/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/21/5-geeky-free-windows-programs-non-geeks-should-know-about/#commentsFiled under: Features, Windows, Freeware, Lists

Download Squad's regular readers are smarter than the average bear when it comes to software. You're familiar with the apps we review -- or brave enough to go try them out if you haven't. Your friends and family probably aren't quite as up to speed, and they should be. There are loads of excellent free programs out there that could be saving them time and preventing headaches -- if they only had the right tools!

Let's check out five programs that they should know about...

CCleaner (pictured above)
There are banner ads all over the place for tune-up programs and registry repair or cleaning apps, but most of them are about as useful as lips on a chicken. CCleaner, on the other hand is great at what it does. Two quick scans with CCleaner can rid your system of gigabytes of temporary files and tidy up crud hiding inside your Windows registry. CCleaner also lets you create a backup of the registry data it removes so that you can put it back if something goes wrong.

One thing to know about: the normal CCleaner installer offers the Ask.com toolbar. Simply uncheck the boxes when they appear to avoid installing it, or download the Slim installer instead.

Continue reading 5 geeky, free Windows programs non-geeks should know about

5 geeky, free Windows programs non-geeks should know about originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccleanercomododropboxeasyvpnfreefreewaregeekyimaginglistsmacriummalwarebytesreflectutilitieswindowsWed, 21 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[9 extensions that make browsing the web with Google Chrome even safer!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/13/extensions-to-make-google-chrome-safer-more-secure/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/13/extensions-to-make-google-chrome-safer-more-secure/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/13/extensions-to-make-google-chrome-safer-more-secure/#commentsFiled under: Features, Google, Browsers, Lists

Google Chrome is already an extremely secure Web browser. Armed with its exploit-thwarting sandbox, Chrome remained untested at Pwn2Own this year, while other browsers were hacked within minutes.

Still, it never hurts to bolster your defenses, and there are plenty of good options for doing just that over in the official Google Chrome Extensions Gallery. Let's take a look at nine which are well worth installing -- see you after the break, Chrome fans!

StumbleUpon.com

Continue reading 9 extensions that make browsing the web with Google Chrome even safer!

9 extensions that make browsing the web with Google Chrome even safer! originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chromechromiumextensionsgooglepasswordrisksafetysecuritytrustTue, 13 Apr 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Off the clock: The Ultimate Porn Surfing Firefox Add-ons]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/21/ultimate-porn-surfing-firefox-add-ons/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/21/ultimate-porn-surfing-firefox-add-ons/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/21/ultimate-porn-surfing-firefox-add-ons/#commentsFiled under: Internet, Features, Mozilla, Browsers, Lists

A lot of people use the Internet to find porn.

A lot of people use Firefox (go download Firefox 3.6!)

In fact, I'd go as far to suggest that porn surfers -- or at least the search for naughty, illicit, adult-only material -- account for Firefox's biggest market demographic. The 'young' Internet -- blogs, social networks, porn -- is predominantly ruled by the spotty teenagers of the browser world: Firefox and Chrome. Internet Explorer's total market share is larger, but corporations, geriatrics and aging family computers -- i.e. the non-porn world -- account for most of that.

I'm not expecting you to raise your hand or even nod your agreement, but let's face it: most of us, at some time or another, will search for porn. It makes sense to be prepared for such an eventuality -- I think we all know the perils of loud, auto-playing sex music or aggressive pop-ups of hairy, German MILFs that just. won't. close.

Note: all of the links in this feature are safe. Don't worry: you should be fine to read this at work.

Continue reading Off the clock: The Ultimate Porn Surfing Firefox Add-ons

Off the clock: The Ultimate Porn Surfing Firefox Add-ons originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-onadsadultdownloadextensionfirefoximageslistspluginpornprivacysecuritytorvideoThu, 21 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chrome Corner - weekly updates, extensions, themes, and tips for Google Chrome]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/12/chrome-corner-weekly-updates-extensions-themes-and-tips-for/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/12/chrome-corner-weekly-updates-extensions-themes-and-tips-for/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/12/chrome-corner-weekly-updates-extensions-themes-and-tips-for/#commentsFiled under: Features, Google, Browsers, Lists

Welcome back to Chrome Corner! Due to some craziness we're running a day behind here - so let's get going!

Chrome for Mac gets extension support
Google pushed out two Chrome updates in the past five days - including one which added some missing features for Mac users. Yes, at long last the developer channel for Mac has gained support for extensions! You're now free to browse around the extensions gallery and install to your hearts' content.

Don't forget about Sebastian's list of 10 must have Google Chrome Extensions - it'll help you find some great ones quickly!

Bookmark sync was also added in the build, which is a godsend if you're running Chrome on multiple machines using different operating systems. You can also pin tabs now!

Continue reading Chrome Corner - weekly updates, extensions, themes, and tips for Google Chrome

Chrome Corner - weekly updates, extensions, themes, and tips for Google Chrome originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browsersbrowsingchromechrome cornerChromeCornerchromiumgooglewebTue, 12 Jan 2010 14:19:00 EST<![CDATA[5 computing resolutions to make for the new year!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/5-computing-resolutions-to-make-for-the-new-year/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/5-computing-resolutions-to-make-for-the-new-year/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/5-computing-resolutions-to-make-for-the-new-year/#commentsFiled under: Security, Productivity, Lists

The new year is here, and it's time to make some resolutions! I've got plenty of habits that need some reworking, so here's what I've resolved to do in 2010:

Back up my important files regularly. I've always sucked at doing this, and it's time to change that. With so many good online options (like Mozy, Backblaze, and Carbonite) and external hard drives being so cheap, there's really no excuse for operating without a good set up backups.
Keep my operating system, applications, and plugins updated. I'm good with keeping my OS up to date - Windows does that for me. Antivirus programs? They take care of themselves, too.

Other applications are another story - if a program doesn't auto-update like (Firefox, Google Chrome, or uTorrent, for example) I often forget to check to see if there are newer versions available.

I'm also guilty of clicking away alerts from plugins like Java and Adobe Flash player, and that has to stop. Installing their updates is a big part of keeping a system secure, and it takes very little time.

A program like the File Hippo Update Checker or Update Notifier can be a big help.

Continue reading 5 computing resolutions to make for the new year!

5 computing resolutions to make for the new year! originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bettercomputingfamilymaintenancenew yearsNewYearspreventionresolutionssafetysecurityFri, 01 Jan 2010 14:34:00 EST<![CDATA[10 favorite Time Wasters from 2009 to kick off your 2010 gaming!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/10-favorite-time-wasters-from-2009-to-kick-off-your-2010-gaming/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/10-favorite-time-wasters-from-2009-to-kick-off-your-2010-gaming/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/10-favorite-time-wasters-from-2009-to-kick-off-your-2010-gaming/#commentsFiled under: Fun, Games, Features, Time-Wasters, Lists

Peel yourself off the floor (like Flickr user B. Rosen above), Download Squad readers! It's time to usher in 2010!

Over the past twelve months we've shown you plenty of great tools to improve your productivity. We like to keep things in balance, though, so there were also plenty of awesome Time Wasters posted to keep your stress levels in check. Although in hindsight there were several which probably stressed some of you out even more... so... sorry about that.

Still, there's no better way to kick off the new year than with a big ol' helping of button-mashing, bad guy-blasting, puzzle-solving fun. Without further ado, it's time to take the jump and enjoy ten of our favorite Time Wasters from 2009!

Continue reading 10 favorite Time Wasters from 2009 to kick off your 2010 gaming!

10 favorite Time Wasters from 2009 to kick off your 2010 gaming! originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamesgamingtime wasterTimeWastertimewastersFri, 01 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST