Earlier in the week, we discussed browsers that
support plug-ins and the reasons why you might want to use one instead of a traditional web browser. If you didn’t read that article, you might want to before continuing.
Of the browsers available that support plug-ins, one of our favorites is Google Chrome. Aside from being Google junkies, we love the Chrome browser because it has a lot of useful features, such as syncing across multiple devices such as your desktop and your Android phone.
But, one of the things we love most about the Chrome browser is how useful it becomes once it’s customized with a few useful plug-ins, or Apps (as Google calls them).
With thousands of free and pay-for Apps available in the Chrome Webstore, there is something available for everyone, whether you’re looking to be more productive at work, or whether you just want to play.
However, a seemingly endless possibility of choices can often lead to confusion. So, we thought we’d share some of our favorite Apps, and how we use them. There’s probably something useful on our list that’s just perfect for you or your office.
Google Chrome to Phone Extension
Back before the Chrome browser had cross-platform sync capabilities, it used to be a pain in the butt to send a web address from your computer to your phone. That’s where Chrome to Phone came in. This handy App lets you quickly send a webpage URL to your phone, so that you can access the site on another device.
While the Chrome browser can now do this inherently, with the Chrome Sync feature, using Chrome to Phone can still be faster because it requires a few less clicks.
With social media and other similar sites, you are often limited by the number of characters you can use in a status update. Why use up that allotment with a long URL? Instead, this app will let you shorten URL’s so they don’t take up a lot of space, letting you use your character count for actual words.
Freshstart Cross Browser Session Manager
This handy App has many useful features. It will allow you to save any open tabs, so that you can come back to them later. It has crash capabilities, automatically saving your open tabs whenever a crash occurs. However, its biggest claim to fame is that it allows easy browser management where there are multiple users and/or multiple profiles on the same browser.
Have you ever been looking at something online, and wanted to send it to someone else, or to your other computer, but didn’t want to go through the hassle of emailing the URL? Then try SendTab. This handy app allows you to send an instance of what you are looking at to anyone who is listed in your network. To use this function, all users must have the app installed, the “network” must be setup on SendTab’s site, and they must be registered on the “network” as a user. Once setup, all users appear on the list, so all it takes to send a URL is a quick click.
Do you have a favorite Chrome app? Leave us a comment and tell us about it.
Julie Strier is a freelance writer who likes to help you find better apps for your browser. Email:[email protected]. Website: www.mybusinesswriter.com.