firefox-add-on posts

Filed under: Internet, News, Mozilla, Holiday Gift Guide, Search, Browsers, Web

Track Black Friday prices with Invisible Hand add on for Firefox

by Dolores Parker Nov 3rd 2009

We've covered Invisible Hand, the discreet shopping comparison add on for Firefox, which displays prices on items you are searching on the web. Just in time for Black Friday, the hand has trotted out a new add on which along with other improvements, incorporates Google search results.

Now, you can get your price results in real time so you know you're getting the best deal. My test drive of the hand went smooth, the results loaded up within a second or two and updates were very discreet. This is a real time saver for getting price results.

The add on will be officially released to the Mozilla site within a few weeks, but the first 200 Download Squad readers can download the beta version. Just click on the link below and key in invisibleDLS for the access code.

http://preview.getinvisiblehand.com/

Tags: Black Friday deals, Black Friday Sales, BlackFridayDeals, BlackFridaySales, firefox-add-on, HGG, Invisible hand add on for firefox, InvisibleHandAddOnForFirefox, online price comparison, OnlinePriceComparison, shopping comparison tools, ShoppingComparisonTools

Filed under: Search, Browsers

Add-on for Firefox makes site-specific searches easier

by Brad Linder May 6th 2009

A lot of web sites (like Download Squad, for instance) have search boxes that make it easy to find content no matter where it's hiding on the site. Some don't. Fortunately Google indexes most sites on the web, making it easy to search any web page by adding something like "site:www.example.com" into Google after your search query. Or if you're using Firefox, you can install the Search Site add-on to make things even easier.

Here's how it works. Once the extension is installed, you can highlight any text you find on any web page, right click, and select "Search Site for selection" from the context menu. The add-on will then use Google to conduct a search for that text, bringing up a list of pages that include the term you were searching for.

Search Site also adds a second search icon to the Firefox search bar. If you enter a query into the search bar and then hit the green Search Site bar instead of the default search tool, Firefox will search just the web page you're currently on, not the entire internet. You can also adjust the default search engine from the Firefox search bar to conduct your Site Searches using Google, Yahoo!, or another service.

[via gHacks]

Tags: firefox, firefox-add-on, search-site

Filed under: Windows, Mozilla, Open Source, Browsers, Windows x64

New Tab King for Firefox offers a clever alternative - with boss mode!

by Lee Mathews Apr 17th 2009

Your new tab page is obviously a pretty important part of the Firefox experience. Both Mozilla and Google have pretty slick options you can plug in, but you may not have heard of New Tab King yet.

Like other options, NTK taps into your recent usage to display frequently visited sites and recently closed tabs. You can toggle the display of your used sites to include either all browsing or only sites that are in your bookmarks. There's also a list of Windows shortcuts included for quick access to your My Documents folder, Notepad, Calculator, and Windows Media Player. You can also specify a custom background image.

And let's not forget about the boss mode button! Click it, and New Tab King automatically switches to a pre-defined display which includes sites like Harvard Business Publishing, Wall Street Journal, NASA, and the BBC ticker.

No, it won't destroy all traces of any questionable browsing you've been doing, but with boss mode on you can at least quickly shield your other tabs from prying eyes with control + t.

Edit: as noted by our commenters, this one is Windows only. The Firefox addon does state that, and while this post is tagged "windows" I didn't state that directly.

Tags: firefox-add-on, new-tab, plugin

Filed under: Social Software

Search Cloudlet for Firefox brings tags to Twitter search

by Brad Linder Mar 13th 2009

Search Cloudlet is a plugin for Firefox that adds relevant tag clouds to searches you conduct using Yahoo! or Google. We first looked at the program a few months ago and were impressed with the way it helps refine your searches.

Now there's a new version of Search Cloudlet that works with Twitter search as well. When you conduct a search using Twitter, a tag cloud will pop up with relevant terms. For example, if you search for "Jim Cramer," you'll find a lot of results for "Jon" and "Stewart."

You can also filter your results by clicking ont he Authors, @To, or #Tags buttons. Or if you'd rather not see the tag cloud at all, just hit the Off button.

Tags: firefox, firefox-add-on, search-cloudlet, tag-cloud, twitter

Filed under: Audio, Video, Windows, Linux, Browsers

Open web-based media links in external media players

by Brad Linder Feb 9th 2009

When you run across a Quicktime, MP3, Real Media, or other media link on a web site, Firefox typically offers to download the file, open it in an external player, or opens a new tab and starts playing it if you have the proper plugins installed. But what if you like to open all of your files using Windows Media Player or VLC, so that you can close Firefox without interrupting playback?

Media Player Connectivity is a Firefox plugin that lets you assign external media players to file types. So any time you click on a media file, it will be opened in the correct player. The plugin supports a ton of file types, including OGG, MP3, AAC, RAM, WMV, WMA, and playlist files like PLS and M3U.

The latest versions of Media Player Connectivity work best with Windows, but Mac users can download older versions of the plugin which should work with OS X.

[via gHacks]

Tags: firefox-add-on, media-player-connectivity, mediaplayerconnectivity

Filed under: Microsoft, Search, Browsers

Microsoft smartens up, releases Live Search addon for Firefox

by Lee Mathews Jan 30th 2009

It may be several years late, but Microsoft has finally decided to acknowledge two things.

First, that Firefox does, in fact, exist.

Second, that not having an official Live Search plugin for it was just plain stupid.

Just days ago, the addon appeared on the Mozilla repository. With all the talk recently about the strained relationship between between Mozilla and Google since Chrome's release, the move by Microsoft certainly isn't an unexpected one.

With about 260 installs since its release, Firefox users don't appear in a hurry to install Live Search.

Surprising? No, not really.

I think It's safe to say that most Firefox users either prefer Google, strongly dislike Microsoft, or a combination of the two.

Tags: firefox-add-on, live-search

Filed under: Browsers

Update Notifier installs updated Firefox addons automatically

by Brad Linder Jan 28th 2009

Firefox has an annoying habit of asking you whether you want to update your browser plugins when new versions are released. I mean sure, it's nice to have the latest version of any add-on, complete with new features or bug fixes. But because Firefox won't boot until you either click a button to apply the updates or to skip the process, this little feature can unnecessarily slow you down.

Fortunately, and at least a little ironically, there's a plugin that will let your browser automatically download and install any updates without any user intervention required. Update Notifier is a customizeable add-on for Firefox that can check for plugin updates either before your browser loads, or after it's already started. If you want, you can even have it automatically restart your browser after applying any new upates in order for the changes to take effect.

You can also use Update Notifier to adjust how frequently Firefox checks for updates, and to turn notifications of new updates on or off.

[via CyberNet]

Tags: firefox, firefox-add-on, update-notifier

Filed under: Internet, Utilities, Mozilla, Freeware, Browsers

Firefox addon helps you organize your downloads automatically

by Lee Mathews Dec 22nd 2008

Plenty of software exists to help us sort our files once they've been downloaded, but why not head 'em off at the pass and organize them while they're downloading?

Automatic Save Folder is a Firefox Extension that allows you to create rules for your downloads based on their filename or the host domain. Regular expressions are supported, so you can get as complex as you like with your rules.

I'm fine with using Firefox's built-in download manager, especially now that I've got ASF installed. So far it's doing a great job at helping me keep my downloads neatly organized. Taking a few moments to create rules means not having to use an application like Belvedere or Download Mover, and it's only an 80kb addon.

The developer's home page is in French, so run it through Translate if you're not fluent and want to know more about the addon. It's currently experimental, so you'll need to sign in to install it.

[ via Life Rocks 2.0 ]

Tags: addons, extensions, firefox, firefox-add-on

Filed under: Browsers

Select multiple checkboxes with CheckBoxMate for Firefox

by Brad Linder Nov 29th 2008

CheckBoxMate is a Firefox add-on that can save you a ton of time if you frequently need to select multiple check boxes when doing things like cleaning your email inbox or responding to surveys. The utility is considered an experimental Firefox plugin, but all that means is that you need to sign up for a free Mozilla account and login before downloading CheckBoxMate from the Firefox add-ons directory. You can also install it without an account by visiting the developer's homepage.

Once CheckBoxMate is installed, all you need to do to select multiple checkboxes is move your mouse over the first box and click to make a checkmark, and before you lift your finger from the mouse button, drag the mouse over all the other boxes you want to check. That's it.

I found that the plugin worked great with Gmail. But when I tried it with Google Docs and Zoho Docs, it was unable to identify the checkboxes. So it may not work on every web site you visit.

[via Firefox Facts]

Tags: add-ons, checkboxmate, firefox-add-on

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware

Foxit PDF Reader 3.0 for Windows now works with Firefox

by Brad Linder Nov 24th 2008

While Adobe may have been the driving force behind the PDF, Adobe Acrobat Reader has grown to be a bloated application which can take an excruciatingly long time to load. One of my favorite alternatives is Foxit Reader, which can open most PDF files in just a second or two, while providing many of the same features you'd expect from Adobe Acrobat Reader, like the ability to fill in text boxes or open password protected documents.

Last week the Foxit team released version 3.0, with a ton of updates. Possibly the most exiciting is a plugin for Firefox that lets you open documents in your web browser. Adobe has offered this feature for ages, but again, it often takes forever to load. To be honest, the Foxit plugin isn't exactly a speed demon. You may find it faster to download some files and open them in the desktop version of Foxit Reader. But it's nice to have the option of opening them in your browser.

Here are a few other new features:

Thumbnail previews of each page
Attachment panel shows list of files attached to a PDF and allows you to open, delete, or perform other actions on them
The text select tool now also lets you add annotations like highlights, strikeout, or underline
You can transfer your preference settings by copying an INI file
New Foxit OnDemand Content Management add-on allows users to share and collaborate on documents online

You can find a complete list of updates in the Foxit 3.0 release notes.

[via CyberNotes]

Tags: firefox-add-on, foxit-reader, foxit-reader-3.0, pdf

Filed under: Utilities, Productivity, Google, Browsers, Web

Open Google Calendar in Firefox from any page

by Brad Linder Oct 28th 2008

GCal Popup is a Firefox extension for Google Calendar users too lazy to open a new tab when they want to enter a new appointment or check their calendar. Once the plugin is installed, you'll see a little calendar icon in your status bar. Click it and your Google Calendar will pop up, over the top of whatever page you happen to be visiting. Click the close button and it will go away.

If you're already logged into your Google account you won't even need to login to Google Calendar when the window pops up.

This is listed as an experimental plugin, which means you'll need to register for a Mozilla account and login before downloading. But the add-on seems to be stable enough and hasn't caused my computer to burst into flames. Yet.

[via gHacks]

Tags: firefox-add-on, firefox-extension, gcal-popup, google-calendar

Filed under: Internet, Browser Tips

Read it Later gets Firefox 3 update, adds RSS feed

by Brad Linder Jun 25th 2008

Read it Later, a bookmarking plugin for Firefox that we first covered last year is now Firefox 3 compatible. The new version also adds a handful of new features that make it even more useful.

What makes Read it Later different from other bookmarking tools like the del.icio.us plugin for Firefox is the fact that Read it Later makes it easy to bookmark pages, but makes it just as easy to delete those bookmarks. While other services let you save pages forever, Read it Later is designed to let you come back to pages you just don't have time to read fully right now.

The latest version features:

Offline viewing
An RSS feed so you can subscribe to your bookmarked pages and keep track of them in a reader
Synchronize your saved pages with other computers

You can also activate a new "click to save" mode by hitting Alt+M. In this mode, any link you click on a web page will automatically be saved to your reading list. Hit Alt+M again to deactivate this feature if you actually want to open up pages by clicking on links.

Tags: add-on, bookmarks, firefox, firefox-add-on, read-it-later

Filed under: Internet, Utilities, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Browser Tips

Domain Lookup add-on for Firefox

by Brad Linder Mar 12th 2008

If you're the sort of person who likes to purchase domain names as a hobby, you really need a life. But while you're working on that, you might want to check out Domain Lookup for Firefox. It's a Firefox add-on that could save you valuable seconds.

Domain Lookup lets you highlight text on any web site, hit the right-click button on your mouse, and check to see if the domain is available for purchase. Domain lookup will automatically remove any spaces, punctuation, or other characters that cannot be used in a domain.

You can select from a long list of domain lookup services, including GoDaddy, Moniker, 1and1, and eNom. You can also choose whether to search for just .com domain availability or if you'd also like to look for .net, .org and others. But to be honest, most domain registration services will automatically check the availability of .net, .org, .info and .biz when you lookup a .com, so this feature doesn't seem all that necessary.

Tags: domain-lookup, firefox, firefox-add-on, firefox-extension

Filed under: Internet, Social Software

Digg Firefox Extension shows Digg stats for any page

by Brad Linder Feb 28th 2008

If you like the social bookmarking site Digg, but hate actually having to visit the web site to submit and vote on stories, you might want to check out Digg Firefox Extension. Like the Smart Digg Button, which we've previously covered, Digg Firefox Extension will let you see at a glance whether a page you're visiting has been submitted to diggs and how many votes it has received. If the page hasn't been submitted, you can click the button to submit it yourself.

But that's where the similarities end. While Smart Digg Button hangs out in your status bar, Digg Firefox Extension adds a toolbar to Firefox, which makes sense as it has a ton of submenus. For example, you can see the last 10 people who dugg the page you're visiting, and even read recent comments without clicking through to Digg's web site.

You can also forget about the page you're on altogether, and use the Firefox extension to see a list of recently popular, recently submitted, and hot stories. Or you can use the extension sort of like the StumbleUpon toolbar by clicking on "Random Story" to be taken to a random site submitted to Digg.

[via Digg]

Tags: digg, digg-firefox-extension, firefox-add-on, smart-digg-button

Filed under: Internet, Google

iGoogleBar Firefox add-on supercharges Google apps bar

by Brad Linder Feb 6th 2008

When you're using a Google service like Gmail or Google Docs & Spreadsheets, you'll notice a little menu bar at the top of your screen with links to other Google services. This is kind of handy if you can't remember the URLs for each service, but otherwise it's not particularly useful.

iGoogleBar is a Firefox add-on that adds a little oomph to that menu bar by showing previews for each Google app. For example, if you're using Google Docs & Spreadsheets, you can tell at a glance how many unread items you have in Google Reader or Gmail. Or you can click on the icons for a preview of your latest messages.

The toolbar only shows up when you're visiting a Google page, and it doesn't work with all Google services. For example, while you can preview your Google Notebook contents, when you're actually on the Google Notebook page the toolbar doesn't show up. It also takes a moment for the toolbar to load, so you might not notice it at first.

[via Googlified

Tags: firefox, firefox-add-on, google-apps, igooglebar, toolbar

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

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