Jim Guckin

Very recently, I’ve been sucked into using Google’s browser Chrome.  I remember trying it out when it was first launched and wasn’t really impressed with it then.  Like so many things, with experience comes knowledge and I’ve now come to love the browser, though it’s not exclusive at this point, and have heard similar stories recently.
Like some of the browsers out there currently, there are add-on’s, called Extensions, that you can add to the browser to change the experience of web surfing.  Since I like to focus on making sure that users and businesses are safe when online, some of these have a security tinge to it, or a usability aspect, this was intentional.

Xmarks Bookmarks Sync
[Download]

• If you solely use Chrome you can ignore this selection, but if like me you use multiple browsers on multiple computers, then this software if for you.  This program automatically sync you bookmarks to every other computer.

Unencrypted Password Warning
[Download]

• I think this tool is a must.  Do you know, with all certainty, that every site you login or put personal information on, encrypts their data?  Well this extension will warn you if credit card or passwords are send in clear (unencrypted) to the server.

LastPass
[Download]

• It’s an online password manager and form filler, that is now an integrated part of my life.  It lets you keep all your sites’ passwords in one password protected place, and even generate and store secure and complex passwords.

AdBlock
[Download]

• In the recent past, virus’ have been spread through infected ads displaying on a popular web page.  Plus some ads can just be annoying and distract you when you are browsing, so this extension is great. Though I always recommend that you visit your sites sponsor ads… *HINT* *HINT*

IE Tab Classic
[Download]

• If you need to keep looking at certain websites in Internet Explorer, then this extension will put on in Chrome for you.  I’ve looked at a bunch of these and I like it because it doesn’t bother me with warnings and lets me specify sites that will just open in a IE Tab without me doing anything.

I am sure there are hundreds more useful extensions out there for Chrome and as I find them and can get at least a category of five in there, we’ll put out more than will help you browse and be safe on the internet.  If you have one’s that you love that you thought I missed, then please comment below.