Gallery

PC Pro's top 15 Firefox extensions

Posted on 13 Aug 2008 at 12:09

9. CustomizeGoogle
www.pcpro.co.uk/links/167customise
This powerful add-on is a vast compendium of Google hacks, offering features such as stripping ads from search results and Gmail, suggested searches as you type, direct links to online stores in Google Products results, and movie reviews if you search for a film.

10. Download Statusbar
www.pcpro.co.uk/links/167statusbar
Take the hassle out of downloading by cramming downloads into the toolbar, rather than having them appear in a separate window. The program displays the download speed, file progress and name, and it's completely customisable - so it displays the information you need and can be skinned to match up with your favourite theme.

11. StumbleUpon
www.pcpro.co.uk/links/167stumble
Add a toolbar to Firefox that ensures you'll never be bored again. Create an account, select your favourite topics and a single click will lead you to a site - be it a picture, video, news story or anything else - that you'll probably like. It's an addictive, community-driven tool, so any poor sites are quickly removed, and recommendations from folk with similar interests are always forthcoming.

12. Web Developer
www.pcpro.co.uk/links/167webdev
This feature-packed extension provides an entire toolbar full of powerful features for web designers who want to check their pages are up to scratch. There are all manner of tools for reviewing and validating HTML, CSS and forms, plus dozens of overlays to check image sizes, box widths and anchors.

13. FireFTP
www.pcpro.co.uk/links/167fireftp
If you regularly use an FTP application to upload files to your web server, instead of using a standalone application why not try FireFTP? It's as fully featured as most client apps, yet is elegantly integrated into your browser window. It addresses one of Firefox's few weaknesses - a lack of native FTP support. Note that it's currently in beta for Firefox 3.

14. Forecastfox
www.pcpro.co.uk/links/167forecast
Forget John Kettley, dodgy knitwear and 3D maps - Forecastfox provides live weather updates from the browser. It offers current and extended forecasts with an extensive array of options, from the ordinary to the obscure, such as keeping tabs on moon phases and dew levels.

15. Google Notebook
www.pcpro.co.uk/links/167notebook
Google Notebook allows you to cut and paste sections of a web page and create a new one. Why? Say you're thinking of buying a laptop. Rather than bookmark every page you find, you just grab the part you're interested in to build up your shortlist. When it's complete, publish your new page for you or anyone else to access. This extension integrates Notebook into Firefox, so you can paste straight into a pop-up window rather than a separate tab.

Firefox 3 power users guide