#GoneGoogle - Letting Go

I originally micro-blogged about staring to use Google on my twitter @MatthewMMorrow but here is a some more.

The first part of this series: #GoneGoogle - Taking off into the Cloud

XKCD

Browser

I have been using Internet Explorer as my browser of choice since IE was indistinguishable from Netscape Navigator and Microsoft made it the Window’s default. At times I’ve fervently defended the browser and dreamed of the next version. At work I still use IE but that is mostly for development reasons.

As part of my Google experience,  I decided to test out Google Chrome [Get Chrome]. For some reason IE was giving me some speed problems and so I figured it was as good of a time as any. I had dabbled with Chrome when it first came out; it was nice, fast, and sleek, but it didn’t quite grab me then. This time my experience was different.

The install process for Chrome is smart. It installs itself to your user application data directory. This means you don’t need administrator access to perform the install. The install is little more than going to a specific link. Later on I switched to the Dev channel [how to switch] to get the newest features and again it automatically changed itself just by visiting a webpage. Chrome also keeps itself up-to-date. No more multiple versions to support (curse you IE6, die already).

This isn’t going to be a review of Chrome, try it out for yourself if you want one. But instead I’ll focus on the neat features and extensions that I use.

The first feature I appreciate is syncing. I can sync bookmarks, settings, and extensions between my laptops and desktops. Currently extensions are only able to be synced in the Dev channel [Lifehacker].

Feature #2 is tab pinning. Not terribly useful all the time but it helps me keep where I left off.

Feature #3 are all the extension I use. There is a better collection than those available for IE.

Here are the extension I use:

• Google Mail Checker Plus - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/gffjhibehnempbkeheiccaincokdjbfe
• Google Calendar Checker w/Popup - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/eaipgbekceebhbboemgghnjhnamflgmp
• Google Reader Notifier - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/apflmjolhbonpkbkooiamcnenbmbjcbf
• Toodledo - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/ballhmoamkbbfadiealjmgmhbbnellbc
• Google Voice - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/kcnhkahnjcbndmmehfkdnkjomaanaooo
• Chromed Bird – Twitter Client - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/encaiiljifbdbjlphpgpiimidegddhic
• Craigslist Preview – Adds the images of the listings to the search page. Saves time! - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/jmcbgcbedienblgnfeecolmmcgocefnf
• Facebook Ads Hider - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/leeebdddeggoocipdjiokmjcpidnmoah
• Facebook for Google Chrome – Easy notification and wall updates - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/lkdedmbpkaiahjjibfdmpoefffnbdkli
• Google Quick Scroll – This is awesome, click it and it will jump to the text you searched in Google - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/okanipcmceoeemlbjnmnbdibhgpbllgc
• Good Habits – Keep track of your habits - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/eoeffklnhhikjcgnehoglndikmidlgca
• Pirate Bay Ad Remover – Of course - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/hkggcdanhcfibkhpfiogkoaodjalekcc
• RSS Subscription Extension – Lets me add RSS feeds to Google Reader - https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/nlbjncdgjeocebhnmkbbbdekmmmcbfjd
Anyone have any others they like?