MakeUseOf Directory » chrome

Select & Speak: An Easy To Use Text To Speech Extension [Chrome]

Hammad — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:01:34 +0000

Select and Speak is a handy extension for Google Chrome that allows users to listen to text from almost any website. The extension has a list of voices (accents) to choose from; you can choose any of the voices that you recognize the clearest and the easiest.

To get started, simply install the extension and visit any website. Now, select the text you want it to read and then click on the Select and Speak icon to start listening to the text being read aloud. You can pause/stop the playback anytime by clicking on the pause button when the text is being read aloud. You can also configure a shortcut to use the extension from Select and Speak options page.

Features

Configure voice and speed of narrator.
Listen to news/blog articles/etc while browsing other websites.
A very helpful app for people with vision problems.
Similar tools: QR Voice, Chrome Speak, Announcify, Zazu, TweJay, RoboVoice, Text To Voice, BlindSpeak, DragonDictate, Vozme, SpokenText, Odiogo, Text-to-Speech, PedioPhon and Spesoft Text to Speech Software.

Check out Select and Speak @ https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gfjopfpjmkcfgjpogepmdjmcnihfpokn

Convert Bookmarklet to Chrome Extension: Easily Convert Bookmarklets To Chrome Extensions

abhijeet — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:33:40 +0000

Convert bookmarklet to Chrome extension is a pretty self-explanatory name. Yes, the tool helps you convert a bookmarklet to an extension for Chrome is a simple drag and drop way. Well, that’s a part of the process. You do need to follow some steps which involve extracting the extension file and then loading it on Chrome through the Developer mode in Extension Settings. But it’s all very easy and neatly explained step-wise on the homepage of the tool.

The tool was created by Peter Legierski when he found that the existing methods of converting bookmarklets to extensions did not yield the desired result. If you frequently use a lot of bookmarklets then you might consider going this route and reduce some bookmarklet clutter on your Chrome toolbar.

Features

Convert bookmarklets to extension in Chrome.
No registration needed.
Drag and drop method with some additional steps.
Similar tools: Boo.Kmarked, Bookmarklet-Combiner and Marklets.
Also read related articles:

Check out Convert Bookmarklet to Chrome Extension@sandbox.self.li/bookmarklet-to-extension/ (via Hacker News By Abhijeet from GT Mobiles)

iFind: Find & Send Android & iOS Applications To Your Smartphone [Chrome]

Umar — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:01:04 +0000

Searching for smartphone apps can be a little inconvenient as you have to go to sites dedicated to phone apps and often jump from one site to another. But if you are a Google Chrome user, you will find an extension called iFind to be very helpful.

iFind helps you search for phone apps through your favorite search engines. After you install the extension you specify which type of apps you are interested in – Android, iPhone, or iPad. You can also select the search sites that the extension should work with; right now the list includes Bing, Yahoo, and Google.

When you enter a query on one of these search engines, a list of applications is opened on the right pane. Your regular search results are still visible on the left. This list of apps might take a moment to fully load up.

The apps you like have their name and price mentioned. You can either go to an app’s direct URL by clicking on its name or use the icon on the right to send it to your device.

Features:

A user-friendly browser tool.
Lets you search for phone apps.
Covers Android and iOS applications.
Works with Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
Provides direct app links along with names and prices.

Check out iFind @ https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/nfpdkehcgigcaoomfjafgonehimgchlc (By Umar from AllThatIsApple)

Daum Equation Editor: Create & Edit Mathematical Equations [Chrome]

Umar — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:01:43 +0000

Working with mathematical equations is something very few text editors properly support. You usually have to install a fully-fledged math software to be able to write and edit such equations. Fortunately however there is a small sized alternative available called Daum Equation Editor.

Daum Equation Editor is a free to use browser tool that comes as a browser extension for Google Chrome. The extension provides you with an equation editing interface that lets you input equations in two ways. Firstly you can add equations and special signs using the top row of functions and then entering the numerical or variable values in the equation that appears. The second way is to type up the equation like you would in software like MATLAB.

Both ways, you will be able to get a clear visual picture of the equation that you can later choose to export to a simple text file or, if you want to keep the visual feel intact, you can export the equation to PNG image with a transparent background.

Features:

A user-friendly browser app.
Compatible with Google Chrome.
Lets you write and edit equations.
Lets you export equations to simple text file.
Lets you export equation to PNG image.
similar tools: Fooplot and Text2img.

Check Daum Equation Editor @ https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dinfmiceliiomokeofbocegmacmagjhe (By Umar from AllThatIsApple)

Simple Startup Password: Set A Password On Your Google Chrome Browser

Umar — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:01:59 +0000

Your browser includes your browsing history, logged in websites, and numerous other things that you would not want others using your computer to access. An easy solution to this would be to password-protect your web browser. A tool that helps you do this is Simple Startup Password.

Simple Startup Password is a free to use tool that helps you password-protect your web browser. The tool comes in the form of a browser extension for the Google Chrome web browser. Once you have installed the extension, simply access its options and set a password. When you reopen your browser, you will be prompted to enter the same password to in order to resume browsing or access the browser’s options or history. If you click on the cancel button the browser simply exits.

Any pinned webpages are still loaded up and displayed in the background with the password screen in the foreground.

Features:

A user-friendly browser extension.
Compatible with Google Chrome.
Lets you set a password on your browser.
Protects your data stored in your browser from other users of your computer.
Similar tools: HideLinks and HideLinks.

Check out Simple Startup Password @ https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ojoalkffommhmdmbohjphohoejjmgepc (By Umar from AllThatIsApple)

Google Input Tools: Easily Get & Enable Keyboard Layouts For Different Languages [Chrome]

Umar — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:01:06 +0000

People who are used to keyboard layouts of their own native languages find it extremely problematic to use keyboards of other layouts. While this problem can be easily resolved by accessing your Control Panel settings, not all users have those setting adjustment privileges. For them, an extension called “Google Input Tools” will be an excellent solution.

Google Input Tools is a free to use tool that comes in the form of a browser extension for Google Chrome. After installation the extension lets you use virtual keyboard layouts of numerous languages. You start by installing the extension and adding to it the languages of the layouts you want appeared. You will then be able to view the virtual keyboard floating on the webpage. You can click on the buttons to type them or simply use your physical keyboard as its layout will now have been changed.

Features:

A user-friendly browser extension.
Compatible with Google Chrome.
Lets you change layout of keyboard.
Supports many layouts of many languages.
Similar tools: I2type, Keitor, TypeIt, LifeType, MagicTyper and Gate2Home.

Check out Google Input Tools @ https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mclkkofklkfljcocdinagocijmpgbhab/reviews (By Umar from AllthatIsApple)

Visual Hashing: Color Cues To Prevent Misspelled Passwords

Israel Nicolas — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:01:14 +0000

Having to type out your password is a typical roadblock when browsing the web, and it becomes doubly annoying when we end up mistyping our passwords. If you have a long password, then the chances are you will get your passwords wrong a lot. Visual Hashing is a free extension for Firefox/Chrome that provides visual cues to let you know whether you are typing your password correctly or not.

Visual Hashing works by displaying colored boxes as you type on the password field. Different passwords will also have unique color combinations. If you type the password long enough, you should be able to remember the color combination and later notice if the colors are off if you misspelled your password.

Visual Hashing is very useful if you have a long password with different character sets, making sure that you always have the correct password typed-in before you click “log-in”.

Features:

Extension for Chrome and Firefox.
Prevent misspelled password with color cues.
Remember color cues before clicking log-in.
Needs to be used a lot to be very useful.

Check out Visual Hashing @ https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/lkoelcpcjjehbjcchcbddggjmphfaiie?hl=en-US for Chrome or https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/visual-hashing for Firefox

Ghost Incognito: Automatic Incognito For Your Selected Websites [Chrome]

Israel Nicolas — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:01:13 +0000

Turning on private browsing in Chrome is pretty simple. Just use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+N or click through the wedge icon menu to open an incognito window. This mode enables you to browse websites without saving session data, cookies, history, and cached files. However, having to remind yourself to go into incognito mode can be a hassle. What we need is a plugin that can check the URL you are visiting and automatically go incognito before the website loads.

Ghost Incognito is a nifty plugin that allows you to do just that that. You can eliminate the chance of forgetting to open incognito in a window for a private website.

Once installed, you can just right click to force incognito mode for the page. The domain is automatically saved to your list so that whenever you visit the website, Chrome will instantly go to incognito mode with the loaded website still open.

This plugin integrates the private-browsing experience with your normal habits, removing the need to check whether you are in incognito mode or not.

Features:

Automate incognito mode for specific websites.
Add websites to the plugin by right-clicking the page.
Integrates private-browsing without being obtrusive.
Default for .xxx domains.
Similar tools: History Disable Button, Cocoon, Startingpage, Yauba, Startpage and QuietAgent.

Check out Ghost Incognito @ https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gedeaafllmnkkgbinfnleblcglamgebg?hl=en-US&hc=search&hcp=main

Context: Sort & Manage Chrome Extensions Into Groups

TehseenBaweja — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 01:01:37 +0000

If you are a heavy Chrome user, you probably have lots of extensions installed. However, none of us use all of our extensions all the time and they just sit there eating up screen real estate. Context helps you manage extensions by sorting them into groups so you can switch from one group of extensions to another with a single click.

For example you may have a set of extensions that you use for text related tasks but another different set for web development. You can create as many groups as you want and even include apps in them (by default only extensions are included). If at anytime you want to see all your installed extensions, simply click the “all extensions” button.

You can also define specific actions for times when a new extension is installed. The tool really makes your life easier if you use a number of Chrome extensions.

Features:

Sort Chrome extensions into groups for easier management.
Switch between groups or view all extensions.

Download Context from Chrome Webstore

Better Popup Blocker: Better Way To Control Popups On Chrome Browser

TehseenBaweja — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 23:01:06 +0000

Even though Google Chrome has a built-in popup blocker, it still misses out on a lot of annoying popups such as alerts and confirmation boxes that may be hidden. Better Popup Blocker is exactly what the name suggests, a tool that blocks popups better than the default tool in Google Chrome.

When a popup is blocked, the icon blinks to let you know. If you want, you can easily allow popups from any site that you consider safe. If you have a few websites that you visit regularly and you want to allow popups from them, just add their URL to the whitelist of the extension. Alternatively, you can also use regular expressions to create a whitelist based on keywords. You can also go into options and select specifically which javascript functions you want the tool to block.

Features:

Blocks popups better than the default Chrome tool.
Choose which java-script functions to block.
Create a whitelist to avoid blocking on certain sites.
Works on Google Chrome 5.0+

Install Better Popup Blocker from Chrome Webstore [Via OptimalCycling]