Bookmarklets are small applets that are stored as the URL of a bookmark in a web browser. They are in no way unique to Firefox (you can use most with any other browser out there). When clicked, rather than taking you just to a specific page – they might perform another function that you need to do. Most of the time, these are written in JavaScript. Now, you don’t need to be any type of programmer to use them and I have found a great resource for you to use to find a lot more.
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Bookmarklets 101
Best 5 Add-ons for Facebook Fans
Since Facebook is the king of the hill when it comes to social networks, there have been a lot of add-ons dedicated to making it better. Facebook is great, but is not without flaws. Thankfully, these Firefox add-on developers have worked out some of the kinks and have masterminded some of the best add-ons for Firefox to date.
Here are my top five Facebook add-ons you can add to Firefox.
6 Add-ons to Grab Usage Stats from Firefox
Want to know exactly how you are making use of the Firefox web browser? Here are six of the best add-ons for Firefox that will give you every statistic you would ever want from your own day to day usage. From cache, to download usage, and even easy cache status – we have something here for everybody to make use of.
Net Usage Item – Displays a progress bar of your Internet usage (grabbed from your ISP) on your Firefox Toolbar.
Usage Counter – Tells you how much time you have spent using Firefox and browsing sites.
StatusbarEx – Show some useful information on status bar of Firefox, such as the memory usage of system & Firefox itself, network speed, system power status, etc.
Minimeter – Monitor your provider’s upload/download usage meter.
DataFox – Check your BSNL DataOne and MTNL Triband bandwidth utilization in Firefox at the click of a button. A color coded progress bar and bandwidth usage tracking helps you stay within your monthly cap and efficiently utilize your bandwidth.
Cache Status – Easy cache status & management from the status bar.
Know of another favorite usage add-on that didn’t make it to the list? Be sure to leave your suggestions in the comments!
Extend Firefox 3 Winners
The Extend Firefox 3 contest is all wrapped up, and they have announced some great extensions as the winners. Out of well over 100 entries, here are the best of the best.
Best New Firefox Add-ons
Firefox Tab-a-mania!
There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that tabs are a big part of the success of Firefox. So to pay homage to that trait that we all know and love I pulled out some of the most popular tab tips to date that I have posted here on Firefox Facts. Some of them you remember, and some you may have missed.
Here we have 40 A+ tips though that will make your tabs even more terrific!
Using Firefox as a Daily Deal Finder
In the Online world, the idea of shopping alone with no help at all is more than a little out dated. If you take a look around there are so many services and add-ons for Firefox that will turn you into a shopping and deal finding juggernaut.
You just have to know where to look and which are the best of the best.
Shopping Bag – This add-on promises to help you never miss a deal again. It is a free add-on that works with Firefox to help you find deals via iBakeSale.com. Cash-back at hundreds of online stores? Sounds interesting to me.
Pronto Shopping Messenger – The next extension on the list here brings you instant price comparisons when you shop online via a small message window that alerts you of potential savings.
Shopzilla – Easy search and save tool that makes Online shopping a little easier and cheaper too, if you use the tool correctly. Browse through sites like eBay and Amazon to find the best deal possible on the product you most desire.
Grocery List Generator – This add-on would be more helpful for “real world” shopping and hunting down of deals. The Grocery List Generator helps store your lists you need regularly.
Coupon Craze – This is one of the many coupon alerters out there that will help you keep track of the latest coupons, deals and offers when visiting your favorite shopping sites.
RetailMeNot 2.0 – Shopping has gone Web 2.0! If you find yourself always a day late and a dollar short when it comes to finding deals, RetailMeNot is the addon for you. It automatically informs you of sites its’ users have shared discount coupon codes for.
Woot Watcher – We all love Woot, right? I just feel silly typing that, but they do find some great deals. Woot Watcher monitors the Woot web site and keeps you updated on the current item, price and if it is sold out yet or not.
As you can see Firefox can be turned from a normal everyday browser into a shopper’s best friend. Toss in a few add-ons, and you can then brag to your friends that you too are saving money and finding the best deals on the Web.
Firefox 3 is Best of the Betas?
In a comparison with Internet Explorer 8, Safari, and Opera 9.5 I think Firefox 3 so far wins hands down. To get a better idea of what you can expect though from the next generation of browsers, Cnet has put up a nice round up of all the latest for you to browse through and see what you like and hate about each.
The section on how it compares to the others was the most enlightening of all:
Firefox remains the best browser on the whole, with great features, impressive improvements all-round, a revised bookmarking system and thousands of add-ons to make it easy to perfectly customise.
The improvements in performance are stellar, it’s got some well-integrated features than everyone will use (resumable download manager, tag-ready bookmarking) and it offers, overall, a better, richer Web experience. We’re behind Firefox and we hope that when the final release is out it’ll be just that little bit better to boot.
More great news for the Mozilla crew! Is there something the other browsers are getting or doing that you wish Firefox 3 would try to do too?
Firefox’s Best Map Extensions
I dare you – no I triple Firefox dare you to find a better list of map related extentions and tools for any browser out there. Thanks to Firefox and some creative map loving developers there is no way you could ever get lost as long as you had a laptop, an internet connection and that lovable Firefox.
Map+ – View the Yahoo Map of any address without having to open a new tab or window.
Get directions from Google Maps – Highlight any address on the web and get directions.
PackageMapping.com Extension – Track your shipments via a map to see where exactly that electric toothbrush you ordered is.
Map This – Launch a Google Map for any address you select on the Web.
All Your Maps Are Belong To Us – convert any mapping service URL or address to Google Maps. Good one for the Google Map fan boys.
Mini Map Sidebar – Mapping sidebar suite for Mozilla Firefox.
GDirections – Find where your going or where you have been on Google and Yahoo Maps based on your selected text and one of various home addresses.
Shazou – A unique Japanese mapping service and tool that enables the user with one-click to map and geo-locate any website they are currently viewing.
GeoLocateFox – Find where any web site’s HQ is with this tool. It tells you the location if contains GeoLocation metadata within the HTML on the web page.
GMiF – An addon for Flickr that will tell you exactly where those photos were taken via Google Maps.
Locator – Finds any location via Google Maps.
Geo – Another extension that opens a Google Map for a web site’s location if it contains GeoLocation meta data or is geographically marked with ICBM.
Know of another I might have missed? Leave a comment and share!
eBay Trackers, Sorters and Tools for Firefox
Am I weird? I never fell victim to becoming obsessive compulsive about eBay so maybe a lot of these tools fell under the radar for me before, but after taking a look there are a slew of Firefox extensions to help you get the most out of your online auctions.
Firefox Companion for eBay – The official Firefox and eBay extension. It keep an eye on your eBay trading wherever you are on the web.
eBayCaptcha Populator – Promises to fill in the captchas for you on the eBay web site. Yes, those boxes where you have to type in ridiculous phrases to show your human.
myibay eBay bid sniper – linking to myibay.com eBay bid sniper will help you snipe and monitor your auctions.
ShortShip Pro – Adds real-time sorting of eBay listings by total and shipping, and so much more! We do everything we can to make eBay a better place to shop.
myTimeZone for eBay – Automatically converts times on eBay pages to your local time zone and custom formats dates/times to be more readable.
eBay Buddy – This is a small extension for quick navigation of eBay and other related tools through the right-click context menu or toolbar button.
Know of anymore good eBay tools for Firefox?
More Best of Firefox Awards
Time to hand out a few more awards to those who have made using Firefox just a little ‘bit better over the past 12 months. Congratulations to all, and yes – I am sure a few more awards might be on the way…
Best Firefox related project award?
iPox Remix – In TwisterMC’s own words, “iPox Remix is my way of letting the user customize the iPox Firefox theme to their liking.” Never have I seen a better guide on how to get a good looking theme going with a lot of hand holding along the way. By far – this multi-stepped article series deserves to be the best as far as the non-Mozilla owned projects go.
Best alternative guide to Firefox award?
Learn Firefox – It is a visual guide to help you learn more about the Firefox browser. With an original look and feel to the entire web site and project, Learn Firefox leaps above the rest when it comes to giving you a new and exciting way to learn more about everybody’s new favorite browser. Major props for Chris, Ryan and Ashley for putting this one together.
Mitch’s favorite Mozilla Firefox awareness program?
Operation Firefox – Sharing the Firefox love by placing huge stickers all over the place. Point to me where the part not to love is, because I ain’t seeing it. Winners were also recently announced, so might be time to take look back at this Mozilla project if you haven’t been there in a while.
Best Firefox Blog?
MozillaLinks.org – This is a good blog that even I like to subscribe to so I can stay ahead of the game with some really cool news and information coming out of Mozilla about Firefox. Percy does a great job and hopefully will keep up the great work. Two thumbs up from one blog to another.
Want more? Ok, here are a few quickies:
Favorite Mozilla Personality? Asa Dotzler
Best Use of the Firefox Community? Spread Firefox
Biggest Waste of Time? Why Firefox is Blocked
Have any other awards you’d like to see me hand out? It is your turn! Give me your choices and awards in comment form.
