As the Web grows more crowded and just plain "noisy" with information bombarding us from every angle, most people welcome any tool, trick or shortcut to help them wade through the mountains of data to find what they want.
Since your web browser represents your main window to the Internet, it makes sense for any tool which enables you to find what you need and get around faster online should sit right where you need it most.
Introducing Web browser "toolbars," free little programs that work with Internet Explorer and Netscape to put you several steps closer to the information you need right now.
~ Google Toolbar ~
The free toolbar from search giant Google offers the best search features of any toolbar we evaluated.
Not only does it allow you to search the web, but also enables you to search within a website to find specific information.
The Google toolbar's main features include "Page Rank," which gives an indication of a website's overall value based on your search criteria and other factors, along with a "backwards links" function which allows you to see which sites link to the website currently loaded in your browser.
You can download the Google toolbar on your web browser by visiting http://toolbar.google.com and following the simple installation instruction.
~ Alexa Toolbar ~
Alexa's main claim to fame revolves around its traffic ranking report on virtually any site on the Internet.
The lower the Traffic Ranking number, the more popular a site rates in Alexa's eyes. Currently Yahoo, MSN and Google occupy the top 3 spots on Alexa's charts.
With so many websites on the Internet, an Alexa ranking of less than 100,000 is considered good, and a ranking of less than 10,000 is considered outstanding as far as a site's relative popularity on the Web.
Alexa also offers a related links feature right on the toolbar so you can quickly find links to sites that other people also visit when surfing the site you currently have loaded in your browser.
Alexa also offers a pop-up blocker to help cut down on the pop-up windows that seem to invade your desktop the minute you venture online. You can download the Alexa Toolbar free from www.alexa.com.
~ AltaVista Toolbar ~
Former search giant AltaVista recently jumped on the toolbar bandwagon with their offering from www.altavista.com.
Install the AltaVista toolbar and access a couple of interesting features, including a language translation button and an MP3 search.
Click the "Translate" button and instantly translate entire web pages from one language to another.
The MP3 search will help you find the tune you want from AltaVista's audio index.
Most of the toolbars offer additional gadgets to help you with everything from weather forecasts to currency conversion.
Because they offer many of the same features and they take up valuable screen space, using more than one toolbar at a time often proves impractical.
Since most toolbars come free of charge, evaluate them all for their main features and overall usability for your particular needs and then stick with the best one.
(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved - http://www.thenetreporter.com
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist (http://www.thenetreporter.com) and is the author of numerous best-selling ebooks, information products and software programs.
Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to your website for weeks, even months... without spending a dime on advertising!http://www.thenetreporter.com
limousine airport Glendale Heights .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HarePerhaps not yet, but the handwriting might be on the... Read More
This is not your typical lost data story. I was... Read More
Ad Blocking is getting to be a common sport on... Read More
Are you frustrated with your PC?Is it feeling sluggish or... Read More
So I'll start from the very beginning.One day I was... Read More
After another security hole recently surfaced in Microsoft's Windows operating... Read More
How can you compare mp3 players to be sure you're... Read More
So you got yourself a digital camcorder. If you want... Read More
Cisco Certification: Taking Your First Certification ExamYou've studied hard; you've... Read More
This is the third in a series of articles highlighting... Read More
I do a holiday letter every year and send them... Read More
Flash mp3 players come with an exciting array of features,... Read More
Are you thinking of buying an Apple iPod? Or have... Read More
Your first step in removing dangerous infections from your computer... Read More
With the new technology used to transfer information to from... Read More
The first step is: Start > My DocumentsSo you have... Read More
When studying for your Cisco CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE exam,... Read More
ASR (Automated System Recovery) is a feature available on the... Read More
Webmasters usually sit at their computers much longer in a... Read More
There are plenty of articles out there about how to... Read More
Enhanced Definition Television ? also known as EDTV ? is... Read More
Maybe you always wanted a feature that hasn't been available... Read More
It seems like fast never quite rates fast enough.No matter... Read More
In the early days, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) were not... Read More
If you utilize a computer at home or work it... Read More
Lincoln Stretch rentals Willowbrook ..Passwords have a strange dual nature. The stronger and safer... Read More
JPEG, GIFF/JIFF, BMP, and TIFF are the most commonly used... Read More
Addressing a D2X Digital SLRCoolpix 8800 search, this article provides... Read More
System File Checker is a great utility that is typically... Read More
Projectors have come a long way in the past few... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions is on the way to popularize it's... Read More
Tip #1 -- Rebates: A rebate is not always a... Read More
First and foremost before I begin my ranting it is... Read More
Stimulus thru Caffiene or Visual Input?It appears that the Mobi... Read More
Confused by EDTV vs HDTV? We don't blame you. The... Read More
A computer needs a certain amount of information to operate;... Read More
Not sure what Windows registry is or how it works?... Read More
When studying for your Cisco CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE exam,... Read More
Are you stymied by the vast offerings in cheap mp3... Read More
With the new technology used to transfer information to from... Read More
With a little tweaking and with proper tools, you can... Read More
Maybe you always wanted a feature that hasn't been available... Read More
Maintaining your computer is extremely important ? especially if you... Read More
You probably heard of the new Firefox browser version 1.0... Read More
In the years of the dot com boom and bust,... Read More
Simone is exasperated. She has to work on her university... Read More
It's free, it comes with Windows and it's used by... Read More
For six years, my Samsung PC 13.8 inch SyncMaster conventional... Read More
Upgrading your processor will always speed up your computer, but... Read More
If you've been kicking around the idea of building your... Read More
Personal Technology |