 |
When people tell me they use Internet Explorer, I sometimes have a mini heart attack.
My first question is…
Why? What is wrong with you?
I was using the computers on campus the other day and they have Internet Explorer installed.
- It was SLOW.
- It crashed about 5 times.
- I couldn’t get the pictures to show up in Google Reader.
- It was cluttered.
It made me miss Google Chrome!
- It’s faster.
- You get more screen space.
- It has USEFUL add-ons.
- The features are endless.
Google Chrome is an internet browser designed by Google.
Side note: I use Google Everything! Chrome, Gmail, Calendar, Analytics, Feedburner, Google Reader, and so much more.
Google, you rock.
Google Chrome has been steadily becoming more popular since it first launched two years ago.
It still has its flaws, bit its simple and feature-rich interface causes a lot of users to ditch Internet Explorer their old and trusted browser in favor of this new kid on the block.
Chrome has a lot of cool features which could immensely enhance your browsing experience if you know how to use them. You probably know some of these, but I bet a few of them are new as well 
Google Chrome Omnibox
Chrome’s address bar is called the “omnibox” because you can do more with it than just entering a URL.
If you start typing in the address bar, it will reveal:
- Search suggestions.
- Popular sites.
- Pages you’ve visited.
Also:
- It remembers your search history.
- It auto-completes what you’ve previously typed before.
- It remembers search engines you frequently use. Just start typing the name and hit “tab.”
Here are some features:
1. Pin Tab
I LOVE THIS FEATURE.
Just right click on a tab, hit “Pin tab” and the tab converts into a favicon and sticks itself permanently to the extreme left.
Use this on those tabs that you never close (Gmail, for instance).
2. Drag and Drop Downloads
You can easily drag downloaded files from Chrome to your desktop or any other folder on your computer. That means, from now on, you don’t need to go and change the download location each time you want the files to be downloaded in a separate place other than desktop (or downloads folder).
3. Quick Calculation Results from Address Bar
Did you know Google Chrome is a calculator?
Yep, just type in 10*10 in the search bar. The result will come up automatically.
4. Drag and Resize Text Boxes
To…
(Sorry about the TweetDeck pop up!)
A lot of times, the text boxes on webpages are way too small! After you’ve typed a few lines, you get a scroll bar which is somewhat irritating. On Chrome, you can actually drag that box from the corner and make it bigger.
Just click and drag the lower right corner of the text box. Boom.
6. Reopen All Tabs
Chrome has an option that lets you reopen previously opened pages before you closed the browser.
This comes in handy if the browser crashes for some reason and you had a lot of tabs open (happens all the time).
You can easily change it in the options section.
7. Copy and Paste Only Text
Have you ever noticed that if you copy anything from a webpage and paste it on some other application (except for pure text editors like Notepad), they bring along all sorts of HTML and CSS jibber jabber?
Next time, when you copy stuff from Chrome and want to paste it somewhere else on Chrome itself (like a Gmail compose window) use Ctrl+Shift+V instead of Ctrl+V and you’ll only get the text.
8. Paste and Go
With Chrome, you can avoid a extra click or enter by using the “Paste and Go” feature which allows you to paste a URL and immediately load it without having to click anything.
To make use of this feature, simply copy the URL you want to open and right click on the address bar in Google Chrome, instead of clicking on the paste option click on “Paste and Go”
9. Auto-Fill
Tired of filling out web forms with the same information time and time again?
The first time you fill out a form, Chrome automatically saves the contact information that you enter, like your name, address, phone number, or email address, as an Autofill entry. You can store multiple addresses as separate entries.
Google Chrome is the best. What browser do you use?
PS: Chrome has been known to cause motion sickness.
|
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
I loke Chrome and the new firefox (now that it’s out of beta). I’m with you about internet explorer. I used ie9 beta until mozilla came out with their update and it was exhausting.
Chad recently posted..Recipe- Rum Apple Hummus
Chrome is my second favorite, but my heart lies with Mozilla, especially their newest version, similar to Chrome with it’s sleeker look, and faster use. But I agree, Google rocks!
Lesley Lifting Life recently posted..A little Monday fun
LOL!!!!!!! Wow, that disclaimer is classic.
And I have to believe most of this was a hit at my IE usage, but I’ll try to overlook that obvious fact since I now use Firefox. 
Seriously, this is a great post though! Google Chrome does sound like an awesome browser, and I can tell it would have a lot of apps I would find useful, especially since a lot of what I do is in google. The comment box thing is genius!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope recently posted..Super Cereal
Your tech posts are really information. I have learned more about google these past few weeks than I thought I would ever know!
Caitlyn (The Spoonful of Life) recently posted..The Egg Takes Over…Literally!
I’m a Safari girl myself.
Lee recently posted..I Ran Before I Crawled Before I Slept
LOL! I was cracking up at the beginning of this post because I have such a deep hatred for IE. Chrome has been invaluable as a blogger, and that Pin Tab option changed my life when I found it. There’s a bug with Chrome though in that it doesn’t sync with iPhoto on a Mac very well, so until it’s fixed I have to open Safari to load pictures to my blog then save and open the post in Chrome (cuz I don’t like Safari so I don’t wanna work on a post in it.) Other than that, it has been my dream browser, if there is such a thing.
Alayna @ Thyme Bombe recently posted..Kevin & Ashley’s wedding
I am in love with google chrome! Its all I use
Maryann (The Balanced Bean) recently posted..Bootylicious
I have Firefox at work — I know, I know, Jason gives me a hard time about it! At home, we have Google Chrome. Love it!
Holly @ The Runny Egg recently posted..Pizza Bread
I love Firefox, but that calculator feature on Chrome is pretty attractive.
Either way, there’s no excuse for ever using IE.
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted..Pre-Race Strategy
I had no idea how useful Google Chrome could be! I use Safari, but I’m definitely switching over because of those cool features.
Lauren recently posted..Mocha Madness
You know, I’ve no idea if I use Google Chrome or not – I have a lot of those features..but I use Safari. Is that different!? I’m SO thick.
Oh – and lucuma powder – tastes like vanilla, is raw and natural and delicious and has health benefits which I can’t remember off the top of my head :p
Freya recently posted..Awesome Rawsome Gourmet Raw
Here:
Lucuma benefits from holding an excellent source of carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals. It has lots of beta-carotene, niacin (B3) and iron.
Lucuma has got a rich, creamy texture and will turns raw food creations into gourmet heavenly delights.
Lucuma powder is really versatile and tasty, blending easily and well with ice-creams (see below), baby food, raw cakes, raw cookies, smoothies, Raw Chocolate and desserts of all kinds.
Lucuma is a nutrient dense fruit from Peru that smells divine, and tastes a little like maple syrup flavoured ice-cream which is most likely why it makes the most amazing vanilla ice cream ever!
In Peru, the yellowy-orange fruit pulp is added to ice-cream and is Peru’s favourite flavour.
Freya recently posted..Awesome Rawsome Gourmet Raw
Yes, Chrome all the way!
The worker who used this computer before I got the job only had Explorer on it! I can’t believe people still use that. The first thing I did when I got the job was download Chrome, haha.
You’re cute with all the intense Chrome love.
I use Firefox.
Krystina (Organically Me) recently posted..Quick News Break
I use Modzilla/Firefox, but it looks like I should be researching into google chrome. That really is a TON of features I could use…especially for all the tabs I never close. Which is, uh, a lot.
Nicole, RD recently posted..Chicken Korma
I love, love, love Google Chrome! I did not know about the “pin tab” option! Too cool!
Thanks for the mini-tutorial! I need to play around with it some more!
Kim
Kim recently posted..I Heart Bob!
My parents still use IE. It made me cry when I have to use their home computer. I finally downloaded Chrome just for my use there.
I hate IE.
I love Google Chrome – actually I love pretty much everything Google!! I had no idea about the pin tab function…I have already put it to good use. Thanks for sharing your Chrome tips!
Karen recently posted..First Time For Everything
This is awesome! I love Chrome already but I feel like I know so much more – thanks!
Brynne recently posted..More Fitness Magazine Women’s Half-Marathon Recap
I go to a university with one of the the best computer science departments in the world (at least half of my professors consult at Google, and I frequently run by Mark Zuckerberg on my morning runs) but our registration site still only works in IE. I seriously want to harm something whenever I have to enroll in classes or download a transcript and have to switch from Chrome to IE.
{ 1 trackback }