Google Chrome extensions roundup

Wish to chat with Facebook friends without visiting the Facebook site? If so, install the Facechat extension. (https://chrome.google.com/ extensions/detail/ipobohbjl mabahmlcmjggaklkjellnfc? hl =en-US).

Web2pdf (http://www. web2pdfconvert.com/) is a service that lets you convert a web page into a PDF document. Now, if you wish to convert a web page directly from Chrome, install the ‘Web2PDFconverter' extension available at: https://chrome.google.com/extensi ons/detail/bkanhckocooac phbnclgcndnpfpoppdk.

Related content discovery services like ‘Similar Sites' (http://www.similarsites. com/) help us easily aggregate web pages with content similar to the one being investigated.

Now, if you wish to make this process further easy, take a look at the extension ‘Similar Sites' (http://www. chrome extensions.org/other/similar -sites/).

Those of you who regularly access services like Gmail, Google wave and Google Reader may find the Chrome extension ‘One Number' (http://tinyurl.com/yaaj2ez) useful. This extension lets you access these services with a single mouse click. Symtica (https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/fafldeedeg mfkdkolgpcopgfcdidgbjk#) is yet another wonderful extension of this kind. This extension enables you to access almost all Google applications from a single interface.

If you are a cricket enthusiast, check out the Chrome extension ‘ESPN Cricinfo' (https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/ijhlikjoigjegofbedmfmlcfkmhabldh) that displays live scores of various cricket matches across the globe.

If you wish to take notes while browsing, you may like the extension Chromepad (https://chrome.google.com/ extensions/detail/kodgendb hboaendecabighpnngpodeij).

Google+Twitter

For many web search tasks, Google search alone may not be sufficient. To obtain the latest information, a search on Twitter database is always better. If you agree with this observation, try out the Chrome extension “Google+Twitter mashup” (http://tinyurl.com/ydaj7cp) that automatically displays Twitter search output along with Google search results.

An event reminder tool

Modern life is fast turning out to be very complex and many find it difficult to keep track of the tasks to be performed each day. In this mad rush, it is likely that we forget simple but important tasks. One remedy lies in taking recourse to some mechanism that alerts you on the tasks to be performed on each day. And the apt place to obtain such reminder alerts is certainly the Web browser, where most of us spend our time these days. If you agree with this observation and are on the lookout for a reminder tool, try out the Chrome extension, Remind Me (https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/dkbeopafgiefnlff khmkhldcojehlgam). And, if you are a Firefox user, check out the extension ReminderFox (http://reminderfox. mozdev.org/).

Automatic web page translation

Due to the availability of different translation tools, reading a web page in an alien language is not that difficult now. But the reading process still involves 2-3 steps. For instance, if one wishes to translate a web page in Hindi to English, he/she has to go through a few steps — accessing a translation service (Google Translate for instance), pasting the link on to its input box and the like. Now, a Windows user can avoid those mundane steps by adopting the latest beta version of Chrome (http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/chrome/beta/). When you are on an alien language web page, Chrome will automatically sense it and ask you if you wish to view the page in the browser's default language.

By pressing the relevant button, you will be able to see the web page text in your preferred language.

He can be contacted at: jmurali@gmail.com