Using Google Chrome as a Browser

I'm upgrading my studio computer to Win7 today, finally, and of course I've got to re-do a lot of the little tweaks that I've done over the past few years. I'm going to post of few of the handy ones here in my blog tonight as I get things up to speed.

One of the first programs that I installed was Google Chrome, a web browser. I really prefer using this browser, even more than FireFox. It's got a lot of good features, such as "stealth mode." For instance, let's say that I go to the doctor and he tells me that I have ovarian cysts. I want to look them up on the internet to learn more, but I'm embarrassed and don't want my roommates to use the browser later and see the search that I made. I can hit Ctrl-Shift-N and it opens up a new "stealth" browser (I think they call it "incognito" mode) and any searches in that new browswer aren't logged in cookies, browse history, or auto-complete. I would assume that for people in the workplace who use facebook when the boss isn't looking over their shoulder, but don't want a trace of their browsing on their workstation, this is an ideal solution. Mind you, a network manager can still see where traffic is going, so it's not the ultimate self-preservation tool if you're visiting websites like "iwanttohidesomebodythatimurdered.com"

By the way, I don't have ovarian cysts.

So here's the special "tweak" that I add to Chrome. That was the original point of the post, because everything else that I mention in this post is a built-in feature. One feature of Chrome is that if you open a new tab, it shows all sorts of recently-visited websites on the screen. This is problematic at Christmas time if you're trying to disguise shopping sites that you've visited, so your boyfriend or girlfriend can't see them. There is a simple solution: install the "blank new page" plug-in from Chrome, and the new page always ends up as a blank slate. It also loads slightly faster than a screen full of history. Here's a link to this very useful plug-in, which I don't think a lot of people know about:

https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/dpjamkmjmigaoobjbekmfgabipmfilij

Chrome is also very useful when it comes to bookmarks. Instead of a bookmarks or favorites bar on the left side of the screen, taking up space, it has a one-line bookmarks bar across the top, under the URL line. Use Ctrl-Shift-B to hide or unhide. Right-click and "add page" if you want to add items. Most of us really only look at about a dozen or so websites for 99% of our browsing, so this bar is pretty handy as a quick-launch favorites bar.

My favorite feature about Chrome? It has Google search built right into it, without having to lose a line of screen space to a search toolbar. Just type anything into the URL line that you want to search on, and Chrome automatically assumes that it is a Google Search instead of a URL.

Oh yeah, Chrome has auto-translation of foreign languages almost completely implemented now, which is also handy. And instead of a "home page," you have as many home pages as you want. I usually have about three: Gmail, Facebook, and one of my own sites. So when I launch Chrome, three tabs all load simultaneously, with all of the "home" pages that I want.

If you haven't been using Chrome, you should check it out today ...