20+ Top Google Chrome Extensions/Plugins for Bloggers and Web Developers

As of April 2010, Google Chrome was the third most widely used browser with 6.73%of worldwide usage share of web browsers according to Net Applications. Even though Firefox is the top web browser used by bloggers, webmasters, web designers and web developers, Google chrome has also grabbed great attention due to its speed and simplicity.

Following are some top Google Chrome extensions useful for Blogging,Web design and Development . Some of them are popular as Firefox Add-ons too! Don’t forget to take a look at my other post 25 Best Firefox Add-ons for Bloggers and Web Designers.

Please read this post from Google Chrome web browser since you cannot add chrome extensions to other browsers!! 

• RSS Subscription Extension

  This extension auto-detects RSS feeds on the page you are reading and upon finding one will display an RSS icon in the Omnibox, allowing you to click on it to preview the feed content and subscribe. The extension comes with 4 feed readers predefined (Google Reader, iGoogle, Bloglines and My Yahoo) and also allows you to add any web-based feed reader of your choice to the list.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Zemanta

  Zemanta expands the author’s regular blogging dashboard, populating it on the fly with content suggestions relevant to the current text. It presents images, links, articles, tags in a simple interface. It supports Blogger, WordPress, TypePad, Movable Type, Ning, Drupal, LiveJournal, Tumblr and email platforms Google Mail and Yahoo!Mail.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Chrome SEO

  The Google Chrome SEO extension provides easy access to Search engine optimization tools  that can help you with competitive analysis, keyword research, backlink checks, pageRank checks and other daily SEO tasks.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• SEO Status Pagerank/Alexa Toolbar

  SEO Status is lightweight. It will check the Google Pagerank (PR) & Alexa rank for every page. Using this will also increase your Alexa.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Xmarks Bookmarks Sync

  Backup and sync your bookmarks and open tabs across computers and browsers. Xmarks is also available for Firefox, Safari and IE.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• goo.gl URL Shortener

  goo.gl url shortener is an extension which allows you to shorten the current website URL with the new Google URL Shortener service. Once compressed the url is automatically copied to clipboard and you can share it with Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, Delicious, Digg, MySpace, Google Reader, Gmail or your default mail client.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Web Developer

  The Web Developer extension adds a toolbar button to the browser with various web developer tools.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• MeasureIt

  Draw out a ruler that will help you get the pixel width and height of any elements on a webpage.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Resolution Test

  An extension for developers to test web pages in different screen resolutions, with an option to define your own resolutions.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Greasemetal

  Greasemetal is a userscript runtime for Google Chrome. The runtime hosts userscripts (tiny javascript files that modify the webpages being displayed) to be executed on Google Chrome, similar to what Greasemonkey does for Mozilla Firefox, or Greasekit does for Safari.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• LastPass

  LastPass is a free online password manager and Form Filler that makes your web browsing easier and more secure. It captures passwords and allows you to make strong passwords easily. Your sensitive data is encrypted locally before upload so even LastPass cannot get access to it!
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Picnik Extension

  The Picnik Extension for Chrome lets you easily edit the images you come across while browsing the web. With a click you can create a snapshot of your current web page and open it in Picnik for easy editing, annotation and sharing.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Google Dictionary

  With this extension, you can double-click any word to view its definition in a small pop-up bubble and view the complete definition of any word or phrase using the address bar dictionary.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Feedly

  Feedly organizes your favorite sources in a magazine-like start page. A fast and stylish way to read and share the content of your favorite sites and services. Provides seamless integration with Google Reader, Twitter, Delicious, YouTube and Amazon.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Google Reader Notifier

  Displays the number of unread items in your Google Reader account. Clicking can show a preview popup or open your Reader account.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Google Mail Checker Plus

  Displays the number of unread messages in your Gmail and Google Apps inbox. Preview mail, read, delete, archive and mark as spam.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• WiseStamp – Email Signatures for GMail, Google Apps and more

  Empower GMail, Google Mail & Google Apps emails with dynamic email signatures. Add Twitter, Facebook, Digg and more. Multiple HTML signatures support.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• TwitterBar

  Post to Twitter from the Chrome toolbar. The current page’s title and URL are automatically entered into the textbox for easy posting of links.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Facebook for Google Chrome

  Extension which lets you read your Facebook news feed and wall. You can also post status updates.
  Add to Chrome
  
  

• Shareaholic

  Share any web page with your friends right from the page you are on. This extension adds a share button to your browser toolbar. Currently support 100+ services like Google Buzz, WordPress, Blogger, Delicious, Digg, Yahoo Buzz, Reddit, Mixx, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Orkut, Plurk etc.
  Add to Chrome
  
  
• 
  

  Google Translate

  This extension adds a button to your browser toolbar. Click the translate icon whenever you want to translate the page you’re visiting.
  Add to Chrome
  
  
• 
  

  RemindMe

  RemindMe allows you to setup reminders while browsing and sync them between computers.
  Add to Chrome
  
  
• 
  

  Speed Tracer

  Speed Tracer is a tool to help you identify and fix performance problems in your web applications. It visualizes metrics that are taken from low level instrumentation points inside of the browser and analyzes them as your application runs. Speed Tracer is available as a Chrome extension and works on all platforms where extensions are currently supported (Windows and Linux). You must be running the Google Chrome Developer Channel to use Speed Tracer.
  Add to Chrome

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101 Google tips, tricks and hacks

The definitive Google search tips guide

Looking for the ultimate tips for Google searching? You've just found the only guide to Google you need. Let's get started:

1. The best way to begin searching harder with Google is by clicking the Advanced Search link.

2. This lets you search for exact phrases, "all these words", or one of the specified keywords by entering search terms into the appropriate box.

3. You can also define how many results you want on the page, what language and what file type you're looking for, all with menus.

4. Advanced Search lets you type in a Top Level Domain (like .co.uk) in the "Search within site of domain" box to restrict results.

5. And you can click the "Date, usage rights, numeric range and more" link to access more advanced features.

6. Save time – most of these advanced features are also available in Google's front page search box, as command line parameters.

7. Google's main search invisibly combines search terms with the Boolean construct "AND". When you enter smoke fire – it looks for smoke AND fire.

8. To make Google search for smoke or fire, just type smoke OR fire

9. Instead of OR you can type the | symbol, like this: smoke | fire

10. Boolean connectors like AND and OR are case sensitive. They must be upper case.

11. Search for a specific term, then one keyword OR another by grouping them with parentheses, like this: water (smoke OR fire)

12. To look for phrases, put them in quotes: "there's no smoke without fire"

13. Synonym search looks for words that mean similar things. Use the tilde symbol before your keyword, like this: ~eggplant

14. Exclude specific key words with the minus operator. new pram -ebay excludes all results from eBay.

15. Common words, like I, and, then and if are ignored by Google. These are called "stop words".

16. The plus operator makes sure stop words are included. Like: fish +and chips

17. If a stop word is included in a phrase between quote marks as a phrase, the word is searched for.

18. You can also ask Google to fill in a blank. Try: Christopher Columbus discovered *

19. Search for a numerical range using the numrange operator. For example, search for Sony TV between £300 and £500 with the string Sony TV £300..£500

20. Google recognises 13 main file types through advanced search, including all Microsoft Office Document types, Lotus, PostScript, Shockwave Flash and plain text files.

21. Search for any filetype directly using the modifier filetype:[filetype extension]. For example: soccer filetype:pdf

22. Exclude entire file types, using the same Boolean syntax we used to exclude key words earlier: rugby -filetype:doc

23, In fact, you can combine any Boolean search operators, as long as your syntax is correct. An example: "sausage and mash" -onions filetype:doc

24. Google has some very powerful, hidden search parameters, too. For example "intitle" only searches page titles. Try intitle:herbs

25. If you're looking for files rather than pages – give index of as the intitle: parameter. It helps you find web and FTP directories.

26. The modifier inurl only searches the web address of a page: give inurl:spices a go.

27. Find live webcams by searching for: inurl:view/view.shtml

28. The modifier inanchor is very specific, only finding results in text used in page links.

29. Want to know how many links there are to a site? Try link:sitename – for example link:www.mozilla.org

30. Similarly, you can find pages that Google thinks are related in content, using the related: modifier. Use it like this: related:www.microsoft.com

31. The modifier info:site_name returns information about the specified page.

32. Alternatively, do a normal search then click the "Similar Pages" link next to a result.

33. Specify a site to search with the site: modifier – like this: search tips site:www.techradar.com

34. The above tip works with directory sites like www.dmoz.org and dynamically generated sites.

35. Access Google Directory – a database of handpicked and rated sites – at directory.google.com

36. The Boolean operators intitle and inurl work in Google directory, as does OR.

37. Use the site: modifier when searching Google Images, at images.google.com. For example: dvd recorder site:www.amazon.co.uk

38. Similar, using "site:.com" will only return results from .com domains.

39. Google News (news.google.com) has its own Boolean parameters. For example "intext" pulls terms from the body of a story.

40. If you use the operator "source:" in Google News, you can pick specific archives. For example: heather mills source:daily_mail

41. Using the "location:" filter enables you to return news from a chosen country. location:uk for example.

42. Similarly, Google Blogsearch (blogsearch.google.com) has its own syntax. You can search for a blog title, for example, usinginblogtitle:

43. The general search engine can get very specific indeed. Trymovie: to look for movie reviews.

44. The modifier film: works just as well!

45. Enter showtimes and Google will prompt you for your postcode. Enter it and it'll tell you when and where local films are showing.

46. For a dedicated film search page, go to www.google.co.uk/movies

47. If you ticked "Remember this Location" when you searched for show times, the next time you can enter the name of a current film instead.

48. Google really likes movies. Try typing director: The Dark Knight into the main search box.

49. For cast lists, try cast: name_of_film

50. The modifier music: followed by a band, song or album returns music reviews.

51. Try searching for weather London – you'll get a full 4-day forecast.

52. There's also a built-in dictionary. Try define: in the search box.

53. Google stores the content of old sites. You can search this cache direct with the syntax keyword cache:site_url

54. Alternatively, enter cache:site_url into Google's search box to be taken direct to the stored site.

55. No calculator handy? Use Google's built in features. Try typing 12*15 and hitting "Google Search".

56. Google's calculator converts measurements and understands natural language. Type in 14 stones in kilos, for example.

57. It does currency conversion too. Try 200 pounds in euros

58. If you know the currency code you can type 200 GBP in EUR instead for more reliable results.

59. And temperature! Just type: 98 f to c to convert Fahrenheit to Centigrade.

60. Want to know how clever Google really is? Type 2476 in roman numerals, then hit "Google Search"...

61. You can personalise your Google experience by creating a Google account. Go to www.google.com/account/ then click "Create Account".

62. With a Google account there are lots more extras available. You'll get a free Gmail email account for one...

63. With your Google account, you can also personalise your front page. Click "iGoogle" to add blog and site feeds.

64. Click "Add a Tab" in iGoogle to add custom tabs. Google automatically populates them with suitable site suggestions.

65. iGoogle allows you to theme your page too. Click "Select Theme" to change the default look.

66. Some iGoogle themes change with time..."Sweet Dreams" is a theme that turns from day to night as you browse.

67. Click "More" under "Try something new" to access a full list of Google sites and new features.

68. "Custom Search" enables you to create a branded Google search for your own site.

69. An active, useful service missing from the list is "Personalised Search" – but you can access it via www.google.com/psearch when you're logged in.

70. This page lists searches you have recently made – and is divided into categories. Clicking "pause" stops Google from recording your history.

71. Click "Trends" to see the sites you visit most, the terms you enter most often and links you've clicked on!

72. Personalised Search also includes a bookmark facility – which enables you to save bookmarks online and access them from anywhere.

73. You can add bookmarks or access your bookmarks using the iGoogle Bookmarks gadget.

74. Did you know you can search within your returned results? Scroll down to the bottom of the search results page to find the link.

75. Search locally by appending your postcode to the end of query. For example Indian food BA1 2BW finds restaurants in Bath, with addresses and phone numbers!

76. Looking for a map? Just add map to the end of your query, like this: Leeds map

77. Google finds images just as easily and lists them at the top, when you add image to the end of your search.

78. Google Image Search recognises faces... add &imgtype=face to the end of the returned URL in the location bar, then hit enter to filter out pictures that aren't people.

79. Keeping an eye on stocks? Type stocks: followed by market ticker for the company and Google returns the data from Google Finance.

80. Enter the carrier and flight number in Google's main search box to return flight tracking information.

81. What time is it? Find out anywhere by typing time then the name of a place.

82. You may have noticed Google suggests alternate spellings for search terms – that's the built in spell checker!

83. You can invoke the spell checker directly by using spell: followed by your keyword.

84. Click "I'm Feeling Lucky" to be taken straight to the first page Google finds for your keyword.

85. Enter a statistics-based query like population of Britain into Google, and it will show you the answer at the top of its results.

86. If your search has none-English results, click "Translate this Page" to see it in English.

87. You can search foreign sites specifically by clicking "Language Tools", then choosing which countries sites to translate your query to.

88. Other features on the language tools page include a translator for blocks of text you can type or cut and paste.

89. There's also a box that you can enter a direct URL into, translating to the chosen language.

90. Near the language tools link, you'll see the "Search Preferences". This handy page is full of secret functionality.

91. You can specify which languages Google returns results in, ticking as many (or few) boxes as you like.

92. Google's Safe Search protects you from explicit sexual content. You can choose to filter results more stringently or switch it off completely.

93. Google's default of 10 results a page can be increased to up to 100 in Search Preferences, too.

94. You can also set Google to open your search results in a new window.

95. Want to see what others are searching for or improve your page rank? Go to www.google.com/zeitgeist

96. Another useful, experimental search can be found at www.google.com/trends – where you can find the hottest search terms.

97. To compare the performance of two or more terms, enter them into the trends search box separated by commas.

98. Fancy searching Google in Klingon? Go to www.google.com/intl/xx-klingon

99. Perhaps the Swedish chef from the muppets is your role model instead? Check www.google.com/intl/xx-bork

100. Type answer to life, the universe and everything into Google. You may be surprised by the result...

101. It will also tell you the number of horns on a unicorn

Running the Google Chrome browser? Check out our 30 Google Chrome tips, tricks and shortcuts

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