Making the Most out of Add-ons
In our October story, Which Browser Does What, we walked readers through some of the more popular web browsers on the scene. Just like the type of car you drive (or don’t), your choice in browser can speak volumes about your habits and who you are.
Our personal favourite (and CNET download.com’s most popular browser download) is none other than Mozilla’s Firefox. Why? Because Firefox provides its users with a whole lot of customisable options called Add-ons. This month, we’ll take a look at how add-ons can help make your browsing experience online more enjoyable and tailored to suit.
So, what exactly are add-ons? Add-ons are installable features which can be used with Firefox web browsers. Some of these can provide surface enhancements to a browser’s appearance (like changing a colour scheme or icons); others will modify how a browser works; while some can even add entirely new features.
By heading to Add-ons for Firefox, you’ll be able to browse through the hundreds upon hundreds of add-ons which have been created by developers, both hobbyists and serious corporations who are part of the Mozilla community. These add-ons are free and easy to add to Firefox, with some providing the option to donate funds to support their creator – a nice gesture, especially if you find the add-on really useful.
Add-ons are organised into neat categories – Alerts & Updates, Bookmarks, Download Management, Toolbars and loads more. Once you’ve selected a category, clicking your way through the ‘Top Downloads’ and ‘Top Rate’ will give you a decent idea of what add-ons are working for others in cyberspace. When you’re ready to give an add-on a go, installation is as simple as making a few clicks.
If you’re more used to using Internet Explorer, you can now also improve your browsing time with IE Add-ons. It’s taken the people from Microsoft a little longer to cotton on to a good thing, but their latest versions now support add-ons.
No matter what kind of browser you are (whether you’re always on top of the latest social media sites or if you’re content as a casual browser), you’re sure to find more than a handful of wonderful applications to help you save time and make browsing even better.
Posted by natalie.king