Top 5 Chrome Extensions

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The Browser of Choice

Chrome is my browser of choice and the browser you should be using.  Internet Explorer has come along way, but it also left many users behind.  Microsoft won't let users of XP upgrade IE without upgrading their operating system, but Chrome doesn't care if you're running Windows Seven or Windows Eight.  Secondly, Firefox will always have a special place in my heart, but when I was more invested in web developing Firefox just wouldn't render things the way I wanted.  Also if you're using Safari, it's time to move on.  Chrome delivers webpages the way website designers want them to be seen.  Chrome will also link across computers and devices.  Use Chrome at work and at home and your favorites and extensions will all by synced.   Install an extension on one and it will be on all your devices that run Chrome.

Chrome Extensions

One of the greatest things about Chrome is the ability to install extensions or web apps.  These apps can be as up front as games or in the background like an ad blocker.


Top 5 Chrome Extensions

5. Turn Off the Lights

Turn Off the Lights is an extension that runs in the background and dims the screen when you are watching a video.  I make everything full screen so I don't really notice it much, but on those rare occasions when I'm just browsing videos or I want to keep my tabs in sight for notifications, it is a really nice extension to have.  

Everything is dimmed with Turn Off the Lights.  I have also adjusted the settings so my background is blurred as well.
Turn Off the Lights comes with a lot of settings to full around with, but the one I recommend ticking is the automatic dimming when playing a video.  There is a lightbulb that will appear in your address bar for you to click every time you want to dim the background for a video, but clicking that every time you want to watch a video is a step to easily eliminate.  

They are working on some other features which will be great once they work correctly such as dynamic lighting.  With this feature, a glow will be placed around the video, but the color of the glow will change along with the video.  This feature hasn't been working a hundred percent for me though and when it does it causes a lot of lagging.  

Be sure to dig into the customization of Turn Off the Lights for something that suits you, and you will probably find it as handy as I do.

Download Turn Off the Lights for Chrome Here

4. Hover Zoom

 This great extension has become so integrated into my life that when I'm on a computer without it, I have a hard time remembering that Hover Zoom doesn't automatically come with my internet experience.  Hover Zoom basically takes the work out of looking at a photo on the web. First, you have to click on the photo then you have to wait for the page to load a light box just so you can see the photo.  Or, you could just use Hover Zoom.  
Any Image in Facebook's Gallery will pop up over the page

 Hover Zoom takes the light box or redirection to a new page out of the equation.  Simply place your cursor over an image and it will pop up without any clicking needed. 

 This extension is great for social media such as Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, and it's great on Deviant Art.  The beauty of this extension really comes alive on Amazon.com and Ebay.com.
I don't even have to navigate to an item's page to see the picture in full view.

3. Mail Checker Plus For Google Mail

 Mail Checker Plus is a great extension for those of us that use Gmail and use Chrome.  Basically, you can get notifications and a snippet of what a new email contains without ever going to the actual Gmail page.  You can delete and archive messages right from the popup.
There is a subtle sound followed by the noninvasive popup with new emails.
Of course you can disable the sound or even the animation if you don't like those bits because this extension remains useful with all of it's other features. There is a persistent button the app gives located on the top right that says in a glance how many messages are unread.  Clicking on the button extends the information given to snippets of the emails with options to mark read, archive, spam, or delete for each.  Even if you have no emails you can click on the button and compose a new email without ever leaving the page you're on or share the page you're on all within this extension. 

The extension is clean and will speed leave your internet experience feeling quick without the sensation you've missed anything.  If you do install this extension, be sure to give a look over the settings.  You're in control of many things including the look of the icon that stays on your Chrome tool bar.


 2. Feedly

 For those of you who like Flipboard, you may want to check out Feedly.  On its surface, Feedly is an RSS reader which means it pulls content from other websites as they update with articles or stories.  Think of your Facebook wall and how it is constantly pulling content from your friends and randomly liked pages from five years ago you may or may not care about and feeding it to you.  This is what Feedly does, but on a much more organized and personalized level.
Feedly giving me headlines from all of my different news sources.
I could narrow it down easily by clicking a topic on the left of the screen.

 Feedly has many different styles and ways of viewing pages.  If you don't like the reader look above maybe look at their other styles and see which you prefer.  You can even change the way Feedly shows you content by topic.  For example, I like having a photography feed in Feedly, but I don't want to have to click on a list of a 100+ photos just to look at what others are doing.  For my photography topic I have it set to a Pinterest-like tile view.

 The great thing about Feedly is that pairs with its apps for Android and iOS--and its app is beautiful.  If there is an article you want to save to read on the computer later you can save it an it automatically syncs.  The app is very quick  and feels light.  Going into the advanced settings can be fun too.  The mobile app can be customized for gestures and animations.
The Android app with the navigation panel and a page of feeds.  Feedly looks at your content and will use image heavy content for more of a magazine feel like Flipboard.
*side note: Can we STOP talking about the X Phone?  Please?

 What's great about Feedly is I've just barely started covering it.  Feedly is one of those tools that you didn't know you needed until you have started using it.  Instead of visiting ten different sites for information you just visit Feedly and it's all there.  Yes, this includes your local newspaper and your favorite forum all in one place.  Don't have content?  Feedly will help you create some!
Everything is easy to organize or delete with dragging and dropping.
Lastly, one of the best things about Feedly is its handy share and bookmark tool that follows you around the web.  A Feedly icon sits almost transparent on the lower right side of the screen called Feedly Mini.  If clicked on a page with content a menu will appear with many sharing options from Twitter to Facebook and Google Plus.  What's great about this icon is the plus icon which will add the feed straight into your Feedly.  So anytime you are wondering the web and you stumble on a blog or website you want to keep track of click the plus button in Feedly Mini.
Download Feedly for Chrome here



1. AdBlock

 There isn't much to say about AdBlock other than you should have it if you don't.  Basically, it takes the noise out of the web.  AdBlock is available on other web browsers  but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be the number one add-on or extension for all of them.
Facebook looks very clean without the clutter of ads.
AdBlock even blocks some video ads, so if you use Hulu you will have to tell AdBlock "Don't run on this page" which is easy by clicking the button in the top upper right of your Chrome browser.  
YouTube looks very sleek without obtrusive, large ads on every other page.
Don't judge my YouTube subscriptions.  If you want to understand Google "ASMR".
Even if you don't think you need AdBlock, download it anyway.

Download AdBlock for Chrome here


There you have it, my top 5 extensions for Google Chrome.  Be sure to explore Chrome's Store.  There are a lot of free extensions showing up everyday--including games.  

 Update: Here are some more great extensions that will change your internet experience.

 Google Dictionary - Instead of opening another tab to look up that word you don't know just use this!

Google Quick Scroll - This extension automatically takes you to the relevant part of your Google search when you click on a result.

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