VitaminCM.com

Enhance your Browsing Experience Using Bookmarklets

OVERVIEW: Learn how to use bookmarklets to get every drop of power out of your favorite browser.

What are Bookmarklets?

Bookmarklets are special bookmarks that add one-click functionality to a browser or web page. They look like normal links, but are written in Javascript and can perform different tasks depending on what page you’re visiting, what text you have highlighted, etc. When clicked, a bookmarklet can apply filters to the page you’re viewing, open prompts for searches, or a host of other helpful features. Bookmarklets are added to your browser as a bookmark and usually work in all browser.

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast, Software, Tutorials bookmarklets, bookmarklets tutorial, browser, firefox, internet explorer, opera, Productivity, safari, web browsing

Increase Google Reader’s Productivity Using Greasemonkey Scripts

I use Google Reader to read through 200+ feeds that contain mountains of information. Google Reader does a great job helping me manage this tall task. If you do a little tweaking, you can turn Google Reader into an amazing productivity tool. Firefox allows you to add extensions to increase functionality.

One of the most handy extensions is Greasemonkey. Greasemonkey allows you to customize the way a webpage works using small bits of JavaScript. There are thousands of Greasemonkey scripts available that help you get more from just about any popular website or service. I use a few scripts to customize Google Reader into more than just an RSS feed reader.

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Gadgets, Media, Movies, Podcast, Productivity, Software, Tutorials extension, feed reader, firefox, google reader, greasemonkey, Podcast, Productivity, RSS, script, software tutorial, tutorial

Could I Possibly be Wrong?

I’ve been reading all of the news about Google Chrome, the blogosphere’s newest darling. I downloaded Google Chrome and tested it on a few machines to see what all of the fuss was about.  Overall, I think it’s OK, but not as good as Firefox, Flock, or even Opera. I don’t really see it taking out Internet Explorer or Firefox any time soon. It lacks the extensions and customization of Firefox and it won’t be bundled with the Windows or Mac operating systems.

Whenever I look at the possible adoption of new technologies like Linux, Firefox, or Google Docs I always ask, “Will my mom use this?”

A few tech news sites are reporting that Chrome is being used by as much as 8% of their readers and are predicting time lines in which it will pass IE and Firefox. My initial thought was that these sites are read by tech geeks that installed and tested out Google’s new toy. I would be curious to see what Yahoo, AOL, or MySpace are seeing.  For the record, VitaminCM.com is seeing right around 1%, which is just behind Opera.

My “Wakeup Call” to Chrome’s Mainstream Potential

So I see my phone ring at 7:55 AM this morning and it’s my mom. I figure that something really bad must have happened down in Del Boca Vista, so I answer. No deaths, hurricanes, or tragedies, just this:

“I was reading about this new browser, “Google Chrome” in the free local paper. Have you ever heard of it? I decided to try it out.”

Well that cinches it, the “Will my Mom use it?” threshold has been met.

Maybe I was wrong, this thing might take off. I’m still taking a wait-and-see attitude about how much market share Chrome will actually gain.

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Product Reviews, Web Surfing browsers, firefox, flock, google chrome, internet explorer, opera, opinion, Software

Get the Information that you Need When and Where You Need It

I read a great video on Mashable on a new project from Mozilla Labs that will pull the web together in new ways that will make life on the web more convenient than ever. The project is called Ubiquity and it looks like a huge leap forward in creating on-the-fly mashups while you’re browsing the web. This Firefox extension will allow you to pull together data from different source on the web and combine into new uses in another place.

There are a lot of other services that do this already (Yahoo Pipes, Popfly, Dapper, and Google Code to name a few. ) None of them do it in such an immediate, practical way like Ubiquity will.

• Here is a tutorial on using Yahoo Pipes to create mashups.
• Here is a tutorial on using Dapper.net to create mashups.

See Ubiquity in Action

Take a look at this video and see how powerful and elegant Ubiquity can be.

Ubiquity for Firefox from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.

I’ve just Installed the prototype and looked at the tutorial to give it a try for myself. Hopefully I’ll have an update that supports my optimistic outlook.

Source: Via Mashable from Aza Raskin.

What Do You Think?

If you have any thoughts or ideas please enter them in the Comments below.

Technology, Web Surfing browser, firefox, mashup, mozilla, ubiquity

Never look at the web the same way again – Using Firefox Extensions

Goal: Provide a list of extensions that will allow Firefox to bend the web to your will.

You didn’t think I’d do a series on extending popular applications without covering FireFox did you? I’m certainly not about to risk getting my Nerd License revoked. FireFox is the single most extensible application ever. Its’ biggest strength is Mozilla’s encouragement to take their product and stretch it to the limits. You can add in things that improve and customize security, privacy, and convenience. There are ways to reconfigure websites to your taste, discover new sites, remove annoying advertisements, and even control other desktop applications. We’ll take a look as SOME of the many very helpful ways to get the most out of this tweaker’s dream.

If you’re not using Firefox already, than you should be. Get it here with the Google Toolbar installed
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Software, Tutorials extensions, firefox, Software, tutorial

Six Part Series on Extending Your Favorite Software with Add Ons

GOAL: Provide a list of add ons to help you turbo charge some of your most commonly used applications.

Even though many of the applications on my computer are great, I always feel like there are just a few things missing. Fortunately, a lot of frequently used applications allow third party Add Ons, Plugins, and Extensions to fill some of the voids left by the manufacturers.

Put your applications on some serious performance enhancing drugs that won’t get detected on any test.

We’ll wring every last drop of juice out of the following applications:

1. Microsoft Outlook
2. Mozilla ThunderBird
3. Skype VOIP Software
4. Apple iTunes
5. Mozilla Firefox
6. The Best of the Rest

What I will be covering for each application:

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Software, Tutorials add ons, extensions, firefox, iTunes, outlook, plugin, skype, Software, thunderbird, Tutorials