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Favorite Firefox Extensions

39 Responses (Add) | Tuesday, January 8th, 2008 at 12:25am

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Here are some of the most popular extensions for Firefox, sent in by various community members. Be sure to keep sending in those top five lists!

  • IE tab: This allows you to quickly change your current Firefox window to render the Web page as Internet Explorer would see it. This comes in very handy when some sites require IE, or when it just looks cluttered up and would look clean when rendered with IE. You can go from IE to Firefox and back with a simple click.
  • Fasterfox: Fasterfox pretty much describes itself. It makes Firefox faster. There are a number of ways you can do this in general, as I have done, but downloading this extension makes it even faster! I was surprised the first time I tried it, as loading heavy content sites like YouTube generally seemed faster than without Fasterfox. Now, this will obviously differ with different PCs, connection speeds, etc, but it’s a great add-on. It also gives you the option of customizing it to your liking.
  • Firefox companion for eBay: Not only can you see all the items you’re watching and bidding on from a handy little sidebar, it also keeps track of how much time is left on every item, notifies you of messages, and alerts you when time is running out. It’s great for the eBay obsessive or for the person who occasionally logs on looking for deals.
  • Speed dial: This nifty extension gives allows you to set up to nine Web sites to be easily accessed via a pulldown toolbar or a very cool box display. This not only shows you the Web sites… it also allows you to refresh the pages without actually visiting them, letting you know if your favorite site has been updated or what content is new.
  • Flashblock: If you’ve ever been on the Internet, especially heavily ad-supported Web sites, you probably know of and are sick and tired of annoying Flash ads for everything from new movies to free ringtones. Flashblock simply turns off all the Flash you see on a Web site and replaces it with a play button, allowing you to view flash content at your will. It can becoming annoying for Web sites like YouTube, but you can allow flash on certain Web sites. It will then remember that Web site for future views. Also, putting in a helpful toolbar can let the user quickly turn on or off this feature if you feel the need to.
  • MinimizeToTray: The name says it all! You can set up the extension to either minimize on close, minimize to tray instead of the task bar, or both.
  • Google Toolbar for Firefox: I use this extension to synchronize my bookmarks to all of my computers. However, it also gives you one-click access to all your favorite Google features/services like Search, Calendar, Docs, Notebook, and more.
  • FoxyTunes: This extension is a must for those of us that are always browsing the web and listening to or watching something. It adds a media player controller to the status bar of the browser to control most popular media applications such as Windows Media Player, iTunes, & WinAmp. I find it particularly useful for browsing the web and watching videos on a dual monitor setup.

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39 Comments

watergeus

January 8th, 2008
at 4:24am

Allways nice to compare and find some good ones used by others.

customizeGoogle
flashblock
Greasemonkey
piclens
restartfirefox
stylish
trackmenot
dutch dictionary
are my favorites.

regards,
Watergeus

Ryan Zec

January 8th, 2008
at 5:43am

Two more ext that are the best for web developers/designers and Web Developer Toolbar and Firebug. I also use AnCE Cookie Editor too.

MrBuzz

January 8th, 2008
at 10:19am

I’ve stopped usig firefox in favour of IE7. Web browsers don’t bother me too much as long as it works. I’ve had my own issues with Firefox but I did like it. I’ll think about using it after a few version releases. And yes, I did like FoxyTunes.

Alek Davis

January 8th, 2008
at 12:45pm

I do not like unnecessary toolbars, so instead of Google Toolbar, I accomplish synchronization tasks (bookmarks, cookies, etc) using Google Browser Sync (http://www.google.com/tools/firefox/browsersync/); it works very well. Delicious Bookmarks (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3615) gives me easy access access to my del.icio.us bookmarks. ThumbStrips (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5045) is handy for finding pages visited during current session. TinyUrl Creator (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/126) makes it easier to generate Tiny URLs, As a developer, I cannot praise enough both Firebug (https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1843/) and Web Developer (https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/60/). For more recommendations, check http://alekdavis.blogspot.com/2007/05/recommended-firefox-add-ons.html .

KrnSidez

January 8th, 2008
at 3:07pm

I am NOW using FasterFox. I also recommend FoxyTunes and All-in-one sidebar. The All-in-one sidebar is pretty cool, it shows downloads, your extentions and others and you can hide it which is pretty awesome.

simply haddad

January 8th, 2008
at 5:12pm

Hey there Chris,

Noticed that FoxMarks was not in your list.

Beautiful little app, that will synchronize your bookmarks between all the Firefox’s in the several computers you have.

I have been using it for quite awhile now, and it’s marvellous, finally all my bookmarks are simply organized, without much hassle.

-Regards,
Haddad

Perrydalian

January 8th, 2008
at 11:44pm

Great evtensions here but there are thousands of other ones around.

All your maps are belong to us
—Converts links to Mapquest and etc. to go to google maps

Download statusbar
—Lets you see all your downloads in a slim toolbar that hangs out at the bottom of your browser and gets rid of that bthersome built-in download manager

Google preview
—When you google something, you get a little screemshot of the sites next to the results.

Tab effect
—Makes it look like a rotating cube when you switch tabs. Purely for the looks.

As Chris said, Be careful to not install too many add-ons. I am curently using Opera becausemy firefox isn’t stable anymore. I would re-install it but I haven’t backed up my bookmarks yet.

wataki2

January 10th, 2008
at 5:19pm

I love my Opera-The speed dial feature is my favorite+Also the addons and widgets are really fascinating plus the skins are beautiful,the only problem is certain web pages arent supported by Opera and the Opera Social Networking Networking extension site is tough to enjoy because theres hardly any American/English speakers…

RdSoxFan618

January 11th, 2008
at 11:19am

AdBlock!!

GO FIREFOX! DOWN WITH MICROSOFT!

YuiTeub49

January 11th, 2008
at 1:03pm

I use to think Firefox was not good until I used it, I went from IE to Firefox once i learned I could customize it, I have weather updates every 5/10 minutes with a radar icon, a browser theme, ad blocker, download videos, it’s so cool to me, and It doesn’t slow down, and to me faster than IE…so I’ve been converted to Fire Fox…

Blood08

January 11th, 2008
at 4:45pm

I am going to have to agree it you first extension IE Tabs. This tool helped me tons when designning websites for clients. Helping me keep my designs smooth on both clients more easily. I also love Flashblock because I hate those annoying mesquito ads.

The only thing I don’t like is the Google Toolbar, I don’t like having any extra space taken on my screen when it dosn’t need to be.

QuickSpark

January 12th, 2008
at 9:59pm

I really like opera too, but I find it’s unreliable with some web pages, and greatly dislike the way tabs go back to the 1st tab when you close 1 (annoying for me). I like opera cos it’s incredibly fast, and the speed dial feature is useful. But I now use FF because of reliability, and it has a speeddial extension.

cyeh3

January 13th, 2008
at 1:18pm

if u want to block flash ads, u should just use AdBlock Plus, then u won’t have to click play everytime u wanna watch a YouTube vid

flashbang217

January 13th, 2008
at 1:59pm

my top extensions:
adblock plus
downloadthemall (great for downloading “stuff”)
forecastfox
foxytunes
tabmix plus
ietab
mouse gestures

Drakaran

January 14th, 2008
at 7:49am

Those are all interesting addons, but I need a stable firefox I can do things with. My favorites are:

NoScript ( an absolute must have, it not only allows you to control all script access, restricting harmful scripts from accessing your computer through the browser, it blocks flash etc so websites don’t automatically load large flash presentations),

DownThemAll! Allows contiguous connections, and restart interupted files. Very useful when downloading large files.

Wizz RSS News Reader Helps keep my RSS feeds organized and easy to add new feeds.

Forecastfox Enhanced Not really necessary, but a descent weather forecast that fits on the bottom of the browser (so it doesn’t add yet another bar).

wataki2

January 14th, 2008
at 7:20pm

Well i always found Fire Fox to be well i dont know yet,im just like what Chris says,Firefox just isnt there yet for me..U can go to Wikipedia and type in Web Browsers and you’ll be surprised at the full list of browsers there r out there..I dig Safari as well cuz it just looks so good

Mario8498

January 16th, 2008
at 8:23am

Hey could you do me a favor? could you post the five tips from now on in the description? I refer to your videos sometimes and i find it annoying buffering the video again.

chongertirona

January 24th, 2008
at 11:25am

I wish youtube came out with a firefox mozilla search tool

aciidphreek

January 29th, 2008
at 12:57am

probably have one, search firefox addons site

shine9999franz

January 29th, 2008
at 7:40am

I think they already have…?

Visit the homepage of YouTube and click your *search. After, select ‘Add “YouTube Video Search”‘. You can then tamper with the XML file in your application data folder to change the name.

*I use OpenSearch.

leodime

February 1st, 2008
at 5:58am

My top 5 Firefox Add-ons

1. PicLens
2. Ad Block Plus
3. FlashGot
4. Tab Effect
5. IE Tab

sethspidren

February 18th, 2008
at 10:47pm

my top 5:
1 add block plus – blocks adds
2 web developer – lets you edit html and cookies
3 tab mix plus – great for tab displaying
4 download helper – lets you download videos to yore computer for non online viewing
5 menu editor & personal menu – pe makes it so that your menu lists are customised, and pm makes your tool, file, ect 1 menu – great combo

tobbe305

March 29th, 2008
at 11:30pm

hey why dosn’t enyone use “down themall”….it alowes you to download files in 10 parts att the same time (then it paches it together to one file), wich makes your download much much faster.

BlueKewne

May 1st, 2008
at 3:19pm

“down the mall”?
XD

BlueKewne

May 1st, 2008
at 3:26pm

Are you kidding? The top 5 addons should be: AdBlockPlus, NoScript, Allow Right-Click, Foxmarks, and Linkification. Some of the ones you named are decent, but aren’t “OMFG THE BEST”

LRMMcDonnell

May 3rd, 2008
at 12:44am

never heard of it. sounds lame.

firefox pwns

TehGames

May 24th, 2008
at 1:40am

Jimmyrcom tells you how to make your Firefox cleaner and faster.

inlovewithi

May 26th, 2008
at 11:13pm

Downthemall is great, has made things A LOT less stressful for me. One of my top 3 add ons.

Rob_Vista

July 7th, 2008
at 10:59pm

Firefox has always been my favorite browser that I have ever used. It really performs well and is extremely fast! One of my favorite things about Firefox would be all the great add-ons like FoxMarks, TwitterFox, FoxyTunes, AdBlock, Yoono, and the list goes on and on. So if you want awesome add-ons then you need to be surfing with Firefox!

What Do You Think?