Pimp Your Foxy Browser

Today I spent some time exploring the extensions/themes add-on options that Firefox offers for a customized web browsing experience. It turned out be a valuable decision and something that I felt was cool enough to recommend to my blog reader's (thanks for sticking it out with me- I hope there's more than two of you).

Anyway, the features I added onto my browser application are already making my Internet adventures much better. For those of you that are still stuck on Internet Explorer, consider switching to Mozilla's superior format and download Firefox: www.mozilla.com. If you're a PC owner you'll be happy to see that many of the add-ons allow for the transformation of your boring browser into a highly stylized one with a MAC feel.

Here's how I juiced up my Firefox:

1) Added the 'Aquatint Black' theme to redesign the look of my browser window into more of a MAC style with a cool black/blue/grey color scheme.



2) Next, I Added the 'PicLens' extension that allows you to click any images from dozens of photo and social networking sites and view them in a sleek album view ala the MAC. The pictures (above) show how I used the feature in Facebook to view an album I have posted. Just drag your cursor over any image and hit the 'play' button to open the incredible viewing screen.


3) Then, I Added the 'Cooliris Previews' extension that allows you to preview the webpage you're about to link to without leaving the page you're on or opening a new tab/window. This is awesome for avoiding links that will waste your time or for quickly grabbing a piece of information you need wthout having to navigate away from where you already are. When something is linked to another page a magnifying glass will appear as you drag your cursor over it. See the image to the right for a screenshot of what it looks like.


4) The 'FoxyTunes' extension which embeds small music player tools into the corner of your browser (see image above/right) to provide full media player control without navigating away from the webpage you're viewing. You can use the extension to add music to your Facebook & Myspace messages as well (left image)

5) The 'Download Statusbar' that replaces the pop-up window manager with a less obnoxious small management tool in the lower corner of your browser.

Don't Delay...

These are just a few of the hundreds of extensions and themes created by Firefox fans who have improved it's functionality and appeal with creative ideas. There are some pretty crazy/niche ones out there (You too Homestar Fans) that might be perfect for you. It's a fun way to make your daily web experience more enjoyable. Checkout https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/ to get started.