The Google Toolbar
Quick access to Google Features
One of the most popular browser toolbars is the Google Toolbar, currently available in two versions:
- Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer (Google Toolbar IE)
- Google Toolbar for Firefox (Google Toolbar FF)
The Firefox version works with version 1.0 and higher of Firefox and supports three platforms: Microsoft Windows XP/2000, Max OS X 10.2+, and Red Hat Linux 8.0+. Google Toolbar IE only works on Windows, though it supports Windows 98 and Windows ME as well as XP/2000.
Recently, Google has started bundling its toolbar with a version of the Firefox web browser. Sites that are members of Google's AdSense program are also promoting it on Google's behalf.
The Google Toolbar includes the following features:
- A search box for quick searching via Google
- An AutoLink button to automatically look up addresses, ISBNs (book numbers) and other information found on the current browser page
- A pop-up blocker (Google Toolbar IE only -- the feature's already built into Firefox anyhow)
- Automatic filling (autofill) of names, addresses, etc. on web forms
- Spell checking of text you type into a web form
- Quick translation of English words on a page into various languages
- Browsing the web by name (Google Toolbar IE only) to find sites even if you don't know their URLs
- Search term highlighting for locating the search terms on a page you've found via a Google search
- Word find
- Customizable layout (Google Toolbar FF only)
Google has an explicit privacy policy with respect to the information its tool bar collects:
...Google may collect information about web pages that you view when you use advanced features such as PageRank, SpellCheck, AutoLink, and WordTranslator. However, these advanced features can be easily disabled or re-enabled at any time...
The Toolbar also updates itself automatically when new versions are released.
Next: The Yahoo Toolbar (coming soon)