I’ve been brainstorming ideas for how people who are already pretty web savvy can really take their skills to the next level. Since most of your readers already have the basics down cold, tips for everyday folks probably won’t cut it. For your audience, it’s really about finding those secret features that only the true power users have unearthed, so I pulled together some top tips on how to become a Google Chrome expert. Here’s the basic idea:.
You’ve mastered the basics, and your friends and family already turn to you with all of their tech questions. Looking for a new challenge and a way to really stay ahead of the curve? Check out these expert tips for Google Chrome, and you’ll be well on the path towards becoming IT guru.
Top tips
- Make a website feel like part of your computer with application shortcuts.Create Application Shortcuts to your favorite web apps, like your email or calendar, right on your desktop. When you click on the icon, Chrome will open the site page in a special, non-tabbed window designed to feel just like the computer applications you’re used to.
- Use extensions to add features and personalize your browser. From lightweight Twitter apps, to streamlined notifications that help you stay up to date with your social networking sites, there are thousands of extensions in the gallery for you to choose from to save you time or enhance the sites you’re already visiting.
- Drag a tab to one of 5 positions to re-size or dock the window. Drag a tab to the middle of either side of your computer screen. When the docking icon appears, release the mouse over the icon and the tab will snap into place, filling exactly half your screen. Four other docking positions will help you work simultaneously in multiple tabs with ease.
- Enable bookmark sync to synchronize your bookmarks on all of your computers. When you create a bookmark on one computer, it’s automatically added across all your computers. This means that you won’t need to manually recreate the bookmark each time you switch computers — just fire up Chrome, log-in, and your bookmarks will appear.
- Save time searching by cutting out “copy-and-paste”. Simply select text, click and hold the selection, and then drag it to the omnibox. When you let go, Google Chrome will search for the text you dropped using your default search engine. You can also drag in text from other programs. Or just highlight a word or phrase, then right-click on it and select the option to search for that text with your default search engine.
- *NEW* Link Chrome to Your Phone. As you’re heading out the door, instantly send links from your computer to your phone. Whether it’s a map to your next destination, an article you can’t tear yourself away from, or a review for the digital camera you want to buy, just install ‘Chrome to Phone’ and enjoy uninterrupted browsing.
II. A minute saved is a minute earned (for busy moms)
I’ve noticed lately a lot of busy moms on the prowl for easy, time and money-saving solutions for everyday tasks, whether it’s recipes for quick meals, shortcuts for household chores, or tips for keeping track of all those To Dos. It’s really an age-old problem, but the exciting thing is that today, with the help of the web, busy moms have a fighting chance. They can save tons of time and avoid frustration by learning just a few simple web browsing tips.
Here’s a familiar scene: after a grueling work week, Saturday morning rolls around and you have a mission: get directions to your kid’s soccer game, find a family-friendly recipe for dinner, and order that book Mom wanted for her birthday. How much time do you have? Negative 15 minutes. For busy mom’s like you, a minute saved is a minute earned. Luckily, Google Chrome has some simple web browsing shortcuts that will help you find whatever you’re looking for quickly, so you can out the door and on your way.
Top tips
- Use search short cuts to find it faster. Once you open Chrome, you can use the top “omnibox” to type in a direct URL or directly enter a search query like [kid-friendly dinner recipies]. Chrome automatically detects which you want, and will take you to that site or display relevant search results.
- Directions are only a click away. Need directions in a pinch? Simply highlight the address, whether it’s in your email or on a website, right-click, and select ‘Search google.com for ___’, and Chrome will automatically pull up a map to that address.
- Customize your “New Tab” page with favorite sites. The New Tab page replaces the blank white page that other browsers show when you open a new tab with thumbnails that link to your most frequented sites or sites of your choosing. Get where you’re going, faster by adding your favorites — from your kids’ school homepage to your personal email, it’s all just a click away. And you can drag and drop thumbnails to reorder them, delete ones you don’t want to see, or pin ones you want to keep in place.
- Keep track of items you want to buy in one place. As you’re online window shopping, use the Wishpot Chrome extension to save a list of possible purchases in one place. When it comes time to commit, all your options are saved in one spot so you don’t have to waste time searching again.
- *NEW* Link Chrome to Your Phone. As you’re heading out the door, instantly send links from your computer to your phone. Whether it’s a map to your next destination, a recipe for the dinner, or a review for the digital camera you want to buy, just install ‘Chrome to Phone’ and enjoy uninterrupted browsing.
- And don’t forget to surf in style with personalized Chrome themes. It might not save time, but it’s a quick way to brighten your day — choose from 100 themes from top designers, artists, celebrities and musicians to make your browser reflect your personal style.
III. Getting a leg-up in the classroom (for students and youth)
Summer is ending and it’s time to get ready to got back to school. Sometimes it can be hard to get back into “school-mode,” so I’m guessing your readers will appreciate some tips for easing back into the academic lifestyle. This story idea is all about getting a leg up, and it might even save you some time so you can stretch out that summer relaxation a bit longer:
Are you prepared with all the tools you need to reach the top of your class? With Google Chrome you have a secret weapon — Chrome’s quick, handy shortcuts can help you with everything from a history research paper to a math homework sheet. Here are a couple ideas to get you started.
Top Tips
- Supplement your foreign language class with online reading in that language. Whenever you visit a page that isn’t in your default language, Chrome’s translation feature automatically detects what language it’s in and will ask you if you’d like to translate it to your preferred language. Switch back and forth to test your skills
- Chrome’s omnibox doubles as a handy calculator. Type basic math questions into the “omnibox” to do quick calculations or conversions.
- Streamline your research with search shortcuts. As you’re researching on the web, simply select text and drag it to the omnibox or right-click and select “search google.com for ___”. Chrome will open a new tab with your search results so you can keep track of both pages.
- Ditch your heavy dictionary for a lightweight online version. Install the Google Dictionary Chrome extension, and when you double click any word, a small pop-up will show the word’s definition.
- Use bookmark sync to continue research at school or at home. When you create a bookmark on your school computer, you’ll be able to access it from your home computer — just fire up Chrome, log-in, and your bookmarks will appear automatically.
IV. Tips for finding extensions
- Filter for “most popular” or ‘featured’ extensions in your language. Go to the Extensions gallery, click ‘Most Popular’ or ‘Featured’ in the left-hand panel, then select your language from the drop-down menu in the top-right corner
- Example: Most popular in Hindi: https://chrome.google.com/extensions/list/popular?itemlang=hi
- Example: Featured extensions in Japanese: https://chrome.google.com/extensions/list/featured?itemlang=ja
- Ask Sara to pull your the list of top extensions in your country from the internal tool
Useful Chrome extensions
- Shopping – FYI, more here: https://chrome.google.com/extensions/featured/shopping
- Add to Amazon Wishlist (LINK) – Add products from any website to your Amazon Wish List
- The Camelizer (LINK) – Add price history charts to Google Chrome and watch product prices change. Supports Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, and other retailers.
- Chrome Currency Converter (LINK) – Automatically convert prices in page to the selected currency using the current exchange rates.
- Invisible Hand (LINK) – finds the lowest price on the web for whatever you’re buying
- Sports – FYI, more here: https://chrome.google.com/extensions/featured/sports
- Entertainment
- Productivity – FYI, more here: https://chrome.google.com/extensions/featured/productivity
- Meeting schedule for Google Calendar (LINK) – add meetings to your Google Calendar
- Gmail Checker (LINK) – Display number of unread Gmail messages
- Minimalist for Gmail (LINK)- Customize the appeance of your GMail
- Google Dictionary (LINK) – look up any word by simply double-clicking it, and instantly translate pages written in other languages
- MakeGadget (LINK) – for the websites you visit all the time, turn it into a small gadget that is accessible with just one click
- DayHiker (LINK) – super-charged to-do list, also displays the weather, calendar, next meeting,
