11 April 2006
Our last report spoke of the new features of the Google toolbar 4 beta, namely:
As well as the features included in our last report the new Firefox toolbar also has three great new features:
The new Google safe browsing feature of the toolbar used to be a separate Google extension in its own right, but now has been integrated in this new toolbar. This important feature is there to stop what is commonly known on the internet as 'phishing'. Phishing is a criminal activity participated in by unsavoury hackers who will try to access your financial information by either stripping it from your computer or duping you into handing it over, all via the internet.
Phishing can happen when you visit an unsavoury page: that page can ask for your financial information under false pretences; or, alternatively you might receive an email purporting to be from a trusted site, say your online bank, but in fact coming from a different site altogether which has been skinned to look like the trusted site - typically the email will ask you to confirm your personal details and, should you do so, the hackers will use that information for financial gain. A trusted and respectable site which uses your personal information will never send such an email, so you should be wary even upon receipt of such a missive. Traditionally, the only way to check for evidence of Phishing would be to watch the email address and the URL of the site you are directed to, as these elements are essentially unfakable. Now, however, Google's safe browsing will warn you when a webpage requests your financial information, allowing you to easily double check that your identity isn't about to be stolen and used for criminal purposes.
'Subscribe to feed' is a handy new feature that helps you keep up with new trends on the internet. This feature enables you to easily subscribe to the RSS feed of a site you are visiting (if, that is, the site actually has a regularly updated RSS feed). From this you can keep up to date with changes that take place on that site and have news that is produced from that site be displayed on your personalised Google homepage. This can be used, for example, to keep you up to date with news from the BBC news website.
'Send with Gmail' is another handy little feature. We have all been bugged before when we have been on a computer and clicked on a 'mail to' link on a website, only for the computer to open up an email client or account that you don't regularly use, or simply don't want to use. This feature enables your browser to open your Gmail account as default whenever you click on an email link.
The features are interesting additions rather than essential upgrades but for a useful tool that's free to download, the Google toolbar update looks like a winner.
Lowdown on Google Toolbar 2.0 for Firefox
Since we last reported on Google's toolbar update (see the link to the left), Google has introduced a toolbar specifically designed for Firefox. We reported on Google's Toolbar 4 beta, for Internet Explorer, and Firefox. Now Google has separated this beta into two versions: IE Toolbar Version 4, and Firefox Toolbar Version 2.Our last report spoke of the new features of the Google toolbar 4 beta, namely:
- Custom buttons
- Google Bookmarks
- Browse by name in the address bar
- Search suggestions in your search box
- Send to
As well as the features included in our last report the new Firefox toolbar also has three great new features:
- Google Safe Browsing
- Subscribe to feed
- Send with Gmail
The new Google safe browsing feature of the toolbar used to be a separate Google extension in its own right, but now has been integrated in this new toolbar. This important feature is there to stop what is commonly known on the internet as 'phishing'. Phishing is a criminal activity participated in by unsavoury hackers who will try to access your financial information by either stripping it from your computer or duping you into handing it over, all via the internet.
Phishing can happen when you visit an unsavoury page: that page can ask for your financial information under false pretences; or, alternatively you might receive an email purporting to be from a trusted site, say your online bank, but in fact coming from a different site altogether which has been skinned to look like the trusted site - typically the email will ask you to confirm your personal details and, should you do so, the hackers will use that information for financial gain. A trusted and respectable site which uses your personal information will never send such an email, so you should be wary even upon receipt of such a missive. Traditionally, the only way to check for evidence of Phishing would be to watch the email address and the URL of the site you are directed to, as these elements are essentially unfakable. Now, however, Google's safe browsing will warn you when a webpage requests your financial information, allowing you to easily double check that your identity isn't about to be stolen and used for criminal purposes.
'Subscribe to feed' is a handy new feature that helps you keep up with new trends on the internet. This feature enables you to easily subscribe to the RSS feed of a site you are visiting (if, that is, the site actually has a regularly updated RSS feed). From this you can keep up to date with changes that take place on that site and have news that is produced from that site be displayed on your personalised Google homepage. This can be used, for example, to keep you up to date with news from the BBC news website.
'Send with Gmail' is another handy little feature. We have all been bugged before when we have been on a computer and clicked on a 'mail to' link on a website, only for the computer to open up an email client or account that you don't regularly use, or simply don't want to use. This feature enables your browser to open your Gmail account as default whenever you click on an email link.
The features are interesting additions rather than essential upgrades but for a useful tool that's free to download, the Google toolbar update looks like a winner.
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