Turn Chrome into a Site-Specific Browser with Application Shortcuts

If webapps like Gmail have replaced desktop applications like an old email client of the school for you, you like Chrome’s ability to act as a site-specific browser (SSB) with Application Shortcuts. Chrome minimal interface makes it a great candidate to get the heck out of how your webapps’, and just act as a window to it.

To put a chrome application shortcut to Gmail, Google Reader, Twitter, Facebook, or any other webapp you want to keep open in a separate window, open the site in chrome. From the menu page, select “Create application shortcuts.” From there decide to put the shortcut on the desktop, Quick Launch bar and / or Start menu. You can create application shortcuts you want to all your favorite web applications or websites. When you open your webapp from the shortcut icon of the application, you will not see the Chrome address bar, or here, or their favorite bar. Any links you click within the application window will open in a separate window in a full-on case of Chrome.

Assign Keywords to Your Search Engines

One of the most touted features Chrome is how to search the web by just typing in your address bar (aka, the “Omnibox”). To search specific sites, can even the names of certain domain (like “youtube.com”) and then press Tab to search for that particular site. However, power users want to set up custom searches to spend as few keystrokes as possible. Like the ability to bookmark keywords in Firefox, you can assign a keyword to a bookmark in Chrome search engine that uses variable% s to pass parameters to the URL.

To do this, click the Chrome address bar and choose “Edit search engines”. There, you can add, edit or delete searches and assign keywords in the keyword field.

Using this technique can, for example, update Twitter with a keyword and search through Google Lifehacker.com. (Set the URL to http://google.com/search?q=site:lifehacker.com+% s, and the keyword to the LH. So, to find files from Lifehacker on Chrome, LH type your search here “in the address bar.)

Customize the “New Tab” Page

Another feature of Chrome headlining spot is their “new tab” page, which displays a grid of thumbnails frequently visited the website that will help get where you’re most likely to go to create a new tab. That list is more customizable than ever, with options to rearrange thumbnails (just drag and drop) and PIN thumbnails at specific locations in the network (hover over the thumbnail and press the tack to do so) . If you do not need to Eye Candy lot can change in a list view, click the view buttons on the top right.

Get to Know New Chrome Startup Switches

Last year we tried Chrome startup switches that can do several things like using multiple user profiles, always start Chrome in a maximized window, and disable certain features such as Flash or JavaScript. Today there are three more starting switches noteworthy. The – marker menu switch button adds a bookmark to the toolbar in Chrome. The-Google Chrome incognito starts in private, the incognito mode. Finally, fans will want to try Greasemonkey – enable-user-switch script to see if your favorite scripts work in chrome. (A few steps are still needed, here’s how you Greasemonkey user scripts.)

Choose Your Chrome Theme

As if the announcement of the websites were not high enough, the web browser themes can add even more visual distractions to your browsing experience. However, since Chrome’s, well, chrome is so minimal, its themes are less annoying than other browsers. I prefer Google’s more moderate on issues of home, but there are more vibrant artist also. To activate a theme, from the Key menu, select personal options, click on “Get Themes.” Choose the theme you like from the gallery of items and click “Apply Theme” beneath it.

Master Mouse and Keyboard Shortcuts for Managing Tabs

Each user has a power of a few essential keyboard shortcuts in your arsenal, and Chrome offers some mouse and keyboard combinations for the management of tabs, too. Like Firefox, the mouse can click the button to open any link in a background tab (or Ctrl + click the same result). Shift + click opens a link in a new window mean + Shift + click (or Shift + Ctrl + click) opens a link in a new tab and switches to it, and Alt-click save the contents of a link to your computer.

Switch to the Dev Channel Release for Extensions (and More)

Google Chrome Brave devotees want to take advantage of open development, and developers subscribe to the channel of the first releases of chromium to get a preview of the new features. Using the tool Chrome Channel Changer can change the stable to non-security-in-beta to developers or to build stability. The risk of making mistakes in managing unexpected worthwhile for the characteristics of the supply of early builds. In the current build of Development 4.0.222.12, you can sync your bookmarks, extensions test and PIN here. (Also, Mac and Linux Chrome may eventually prove through the channel of developers, as a stable version is not available yet.)

(Dev Build Only) Synchronize Your Bookmarks

Chromium is used in the home and office, and you want your bookmarks synchronized in both locations, in the dev build of Chrome, the menu key, select “Synchronize my bookmarks” to save your favorite Chrome in your Google account . (You will be logged in to start the synchronization.) If you’re already using Xmarks extension for Firefox or IE, you can use this in the dev build of Chromium, which includes the support base with an alpha extension to add a few ons ready for testing.
(Dev Build Only) Install Extensions

Support for the extension of Chrome is still young, but several alpha / beta extensions to check out the goodness of Firefox and Chrome extension. Here are some of our favorite stretches of Chrome.

* Gmail Checker: Although it seems to work for Google Apps accounts (anyone? Prove me wrong?), The spell Gmail puts the number of unread messages in your Inbox at the bottom bar of Chrome.
* Xmarks: Our favorite bookmark synchronizing extension for Firefox and IE is available for Chrome dev build testers as an alpha version. Xmarks You must sign in and sign up for alpha testing for the extension of Chrome.
* And Adblock + AdSweep: Scrub annoying ads flashing your favorite websites.
* Session Saver: As previously covered, this extension allows for multiple file saving and reloading.
* WOT: ratings site integrates Web reputation to trust in Google Chrome.
* LastPass: add auto-completion deeper password management for Chrome.

To view and manage extensions you have installed in Google Chrome, the menu key, select the extensions to open the Extension Manager, where you can reload, disable and uninstall extensions.

(Dev Build Only) Shrink and Affix Tabs with “Pin Tab” Option

Finally, a small little tab feature that everyone seems to love is available in the dev build of Chrome: the ability to reduce a chip to only your favicon, and PIN to your tab bar. Click any tab tab and choose “Pin” on the shortcut menu to prove it.

What other power tips for Chrome, stable or a developer to build, are out there? Share your best in the comments.