Add-On Of The Week - CustomizeGoogle

If you are a Google fan, you may think that it can’t possibly get any better, but it can, especially if you are browsing with Firefox. That’s because you can use the CustomizeGoogle extension to use Google even more efficiently.

One of my favorite features is that it adds links to other search engines across the top of the search window, so if I am searching for a particular search term, I can immediately check it on Yahoo, Live, Ask and others. Other great features include:

• suggesting words while you type
• securing your connection to Gmail and Google Calendar by switching to https
• blocking cookies in Google Analytics
• getting rid of ads (though I use AdBlock Plus for this)
• adding a counter to search results

CustomizeGoogle is constantly being improved. Recently added features include:

• URL previes for sponsored links
• Using favicons in search results
• Easy bookmarking of Google links
• Streaming results so you don’t have to click to get to the next page (I love this feature!)
• Making your Google preferences sticky

This is a wonderfully useful extension, so it’s no surprise that users rave about it. If you haven’t tried it yet, then you should.