5 Great Google Chrome Extensions

You may, or may not, be aware that Google has officially opened the Extensions Gallery. These extensions don't work for the Mac or Linux Beta but they do work for us Windows users. Extensions have been a primary reason many FireFox users refuse to move to Chrome which will now no longer hold meaning. As a bonus, these plugins in Chrome don't cause the excruciating slowdown found in FireFox. 

So, which extensions should you get?  Here are the ones I like:

AdThwart 
This is probably the feature/plugin/extension I've heard most people complain about not having in Chrome. The ability to block ads. Ads aren't so bad are they? They allow awesome websites like this one to be open for business. What am I saying? Ads are horrible! I swear if I see another Ebony online ad I'll shoot myself....

This handy little extension blocks Ad just like AdBlocker in FireFox. Although it is still minimal, without many settings (such as excluding a site), it works well. It blocks ads! This extension includes the EasyList Ad Filter list. No reduction in performance after installation.

Install


Chromed Bird
I love to tweet. I'm probably a bit addicted. Hell, I spend more time tweeting about doing stuff than actually doing stuff! With that said, what could be better than a twitter client built right into my browser? Not a damn thing. This extension is Chromed Bird and sits up next to your location bar. When you receive new tweets, it changes colors and posts a number. It authenticates with twitter using OAuth so you don't even need to enter a username/password.

The one feature I do wish for is the support of multiple accounts but hey, beggars can't be choosers. 



Install 


IE Tab
I know, it's lame. Wtf do I need IE tab for when I have Chrome? Not much...but there are some websites that only render properly in IE. Some of these websites are internal business websites that I have to use for work. It also comes in handy when testing website development.

This extension gives you the ability to load IE in a tab, just like any other Chrome tab. It looks rough and seems to be in the early stages but it does the job.



Install

Send From Gmail
This is a really neat extension. Send From Gmail adds another icon beside your location bar. While surfing around, you can easily compose and send an email from your Gmail account. It also makes Gmail your default email account. 



Install

Chrome Delicious Plugin
Finally, I can delete my Delicious bookmarklets and reduce my status bar by one whole block. This excellent extension allows you to save bookmarks to your Delicious account and view them with the click of a button. Again, this extension looks pretty rough. The UI could do with a bit of work but I have high hopes. 

Install


Sources, Articles and Other Related:
http://www.rotorblog.com/2009/11/17/chrome-extensions-for-google-apps/
http://techpp.com/2009/09/11/22-most-popular-google-chrome-extensions/
http://techie-buzz.com/featured/official-google-chrome-extensions-gallery.html
http://www.bspcn.com/2009/11/26/5-must-have-google-chrome-extensions/