Thread: Build up your browser

This nifty little Firefox 3 utility (registration required) hides away until you need to jot down notes or call up already created notes. Simply press a hotkey, and a sidebar appears that allows you to type in text or look at previous entries. If you run this add-on on multiple computers, you can synchronize notes among all of them. find.pcworld.com/626BO

Feeds Plus: Internet Explorer has a very good RSS reader built in-but you can make it even better. This download lets you read all of your feeds in one location so that you don't have to read a single feed at a time. The tool also notifies you when your favorite feeds have added new content.

FireFTP: The venerable file transfer protocol (ITP) isn't dead-it's still a great way to access vast file repositories, and to send and receive large files when your ISP pro¬hibits you from sending them via e-mail. This superb Firefox add-on lets you use ITP right within the browser. Setting up new accounts is simple, and the add-on gives you all the ITP tools you'd expect, including the ability to create remote directories.



Google Preview: With this great Firefox add-on installed, you can see thumbnails of the Web pages that appear in Google search results, to help you decide which sites to visit.

IE7Pro: This do-it-all add-on for Internet Explorer rivals some of the best Firefox addons, and then some. You can manage your tabs better, block Flash ads, automatically scroll Web pages, automatically refresh pages, instantly fill in forms ... and that's just a start. IE7Pro is a must-have download for anyone who wants to get more out of IE.

MinimapSidebar: You come across a physical address on a Web page and you want to see it on a map-but you don't want to take the time to copy it, open a mapping site, and paste it in. This Firefox add-on simplifies the whole process. Whenever you encounter an address in a Web page, drag it to this little app in the sidebar, and the tool will map it for you, right there, without your having to leave the current site.

Video DownloadHelper: Come across an online video that you want to save to your local disk? Press a hotkey, and this simple Firefox add-on will download the clip for later viewing.