6 Bookmarklets for Faster, More Productive Web Surfing

Understanding and Utilizing Bookmarklets

Bookmarklets represent a subtle yet powerful addition to any web browser, residing discreetly within the bookmarks bar. They differ significantly from standard bookmarks, as their purpose isn't simply to store a web address.

Instead, bookmarklets function as compact JavaScript programs, offering instant functionality with a single click. Installation is remarkably straightforward; a bookmarklet is added to your bookmarks bar by dragging a link from a website.

The Versatility of Bookmarklets

A vast number of bookmarklets are available, each designed to perform a unique function. These small tools can significantly streamline online activities.

This article will highlight six bookmarklets specifically chosen to enhance your web browsing efficiency. They provide quick access to valuable productivity services and tools designed to conserve time.

Boosting Web Surfing Speed with Bookmarklets

The following bookmarklets can be integrated into your workflow to improve efficiency. Each offers a distinct advantage for frequent web users.

Direct Access to Productivity Tools: Bookmarklets eliminate the need to navigate to websites repeatedly.
Time Savings: By providing one-click functionality, they reduce the steps required to complete common tasks.
Enhanced Workflow: Streamlining processes allows for a more focused and productive online experience.

Implementing these bookmarklets can lead to a noticeable improvement in your overall web surfing speed and productivity. Consider exploring additional bookmarklets to further customize your browsing experience.

Spreeder: Enhance Your Reading Speed

A convenient tool called Spreeder can be added to your browser’s bookmarks for quick access. This allows for accelerated reading of online text.

The modern web is characterized by a vast quantity of information, much of which is presented as written content. Spreeder is designed to improve reading efficiency.

How Spreeder Works

To utilize Spreeder, simply highlight the desired text on any webpage and activate the bookmarklet. The selected text will then be imported into the Spreeder application.

Upon initiating playback, the text is presented sequentially, one word at a time. This technique encourages faster comprehension and reduces subvocalization.

Customization options are available through the Settings menu, allowing users to adjust both the reading speed and the text size to their preference.

This method can be particularly beneficial for individuals who frequently engage with lengthy articles or research materials online.

For those interested in exploring further techniques, consider reviewing this related resource: 3 Ways You Can Learn To Speed Read Online.

Enhancing Text Readability

Save this link as a bookmark for quick access: Readability

If rapid reading techniques aren't suitable for you, and you find yourself frequently interrupted during normal reading by advertisements, images, or small font sizes, a tool to automatically refine text for improved clarity is needed.

Readability offers a solution. Activating the bookmarklet transforms the text into a more enjoyable reading format. You can test its functionality immediately on this very page!

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UPDATE : It has come to our attention that the original Readability bookmarklet is no longer maintained. However, a viable alternative, Readable, is available. Readable provides extensive customization options for a personalized reading experience. We extend our gratitude to Elmar for bringing this to our attention.

Instapaper: A Read-Later Solution

Instapaper offers a convenient way to save web articles for future reading. Simply add it as a bookmark to easily store content you want to review at a more suitable time.

This tool allows access to your saved articles from any location with an internet connection. Furthermore, the Instapaper bookmarklet provides a quick method for saving pages.

Key Features and Benefits

The Instapaper bookmarklet streamlines the process of saving articles. It enables rapid bookmarking of content directly from your browser.

Discover additional details about Instapaper’s functionality by visiting this resource: Manage Your Bookmarks & Reading List with Instapaper.

4. Evernote

Evernote offers a convenient method for archiving web content. Simply add it to your bookmarks!

This application excels at storing a wide variety of data, including notes, concepts, text excerpts, video content, and images. A key feature contributing to its popularity is its robust search capability. Utilizing the Evernote bookmarklet streamlines the process of saving online information.

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If you are new to Evernote, further details can be found below:

Discover 7 effective uses for Evernote.
Explore 6 methods for importing data into Evernote.

BugMeNot: Streamlining Website Access

Looking for a faster way to access websites without repeated registrations? BugMeNot offers a convenient solution. Simply add it to your bookmarks for quick access to login credentials.

Many websites require mandatory logins, which can be time-consuming. BugMeNot aims to bypass this hurdle, providing pre-existing login information for supported sites.

How BugMeNot Works

This tool functions as a bookmarklet. Users can drag and drop the link directly into their browser's bookmarks bar.

When encountering a login prompt on a supported website, activating the bookmarklet may automatically populate the username and password fields.

An image illustrating the use of BugMeNot can be found here: 6-bookmarklets-boost-web-surfing-speed-productivity-5.jpg

Alternative: Login2

If BugMeNot doesn't meet your needs, consider Login2 as an alternative.

Like BugMeNot, Login2 is also implemented as a bookmarklet. It can be added to your bookmarks for easy access.

Drag and drop this to your bookmarks: Login2.

Login2 provides a similar function to BugMeNot.
It aims to simplify the login process for various websites.

Both tools offer a potential time-saving solution for users frequently encountering website registration requirements.

Combining Bookmarklets for Enhanced Efficiency

Example: Speed Bookmarklets provides a practical demonstration.

Having curated a collection of useful bookmarklets, the next step involves consolidating them into a single, streamlined tool. Bookmarklet Combiner facilitates this process, allowing you to merge several URLs or bookmarklets into one unified bookmarklet.

Unlike standard bookmarklets, this particular tool requires initial configuration before it can be added to your bookmarks bar via drag and drop. The demonstration linked above showcases the combination of all bookmarklets detailed within this article.

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MakeUseOf has previously highlighted specific bookmarklets in past articles:

A selection of three bookmarklets designed for creating clean, printable web pages can be found here.
Twenty essential bookmarklets for optimizing your web browser experience were also previously covered.

Which bookmarklets do you utilize most frequently, and which from the above list do you consider your personal favorite?

Image source: Igor Shikov