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Useful Bookmarklets: Enhance Your Browsing Experience

October 6, 2012
Useful Bookmarklets: Enhance Your Browsing Experience

Understanding and Utilizing Bookmarklets

Bookmarklets represent JavaScript links designed for browser toolbars. These links introduce single-click capabilities, extending the functionality of both the browser itself and the webpages you visit.

Being freely available, bookmarklets serve to streamline and expedite frequently performed tasks within your web browsing sessions.

Key Functions of Bookmarklets

Bookmarklets empower users to augment browser functionality in diverse ways. This includes altering the visual presentation of webpages, efficiently extracting data directly from webpages, and initiating searches for selected text using search engines or online encyclopedias.

Essentially, they provide a customizable shortcut system for common web-based actions.

Accessing Helpful Bookmarklets

To improve your overall browsing experience, a collection of useful bookmarklet links has been compiled.

These resources are readily accessible and designed to enhance productivity and convenience while navigating the internet.

  • They offer a quick way to perform actions without needing extensions.
  • Bookmarklets are easily created and shared.
  • JavaScript knowledge isn't required to use them.

Securing Passwords Locally: The Force Password Save Method

Previously, we demonstrated utilizing LastPass as a solution for secure storage and application of your online credentials. Concerns regarding the security of cloud-based storage are understandable.

While we’ve also detailed methods to bolster the security of your LastPass account, some users prefer a local password storage approach.

Utilizing Browser Password Managers

If you favor keeping your passwords within your browser’s integrated password manager, the Force Password Save bookmarklet offers a solution.

This tool can compel your browser to save passwords, even on websites that typically prevent this functionality.

  • It bypasses website restrictions designed to prevent automatic password saving.
  • This allows for local storage of credentials within your browser.

The Force Password Save bookmarklet provides a means of enhancing control over your password security by enabling local storage.

This is particularly useful for individuals prioritizing privacy and minimizing reliance on third-party services.

PageZipper

Numerous websites fragment their content into multiple sections, employing "next" links as a strategy to increase page views. This practice, however, can prove frustrating and disruptive for readers attempting to consume an article in its entirety.

The PageZipper bookmarklet offers a solution by enabling the display of multi-page articles on a single page.

How it Works

Instead of clicking through numerous pages, users can simply scroll to read the complete article.

This streamlined experience eliminates the annoyance of navigating between pages, providing a more fluid and focused reading session.

PageZipper consolidates the content, making it readily accessible in a continuous format.

It’s a convenient tool for anyone who prefers a more traditional, uninterrupted reading experience.

The bookmarklet effectively removes the artificial barriers created by paginated articles.

This allows for a more efficient and enjoyable consumption of online content.

By combining all sections into one scrollable page, PageZipper enhances usability and reader satisfaction.

It’s a simple yet powerful solution to a common online reading problem.

The Bitly Bitmarklet: A Streamlined URL Shortener

For users who frequently share web links, the Bitly bitmarklet offers a significant efficiency boost in generating shortened URLs. Instead of navigating to the Bitly website each time, this tool simplifies the process.

The bitmarklet allows for the creation of shortened links directly from the page currently being visited. This eliminates extra steps and saves valuable time.

How to Implement the Bitly Bitmarklet

Installation is straightforward. Simply drag the provided "bitmark" button to your browser’s bookmarks bar.

Once added, clicking the bookmarklet while on any webpage will instantly generate a shortened URL for that site using Bitly’s services.

This functionality provides a quick and convenient method for sharing links across various platforms.

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Streamlining Web Resource Saving with Gmail This!

During online research, users frequently encounter websites they wish to save for future reference, along with their corresponding URLs. The Gmail This! bookmarklet provides a streamlined solution for this common task.

This tool functions by initiating a new Gmail compose window. The current webpage's title is automatically populated as the email subject.

Furthermore, the webpage's URL is conveniently inserted into the body of the message. Users can then supplement this information with any additional notes they deem necessary.

How it Works

  • The bookmarklet pre-populates a new email.
  • The webpage title becomes the email subject line.
  • The webpage URL is automatically placed in the email body.
  • Users can add personalized notes within the email.
  • Finally, the email is sent to a specified recipient.

To complete the process, simply enter a recipient's email address in the "To" field and send the message. This allows for quick and efficient archiving of valuable web resources directly through Gmail.

AddThis: Streamlined Sharing and Personal Bookmarking

The AddThis bookmarklet provides a convenient method for saving websites for personal reference. It also simplifies the process of sharing web pages across various social media platforms.

Often, the built-in "Share" functionalities found on certain websites can be restrictive in their options.

Enhanced Sharing Capabilities

  • Expanded Social Media Choices: AddThis overcomes limitations by offering a wider range of social media sharing possibilities.
  • Personal Note-Taking: Beyond sharing, the tool enables users to quickly jot down notes related to specific webpages.
  • Ease of Use: The bookmarklet format ensures quick access and integration with your browsing experience.

This functionality is particularly useful when a website only supports a limited selection of sharing platforms.

By utilizing AddThis, users gain greater control over how and where they disseminate information from the web.

Streamlining Webpages with Clippable

Often, when attempting to archive or produce a hard copy of a web page, extraneous elements like advertisements and superfluous images can be undesirable. The Clippable bookmarklet provides a streamlined solution.

With a single click, it effectively eliminates these distractions, preserving the core content's formatting for optimal saving or printing.

How Clippable Works

This tool functions by intelligently identifying and removing non-essential components from a webpage. It focuses on retaining the primary textual content and its associated styling.

The result is a cleaner, more focused version of the page, ideal for archiving or creating a print-friendly output.

  • Simplified Saving: Easily save essential content without clutter.
  • Print-Friendly Output: Generate clean, readable printouts.
  • One-Click Operation: Remove distractions with a single click.

Clippable is designed for users who prioritize content clarity and efficient webpage management.

Printliminator

The Printliminator bookmarklet provides a method for isolating and preserving only the desired content on a webpage. This allows users to save or print specifically selected portions of a site.

Activation is achieved by clicking the bookmarklet. Following this, individual elements on the current webpage can be removed with subsequent clicks.

How it Works

This tool functions by allowing selective removal of webpage components. Users can refine the view before initiating a print or save action.

The Printliminator offers a user-friendly approach to content curation for printing or archiving purposes.

It streamlines the process of extracting relevant information from web pages, eliminating distractions and unnecessary elements.

the-most-useful-bookmarklets-to-enhance-your-browsing-experience-7.jpgEnhancing Webpage Clarity with Readability

The Readability bookmarklet provides a method for streamlining webpages, resulting in a more focused viewing experience. Several bookmarklets are available, enabling users to declutter pages for immediate reading, save articles for later consumption (registration may be required), and even send simplified content directly to a Kindle device.

Beyond bookmarklets, Readability is accessible through various tools, applications, and online services, extending its functionality across numerous platforms.

Utilizing the rdd.me Service

Readability’s rdd.me service offers a convenient way to both shorten URLs and simultaneously remove clutter from the linked webpage.

This functionality allows you to share a link to a clean, simplified version of a page without requiring the recipient to have Readability installed.

The service effectively delivers a refined reading experience directly through the shortened link.

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Creating PDFs Directly from Your Browser

With the PDF Download bookmarklet, webpage conversion to the PDF document format is easily achieved. This tool functions seamlessly across a wide range of popular web browsers.

Browser Compatibility

The bookmarklet is designed for universal use. It is fully compatible with Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Internet Explorer, and other commonly used browsers.

This functionality provides a convenient method for archiving web content. Users can quickly generate PDF versions of articles, blog posts, or any webpage they wish to save.

The PDF Download bookmarklet streamlines the process of creating PDF files. It eliminates the need for external software or complex procedures.

Simply install the bookmarklet and access the PDF creation feature with a single click. This offers a straightforward solution for digital document preservation.

The tool’s broad browser support ensures accessibility for a diverse user base. It’s a practical addition to any web user’s toolkit.

Generating PDFs of webpages has never been simpler. The PDF Download bookmarklet provides a user-friendly and efficient solution.

Tinderizer: Sending Web Articles to Your Kindle

Kindle owners have a convenient method for transferring articles from the web directly to their devices for offline reading. This service, known as Tinderizer, is provided at no cost and offers a swift transfer process. However, a small amount of preliminary configuration is necessary before it can be utilized.

To begin, navigate to the Tinderizer website. You will then be prompted to input your unique Kindle email address – typically formatted as yourkindlename@free.kindle.com. Following this, authorization must be granted, allowing the Tinderizer server to send emails to your designated address.

How Tinderizer Works

The core function of Tinderizer is to streamline the process of delivering web content to your Kindle. Instead of manually copying and pasting or utilizing complex conversion tools, Tinderizer simplifies the task with a straightforward email-based system.

Once configured, sending an article is as simple as forwarding the webpage link to your authorized Tinderizer email address. The service then automatically converts the article into a Kindle-compatible format and delivers it to your device.

  • Free to Use: No subscription or payment is required.
  • Fast Delivery: Articles are typically delivered to your Kindle quickly.
  • Simple Setup: The initial configuration is relatively easy to complete.

This makes Tinderizer a valuable tool for anyone who frequently reads articles online and prefers to enjoy them on their Kindle without the distractions of the web.

#bookmarklets#browsing experience#web tools#productivity#browser customization#web development