Google Toolbar v.4

SpecialSauce writes "Google's gone and released v.4 Beta of their toolbar. Updates include: customizable buttons, smart search box, a bookmark feature that's tied to the users google.com account, and a send to SMS/Blogger/gmail button." Doesn't look like the mac version is updated yet, although the shared bookmarks thing creates unholy lust in my heart. Now if only it would allow you to search multiple search engines like Firefox's built in search.

firefox left out for now

I'm really disappointed a Firefox version wasn't released at the same time.

There's a Mac version?

Since when was there a Mac version of Google Toolbar? There's one that runs on Firefox, but I thought that was a separate, unblessed project.

mmmm, IMDB

I'd love to be able to search IMDB [imdb.com] of Gracenote [cddb.com] from google toolbar

Re:mmmm, IMDB

I'd love to be able to search IMDB of Gracenote from google toolbar

You can search both of those using Firefox's search engine [mozilla.org] add-ons (along with thousands more)

Not that google's tool bar isn't nice and all - but its much better to use something open source that doesn't censor results for opressive [google.com] regimes [google.cn]

Re:mmmm, IMDB

"According to the local laws, regulations and policy, some search results are not shown."

As someone who has grown up in a country which was behind the Iron Curtain I can tell you that this is more effective in seeding discontent than showing the results. I am rolling on the floor laughing if this is the consession made by Google to the Chinese. The Party has scored an own goal. Several times. I am still laughing... This definitely made my day...

Re:mmmm, IMDB

I'd love to be able to search IMDB of Gracenote from google toolbar

I find quicksearches much better for specialized searches. I just type "imdb " in the address bar, and hey presto, less clicks than using a toolbar.

In case you don't know about FF quicksearches, you just create a bookmark with e.g. "http://us.imdb.com/find?q=%s" as the location, and "imdb" as the keyword.

Re:mmmm, IMDB

Oops, that should have read "I just type "imdb <keywords>", guess I made an accidental tag.

Great idea!!

Now if only it would allow you to search multiple search engines like Firefox's built in search.

Yes, I think Google will get right on that.

Re:Great idea!!

The funny part is that it let's you do it already. Those "customizable buttons"? You can make them do pretty much whatever you want, URL-wise, including take the text from the search box and insert it into multiple URLs to grab as keywords for searching them.

All it takes is a tiny bit of XML. [mattcutts.com]

unholy lust?

"although the shared bookmarks thing creates unholy lust in my heart"

dear god do you ever need to get out more....

Re:unholy lust?

"although the shared bookmarks thing creates unholy lust in my heart"

dear god do you ever need to get out more....

Nah man, its cool - some bookworms have an understanding about sharing, and prefer not to be in a binding relationship.

Undocumented Feature

And since everything can be tied to your Google account, Google promises not to share any information gathered with the US Government. They will, however, send all your data to China.

Software Tie Ins

For all of Google's amazing technology they don't do a very good job of linking things together. They have "Pack" which has Firefox in it, yet they don't update the toolbar for it! How can you support something in one area, then not integrate it into your existing offerings?? duh.

Other Search Engines

Now if only it would allow you to search multiple search engines like Firefox's built in search.

Actually, according to Google, custom buttons can be easily made to use whatever search engine you want. Even if one isn't in the online gallery, Google claims it only takes about 3 lines of text to create a new button.

But does it have ..

.. a filter that blocks out things non friendly to the communist government of China?

Do people actually log-in when searching Google?

Given all the coverage of the myriad ways in which governments have begun collecting data on their citizen's internet use habits, does anyone actually use these features and log-in to Google.com? You couldn't pay me to use their value-added features. I'm surprised anyone cares about the bookmark feature, as I'm under the impression it only works when you're logged-in.

It's bad enough they can trace your quasi-anonymous browser. At least they have to work for your identity in that case. I'm not willing to make it any easier for big brother than it already is.

Re:Do people actually log-in when searching Google

Some of us don't have _anything_ to hide. I would gladly give all of my surfing data to whomever wishes to have it....

If they will use it for serving me ads that are about things I like then to me that's a plus.... but I guess that's just me.

Why all the paranoia? What is everyone doing on the web that they don't want others to see?

Friedmud

Re:Do people actually log-in when searching Google

does anyone actually use these features and log-in to Google.com

If you use gmail or Google Talk then you're logged in. Some people also use Personal Google [google.com] which requires you to login to be of any use.

I'm unsure if Google News customization uses cookies or just login. I know it can use login -- if you're logged in then your customizations will be shared to any browser that you login under. I think it used to remember customization by cookies though (and may still if you're not logged in).

I'm not willing to make it any easier for big brother than it already is.

And yet you logged into /. instead of posting as an AC... your tin foil hat is slipping.

I haven't bothered looking at the new toolbar since it's IE only, but one think I've always looked for in "shareable bookmarks" is the ability to partially share -- to either mark some bookmarks as "do not share" or (better) different groupings that can be shared independantly. I know that there's some bookmarks on my home machines that I simply don't want coming anywhere near my work system. Ahem.

64-bit windows

Hmf. Doesn't seem to work well with the 64-bit version of IE. (Not that they claimed it would)

Installing works fine, but it's gone when I restart the browser, and there's no sign of it in the View->Toolbars menu. Bummer :(

And more soon?

Soon, we will be able to download music [google.com] from the toolbar too, probably.

What about a 64 bit Deskbar?

The Google Deskbar doesnt work on XP64 for some reason. Even when installing Google Desktop the deskbar option doesn't work.

I guess that's the price to pay to be on the bleeding edge.

bookmark synchronization

I have been wondering about a way to do synchronized bookmarks between my stationary and my laptop. Is there any such tool for firefox wich doesn't involve storing my bookmarks with google (or any other provider), but rather host it on a protected area of my own website ?

Tutorial: Google Toolbar Custom Button

I tried adding a custom button for my project and the whole process was quick and easy. Here I have explained what I did [blogspot.com]. Hope it helps...

Multiple Search

There is a firefox extension which lets you do the search on different search engines, but I donot know any for internet explorer. However the concept used in clusty search engine looks good.

Question... Social bookmarking?

I haven't looked at it, but is google trying to compete with social bookmarking websites like del.icio.us with this new functionality?

Requested feature

I'd love to see Google start to aggregate comparisons of articles. I believe they have this power and it would be very nice to see it implemented.

My most basic description (of a very difficult process, I'd gather), is to have the Toolbar offer an "Originality" rating. If the article is not like any other article, it is rated 100%. If the article is available elsewhere, it is 0%. You should be able to click the rating and be taken to a Google site that lists the similar articles in date format -- who posted first?

This might also work to aggregate comparisons of items, or reviews, or something of the sort.

customization issues

I just installed the toolbar and it went well, I for one like the send to Gmail feature. I have however noticed some issues which I hope they change before finalizing this release. The first is that it adds 8 items into the IE context menu with no way to customize which items are there. I personally don't have any desire to access any of these features from the context menu and I would prefer to clean them up out of my context menu. Similarly I would like to remove 'Blogger' and 'SMS' from the Send to drop-down menu because I will never use them.

(oh and I also used the Google toolbar spell check to correct 3 words in this post before submitting it!)

what?

Now if only it would allow you to search multiple search engines like Firefox's built in search

What? It's -google- toolbar....

"Shared bookmarks creates unholy lust in my heart"

I use the Bookmarks Synchronizer [geckozone.org] extension. Saves and loads from any FTP.

This is all well and dandy,

but, well, I already use sites like delicous or an FTP bookmark synchronizer. I do have some bookmarks on my google/ig page, which I've used as my start page, but what does this toolbar really gain me? Where the heck is the google calendar so I REALLY organize my life around google? Seriously, that's the one thing that's lacking - gmail's got the email covered, the start page works as a suitable portal (for the most part), but I still am either tied to Outlook through work, or the crapulance that is Sunbird, or trying to integrate my own (webcalendar).

Yeah.....

Now if only it would allow you to search multiple search engines like Firefox's built in search. Yeah, like there are other search engines!

"Custom Buttons"

You can already create buttons that function like those in this toolbar using Firefox. You can also move them up to the menu bar to save space. See the bottom of my tutorial [blogspot.com] on optimizing Firefox.

[OT] spellchecker extension for Firefox?

The only reason I stick with the Google Toolbar is for the spell-check feature. I'd happily go with Googlebar Lite [mozilla.org] if I could fine a useable standalone spell-checker extension. Unfortunately, neither AspellFox [mozilla.org] nor SpellBound [sourceforge.net] eem to pass the "does it actually work" test. :(

Centralized bookmarks for Firefox?

Is there a good extension out there that will let you keep your bookmarks (and other things like browser history, cookie-database, password database, etc) on a central server? Preferrably one under your own control, rather than one run by a Big Corp?

Re:I'm waiting for v.Everything

That will be a toolbar worth getting.

No more going out and getting a new toolbar every time the standard changes.

(I may be dating myself, but I'm only 22, I swear. :)

I had an internal ISA version I got for $250 for being a SysOp "back in the day".

Don't worry, it wasn't lost on *everyone*.

Re:I'm sorry.

I think you must be lost. The Jeopardy studio is next door.

Re:I'm waiting for v.Everything

I kinda wish I still had my v.everything. I had the sweet external version. Mine was a sysop special from USR, I had to sign an agreement that it was to be used on a BBS (which it was) and I got it for the bargain price of only around $200.

(I may be dating myself, but I'm only 22, I swear. :)

Aw, don't feel bad. Heck, I dated myself until I was 24.

No

I agree with you. Last time I installed it I wound up re-installing the OS. I also remember reading an article about the spyware components of the toolbar, though I can't pin it down right now. If anyone can clarify that I would appreciate it. It certainly matches my experience, however.

Re:Features I'll never use - Use Opera!

Both of those features (search google & popup blocking) are built into Opera, you might like to give it a go.