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November 6, 2009

Google Toolbar's Features in Google Chrome?


Google received many complaints that Google Toolbar is not available for Chrome, so it created a page meant to convince users that "many Toolbar features are already built right into Google Chrome".

The page explains that Google Chrome already includes a search box, a pop-up blocker, a new tab page, a spell checker and it offers a list of bookmarklets that let you create bookmarks, translate web pages or view Sidewiki annotations. Some of the explanations are plain wrong:

"Like Toolbar's 'AutoFill' button, Google Chrome shows you text you've previously entered on websites, to save you time and typing."

Obviosly, Google Toolbar's autofill feature doesn't have anything in common in Google Chrome's autofill, other than the name. Like most browsers, Google Chrome auto-populates the text field with information you've entered when you visited the same pages before. Google Toolbar lets you save personal information (name, email, address, credit card information) and complete web forms with one click.

"Google Chrome's built-in spell-checker, similar to Toolbar's 'Spell check' button, automatically checks your spelling whenever you fill out a web form."

That's true, but Google Toolbar uses an online service for spell-checking and the results are much better. Try typing "Engsh" in Chrome and you'll see that the suggestions are "Eng sh" and "Eng-sh", which Google Toolbar's first suggestion is "English".

"The find bar feature in Google Chrome works like the Toolbar 'Word find' button. Matches to your search term are automatically highlighted on the page. Plus, you can use the yellow markers on the scrollbar to quickly see where all the matches are located on the page."

Google Chrome's find bar doesn't work like the Toolbar's highlighting feature: the keywords don't show up automatically when you perform a search and you can't find the occurrences of the individual keywords.

I think it's a bad idea to claim that Google Chrome has many features from Google Toolbar and to list some features that are available in many browsers, including Internet Explorer.

The reason why Google Toolbar is not available for Google Chrome is that Google's browser doesn't have an extension API, at least not in the stable builds. The extension API is still a work in progress.

"We're working with the Google Chrome team to develop a Toolbar extension, as well as bring some of our most popular features to Google Chrome," says Brian Rose, who works on the Google Toolbar team.
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29 comments:

  1. I agree, it's very wrong form Google to do that. What about the search engines, with direct search Scholar, Gmail, Maps...??? What about Bookmarks syncing? The bookmarks should be synced and available in one click. Why having to open another page, scroll/browse for the bookmarks and then open another window when the bookmark is clicked. I think this explanatory page is pure BS. Nothing beside a google toolbar can replace a google toolbar, until they find something better. C'mon Google, you've always shown much more ambition in the past.

    Reply Delete
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    1. I prefer the individual search features used on the google toolbar. (search images, maps, pages etc.) I also liked the direct link to Utube and the separate translate and dictionary and so on. It irritates me to no end to see that the same company who makes the toolbar can't make one to use on their own browser.

      Delete

  3. what about 'send with gmail' or 'send to blog'?
    i want those! D:

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  4. Re Autofill. I would appreciate a dedicated button to fil in forms please.

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  5. I like being able to access my bookmarks from any computer. I can't do that with chrome

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  6. To the anonymous person above me: You can do that if you're using the beta or dev versions of Chrome which include Google Bookmarks sync.

    Ramiro: You can use the Gmailthis! bookmarklet (http://contrapants.org/blog/2005/07/gmailthis.html) and for Blogger, the BlogThis bookmarklet (http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=41469).

    Reply Delete

  9. Chrome's support for Google Bookmarks is awful. Their suggestion to make a javascript bookmarklet and to create a link to visit the bookmark site itself is just sad.

    I cannot switch to Chrome without Google Bookmarks. It's too valuable a tool in the toolbar, and Chrome is a non-option without it.

    Reply Delete

  10. Oh man, I hope they don't add a bunch of junk. It's made to not have all that crap, that's why it's so fast. If you want all those Bells and whistles there's plenty of browsers that will pack 50 mil gadgets on all the screen real estate so that you can't see what your browsing.

    Please KISS

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    1. We don't want "50 mil gadgets on all the screen real estate". We just want Google toolbar.

      And please don't call us stupid, know-all.

      Delete

  11. Google has launch new Google Chrome operating system and it's awesome I like it desktop..

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  12. We have missed and missing Google Tool Bar in Chrome, hope Google will soon add this feature.

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  13. Can't get my head round not having a toolbar, page is naked without it and there were so many bits I had got used to using... going back to the old version until they come up with a proper toolbar.

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  14. how about the page rank, the google site search options... those are essentials too.

    Firefox and IE will continu to dominate the market unless chrome becomes more user centric browser.

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  15. We need this fucking toolbar. That's all.
    While Chrome has not google toolbar, chrome < IE < Firefox...

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  16. Well to be fair, many of the features of the Google Toolbar are indeed native to Chrome, you just need to know how to use them. The one deal-breaker for me still is the lack of the 'Autofill' button. Soon as that gets implemented I'll become a full-time user. The speed is fantastic.

    Try using FF zoomed-in. OMG I feel like I'm on dial-up again.

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  17. For me it's bookmarks. The dropdown on the toolbar that shows all online bookmarks is really useful. The best alternative seems to be to synchronize to local bookmarks on every machine I use, which is nfg.

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  18. I am lost on Chrome without the Google Toolbar ability to send to Gmail or my Google Calendar. Really Google? More integration, not less, thanks. I have loved everything about Chrome, but I am ready to go back to Firefox until you get it all hooked up and talking to each other.

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  20. i need google toolbar for chrome.

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  21. I wish google toolbar in google chrome is already built..

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  22. If they'd just bring back the Go button I could start liking chrome again.

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  23. and here comes 2011 and still no google toolbar for chrome....

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  24. half of 2011 is over. Even though we are not able to enjoying the awesome feature of google toolbar support in Google Chrome browser. Hope google provides this feature as soon

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  25. I don't really care about Google Toolbar, but I think it's pretty poor form that Google spam their toolbar in Gmail under Chrome.

    "Search your mail quicker than ever. Download the Google Toolbar, now with Gmail search. Learn more"

    They should be able to check which browser is used and not push this spam. It's a waste of everybody's time.

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  26. We're working with the Google Chrome team to develop a Toolbar extension, as well as bring some of our most popular features to Google Chrome
    NICE!

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  27. Yep, things have gone backwards. Gmail and the Google Toolbar were both actually more functional before than they are now. Amazing! Guys, if you can't go forwards then at least stay where you are!

    Reply Delete

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