add-ons

You probably got to this page by clicking a link. Links are the ties that bind the Web. But each click is also a leap of faith. How do you know you're going to the page you think you're going to?

Google search results let you preview pages before you follow the link, but elsewhere the best you can do is hover over the link to see at the bottom of the browser the URL of the page the link will open. (See below for more on free browser add-ons that rate the security of links in search … Read more

NirSoft's MozillaHistoryView reads the history DAT file in Mozilla-based Web browsers such as Firefox as well as Netscape and displays your browsing history under a wide range of useful column headings. The built-in History feature in the latest version of Firefox also displays lots of useful information, it's true. But you must have Firefox open to use it. MozillaHistoryView is a standalone tool that reads history DAT files directly, whether your browser is open or not. You can save and export the data in various ways, too. The program also gives you greater flexibility in accessing multiple browser … Read more

Following the addition of anti-malware protection in January, AnchorFree pulls the covers off a new look for HotSpot Shield, available exclusively today from CNET Download.com.

Both the standard, ad-supported HotSpot Shield (download) and the paid upgrade sport the refreshed interface and easier install options. However, it still has a lot of visual clutter that could make many either upgrade to Elite or uninstall it.

The new version is easier to install. HotSpot Shield 2.5 automatically detects your Internet connection in all instances, can be used on corporate networks and no longer requires administrative privileges to install. It also … Read more

Add-on sync and two new developer tools are the hallmarks of today's update to Firefox.

The stable version of the browser that you can download now, Firefox 11 (download for Windows | Mac | Linux) allows you to mirror the same add-ons across multiple desktops. While it's true that Google Chrome has been able to sync add-ons since late 2010, its implementation has been notably uneven. It'll be interesting to see how well Firefox handles it. You can toggle add-on synchronization from the Sync tab in the Options window.

A Mozilla representative told CNET that there would be no … Read more

If you're reading many different Web sites about one topic, it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of what materials you want on each site you visit. Instead of printing everything out before you've made solid decisions on what to use, just add some highlighting and sticky notes so you'll remember what you needed later. Here's how to get started with an easier way to do research in Chrome:

Step 1: Install Diigo: Bookmark, Archive, Highlight & Sticky-Note.

Step 2: Click on the Diigo icon in the Extensions Toolbar and select "Sign in" … Read more

If ad-blocking is the hacksaw of Internet-protecting add-ons, the overhauled add-on Do Not Track Plus bows today as a finely honed scalpel, excising tracking behaviors embedded in sites without destroying the modern Web.

Released exclusively through CNET Download.com, Do Not Track Plus 2.0.4 follows last year's beta release with a greatly expanded feature set, better performance, and is available on four of the five major browsers. You can download Do Not Track Plus for Firefox (Windows | Mac), Chrome (Windows | Mac), Internet Explorer (Windows only), and Safari (Windows | Mac).

The intent of the free add-on is as … Read more

If ad blocking is the hacksaw of Internet-protecting add-ons, Do Not Track Plus (DNT+) is a finely honed katana, slicing out tracking behaviors embedded in sites without destroying the modern Web.

It's cross-browser and cross-platform, and will work in Firefox, Chrome, IE, and Safari. An Opera version is in the works. DNT+ blocks sites and ads from tracking you, unless you give them explicit permission to do so. For most sites, it actually rebuilds tools like social-networking buttons on the fly so you can still get your social on without sacrificing privacy or site load times. It also blocks … Read more

If ad blocking is the hacksaw of Internet-protecting add-ons, Do Not Track Plus (DNT+) is a finely honed katana, slicing out tracking behaviors embedded in sites without destroying the modern Web.

It's cross-browser and cross-platform, and will work in Firefox, Chrome, IE, and Safari. An Opera version is in the works. DNT+ blocks sites and ads from tracking you, unless you give them explicit permission to do so. For most sites, it actually rebuilds tools like social-networking buttons on the fly so you can still get your social on without sacrificing privacy or site load times. It also blocks … Read more

If ad blocking is the hacksaw of Internet-protecting add-ons, Do Not Track Plus (DNT+) is a finely honed katana, slicing out tracking behaviors embedded in sites without destroying the modern Web.

It's cross-browser and cross-platform, and will work in Firefox, Chrome, IE, and Safari. An Opera version is in the works. DNT+ blocks sites and ads from tracking you, unless you give them explicit permission to do so. For most sites, it actually rebuilds tools like social-networking buttons on the fly so you can still get your social on without sacrificing privacy or site load times. It also blocks … Read more