toolbar

Security Toolkit: Best 4 lesser-known malware programs

For most computer users, the idea of having malware or adware creeping onto your machine has become an accepted fate that comes with being online. More-tech-savvy users can manage to stay clean for a while but, like the flu, everybody gets it eventually. Whether it was through a questionable e-mail sent by a friend or from a moment of weakness when you clicked on that video link promising playful kittens, suddenly you find your beloved computer starting to behave strangely. It might be a quick process; it might not happen right away, but you will know right away something is … Read more

Avira 2013 expands features to cover social networking, tracker blocking, and Web site verification

Review: Avira returns to the security field with a second major revamp in as many years of its flagship free antivirus and paid upgrades. Whereas last year's overhaul focused on a breezy new installation and modernizing its interface, the 2013 version is all about offering competitive and forward-thinking security features.

All that sounds well and good, and Avira has even killed off its obnoxious, interrupting pop-up in the free version. However, some aggressive components of those features gave us pause when using the suite.

Installation Last year's improved, zippy install has been changed slightly, and that may cause … Read more

YouTube video conversion

The Best Video Downloader is an application that works through your Internet browser to convert and download YouTube videos in a number of format choices. It allows you to view or listen to the audio of your favorite videos on any electronic device that supports these formats.

We were surprised by how the Best Video Downloader worked. Once it's downloaded, all you have to do is go to YouTube and there will be a new button listed under the YouTube video you're viewing. It will say Download, and after selecting it you will be given 10 format choices … Read more

Find cashback deals more easily with the Ebates Toolbar

As a general rule, I am not a fan of toolbars. When I sit down at a friend's PC and see half a dozen toolbars littering their browser, I read them the riot act. (That may explain why I don't get invited over much.)

That said, there are two I'll allow on my system: Web of Trust and the new Ebates Cash Back Toolbar.

The latter makes it quicker and easier to identify and score cash-back deals from online stores. As someone who uses Ebates pretty religiously, it's a no-brainer addition to my browser.

For those … Read more

Q&A: MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is where to go for all your questions.

This week people wrote in with issues ranging from how to replace missing or damaged foot pads for Apple's MacBook systems to what versions of iOS will work on specific iPod Touch models. One reader's CD drives are not accepting any discs, another is missing toolbars in programs like Mail, and one user wants to know how to migrate from a PC to a Mac. We welcome alternative approaches and views from readers, so post your own suggestions in the comments!

Question: New feet for a MacBook system … Read more

Customize your desktop with Gizmo Toolbar

When you see the word "toolbar" in something other than Windows, do you tend to look on it with suspicion? Unasked-for, ad-supported toolbars that are difficult to remove are common annoyances, so Gizmo Toolbar raised flags at first. However, it's actually a surprisingly flexible and easy-to-use desktop customization utility. You can use it to create multiple customized toolbars that you can access quickly from the system tray, customize the look of your layout and themes, add plug-ins, and more. It's free and works in 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows from XP to 7. For Windows … Read more

How to add a simple vertical toolbar in Firefox

Do you like to keep your horizontal toolbar free of clutter, but still want quick access to print preview, sync, downloads, and other options? Try using a simple vertical toolbar.

The Firefox extension is called Vertical Toolbar, and you can get it here.

The toolbar displays on the left edge of the browser by default, but can be moved to the right edge as well. Right-clicking on either the horizontal or vertical toolbars brings up more options, including "Vertical Toolbar Options."

To add or remove Firefox buttons, click on the "Customize" button.

Now you can drag … Read more

How to remove the search box in Firefox

The search box in Firefox is redundant because you can perform searches right from the location bar, otherwise known as the awesome bar. Removing the search box not only makes your toolbar look cleaner, but you can start your searches faster by using the CTRL-L shortcut to instantly move your cursor to the awesome bar. Here's how to remove the search box from your Firefox toolbar:

Step 1: Right-click on the toolbar to bring up the toolbar menu and select Customize.

Step 2: Drag the search box from the toolbar over to the "Customize Toolbar" box.

Step … Read more

Mozilla jumps to deal with Google Toolbar demise

Google has canceled its toolbar for the current and future versions of Firefox, and Mozilla is scrambling to help users who might be left in the lurch and postponing their browser upgrades.

The toolbar offers a variety of services, including a search box, a way to use bookmarks stored on a server, and a measurement of a Web site's PageRank--a score Google gives that measures its influence in Google search results. But Google has chosen to do in the Firefox version.

"As we all know, over the past few years, there has been a tremendous amount of innovation … Read more