Internet Explorer has always been criticized mostly because of its lack of additional features like a pop-up blocker or support for modifications and add-ons. Since then, IE has changed paths, and now includes the ability to install additional components. What more is that there are entire sites dedicate towards add-ons for IE7 like www.ieaddons.com , which contain a rather large library of custom-made add-ons. However, it is difficult to choose which add-ons you will really find useful. Furthermore, there are several add-ons by different authors, but for the same purpose. So, hand picking the best ones to suit our needs can be a be difficult. In this article I present you the best and most useful add-ons you can find for Internet Explorer.
1. Download Studio
Not what the title indicates, a download manager for Internet Explorer. It lets you download all types of content from the web – including programs, games, photos, music, movies, web sites, RSS feeds, podcasts. With 12 easy-to-use downloading tools included, It will help you get everything you ever need from the web. Features include accelerated downloading, resume broken downloads, schedule downloads for later or at regular intervals, detect and capture flash video, capture streaming audio and video, find hard-to-get URLs by sniffing your internet connection, browse links on web sites, read RSS feeds, view and organize downloaded files.
2. IE Spell
You know you need one of these! The spell check function has become the bread and butter of apps like Microsoft Office, and we guarantee there was a time when you wished it would be implemented even in browsers. IE Spell fulfils this exact wish by providing you with a spell check for your Web mail, blogs, diaries, forms etc. If it can be typed, it can be spellchecked. This is one of the most useful add-ons for those who write a lot of content on the Web. No need to type your stuff in a Word document; spell check
and then copy paste to your browser. You can do it on-the-fly with IE Spell!
3. Ziptionary
As simple as it sounds, Dictionary allows you to select any word when you are browsing and look it up in a dictionary, Encyclopedia or web. There are no fancy features to go with Ziptionary. It adds itself in the right-click menu of Internet Explorer 7, so all you would need to look up a word is to select it, right-click and select “Search web” or “Search web” etc. It gives access to 12 different types of searches.
4. Inline Search for Internet Explorer
Whoever said that only Firefox has the feature to search text in real-time? The Inline Search for Internet Explorer add-on for Internet Explorer 7, too, does just that. To use this add-on, just press the shortcut key ([Ctrl] + [F]) to find, enter your word and press…oh wait! There’s no need to press OK, because your search result is already highlighted! You can keep pressing [Enter] after entering the word to search similar words further below the page. This is extremely handy as live searching is much faster and efficient, enabling you to make corrections to your search in real time.
5. Radio & MP3 Player
Using this listen to Internet radio streams and at the same time make recordings of your favorite songs & radio shows, listen to music stored on your PC now even faster thanks to cool "drag & drop" function and create your own playlists.You can use also a free customizable Crawler Toolbar.
6. MySpace Toolbar for IE7
MySpace Toolbar, as you must have guessed, gives you access to shortcuts for the most common actions on www.myspace.com , one of the biggest social communities on the Internet. The MySpace Toolbar also acts as a general toolbar for everyday operations like e-mail notifications, weather updates and so on. Only those who frequent MySpace will find this toolbar useful as it provides plenty of hot links on the popular Web site, including the infamous love note maker, wavy and glitter text generators, and common features like search, favourites, browse, blogs, forums, etc. It’s a must have for any MySpace addicts..!
7. IMacros for Internet Explorer
Macros are extremely useful functions in any application. They can automate practically any of your tasks, and now macros extend their reach to even Internet Explorer. No need to check the same sites every time you open your browser, no need to type in your username and password every time you want to login to your favourite Web site. Not when you have IMacros at your disposal. With IMacros, you can browse to your preferred forums, enter your login name and password, create a new thread and write text in it, all the while searching for a specific word in the forums in a separate tab. Any browsing task can be automated with IMacros; people who often work on the Internet will rely on this tool as a bare necessity.
8. Preview and Launch URL
Why to visit every link if you can actually see what that link directs to? Preview and launch URL does allows you to select a text URL on a web page or (mouse over a hyperlink), and generates a website thumbnail for the selected URL (via websnapr). Supports URLs which have no prefix or are prefixed with http:// or https://. For selected URL, the user has the option of launching the URL immediately without needing to copy and paste the selected URL text string into the Internet Explore address bar.
9. Share with Add to Any
Sharing useful content on the web is made very easy with this cool add-on. Add to any lets you bookmark, share or save web pages of your favorite content in about 100 services like yahoo Buzz, Digg,Stumble Upon,Reddit, Mixx, Twitter,etc. You can also share links via email and instant messenger.
10. RoboForm
As you know, RoboForm makes logging into Web sites and filling forms faster, easier, and more secure. RoboForm memorizes and securely stores each user name and password the first time you log into a site, then automatically supplies them when you return. RoboForm’s powerful Logins feature eliminates the manual steps of logging into any online account. With just one click RoboForm will navigate to a Web site, enter your username and password and click the submit button for you.Completing long registration or checkout forms is also a breeze. Simply click on your RoboForm Identity and RoboForm fills-in the entire form for you. You no longer need to remember all your passwords.
There are a lot more to add to this list. If you like any add-on for Internet Explorer that is very much useful, Share it here.. Also check out 25 best add-ons for Firefox you should install.
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The most useful add-on is to install Firefox…………………….
I actually love the RoboForm software myself. I use it all of the time and it takes all of the menial everyday tasks that I have to perform on my computer daily and shortens them extremely! What once took me fifteen minutes to complete now takes me only one second because RoboForm does the same task with just one click. In fact I wrote a Report about a lot of RoboForm’s capabilities for use that aren’t even touched on in the User’s Manual for RoboForm.
There is also a FREE version of RoboForm that you can download, just to test the RoboForm software out for yourself! I highly recommend it!
another useful add-on is a new twitter plug-in for IE. link in my name
Nice list of add-ons. Internet Explorer is still the most used browser in the market.