It has only been several weeks since Google+ opened its door to limited users and it has already created plenty of buzz. While many people still have not gotten their invites, there are already 10 million users on the platform and a billion items shared per day. If you find yourself terribly addicted to Google+, Here are 15 Google Chromeextensions that make using Google+ a better experience.
1. Google+ Ultimate
Is the Google+ design too bland for your taste? You can now customize the color and style of Google+ with Googlt+ Ultimate. Things that you can customize include the background, scrollbars, left and top panel, navigation bar, image size in stream, side-by-side view (for large monitor).
2. GTools+
GTools+ is developed by the same developer as Google+ Ultimate. It acts as a complement to Google+ Ultimate and allows you to customize the Google bar as well as integrating the chat feature to the Google bar.
3. Google+ Tweaks
The Google+ Tweaks extension is a wrapper for a series of userscripts to customize the usability of Google+. Features include
- Preview images when you mouse-over them
- Favicon badge shows the number of new notices
- Make Google+ use your browser’s full width
- Force all images in posts to thumbnails
- Pin the Google bar and other navigational elements
- Yellow “Post muted” notices automatically fade out
- View post actions as buttons instead of as a drop-down menu
- Hide various elements of Google+ you don’t use
4. Google+Facebook
If you are not ready to give up your Facebook yet, this extension can show your Facebook news feed in Google+ stream so you can manage both in one place.
Note: While you can post to and view your Facebook feed, you won’t be able to comment on other’s update.
5. Surplus
Surplus integrates Google+ deep into your Chrome browser, allowing you to read notification and post to Streams right from the Google taskbar. It also supports desktop notification and notification sounds.
6. Extended Share for Google Plus
If you are using other social network platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Tumblr, this Extended Share add-on will add a “Share on” button below each post in Google+, allowing you to share to other social networks.
Similar extension: Share+ Social Buttons for Google Plus
7. Favorite G+ Stream
By default, when you log in to your Google+ account, it will show you the posts from all your circles. However, there will be times where you just want to follow the streams from a particular circle of friends. Favorite G+ Stream allows you to set a particular stream as the default. When you load your Google+ page, your favorite stream will appear.
8. Move Your Photos
Do you have a lot of photos in Facebook and wanted to migrate them to Picasa (so you can share in Google+)? Move Your Photos can do just that. All you have to do is to connect it with Facebook and it will immediately export your photos from Facebook to Picasa.
9. Goo Plus Manager
Goo Plus Manager adds a shortcut menu so you can quickly access the various part of Google+. In addition, Goo Plus Manager also comes with a series of keyboard shortcuts that you can use, for example:
- g + h : go home
- g + p : go to profile
- i + i : go to photos
- i + p : go to photos > phone
- i + m : go to photos of me
- i + a : go to my photo albums
- g + i : go to incoming
- g + n : go to notifications
For more keyboard shortcuts, check out the list here.
10. G+ Extended
G+ Extended adds a different set of keyboard shortcuts to your Google+. The shortcuts are:
- Press “+” for +1′ing a post.
- Press “-” for removing your +1 on a post.
- Press “p” to toggle your +1 on a post.
- Press “s” to share a post.
- Press “e” to expand older comments on a post.
11. Helper for Google+
As its name implies, Helper for Google+ is indeed a very good helper for Google+. Once installed, you will be able to share posts via Twitter, translate posts with Google Translate, bookmarks individual post (locally or to delicious.com), linked #hashtags, search Google+ posts and profiles directly from your omnibox.
12. +Comment Toggle
A simple extension to allow you to hide/show comments on Google+
13. G+ Count in Title
Another simple extension to show notification count at the document title in the page tab.
14. Usability Boost for Google Plus
The Usability Boost for Google Plus extension adds several CSS rule to make Google Plus more pleasant to use. Once installed, it sets the background to gray color, the post area white and the comments section light blue.
15. Native GMail for Google Plus – Beta
This extension allows you to check your Gmail inbox right inside your Google+ page.
What other extensions do you use to enhance your Google+ experience?
