I've already posted a few times about how I am a huge google Chrome fan. It's fast, sleek, and simple. I switched two years ago from IE and let me tell you IE fans, it's like riding a sloth and then a cheetah. No comparison.

The cool thing about google chrome (and I think Firefox boasts something like this as well) is their "extensions" feature, which lets you customize your browser a bit further than picking out a theme. It adds some flavor to your experience and makes it really "yours". Most extensions are totally free and download in about 10 seconds. You can find the official library here.

So today I, as a chrome user, am here to offer you some extensions that I enjoy, to all you future users (because the switch will happen soon, right?). Note: I am not affiliated with Google in any way except appearing on the search list when you type "Leafydebater".

1. Adblock. This does what the name suggests it does: blocks ads. It blocks all ads on most internet pages and you can set it to not block ads in certain places (like Newsvine). I also blocks those annoying youtube ads embedded in the video, a nice little bonus.
2. Panicbutton. This nifty little thing I discovered a few days ago and I'm thrilled. Living in a dorm, I get people sneaking up on me all the time and I don't believe anyone knows about me on Newsvine, and I plan to have it stay that way. If I'm doing something that is meant for only my eyes, I simply hit a pre-set key on my keyboard and Panicbutton will hide all my tabs while showing something that no one will be interested in (I have it set to MSN.com). When they're gone, I hit the key again, type in a little password (which is also a great idea) and boom! I'm back to whatever I was doing before.
3. JoinTabs. This is another creatively named extension, but it's also quite useful. Often I find myself with seven different tabs in three separate windows and it gets rather annoying to flick back and forth. If I hit the extension button, it brings all of my tabs into a single window.
4. Google Calendar. I've tried a bunch of technology-based calendars and none of them have lasted long. I'm not a calendar guy. I decided to try one more, called Google Calendar, and it's the best. What's so great about it is its ease-of-use. I can quickly type into a box (that stares you right in the face) "Dinner with mom 7pm tomorrow", or "Brunch 11am October 3rd" and it will set the event. I can also set an event right on the calendar. The bonus for me is that its icon is very, very visible when you first enter google chrome or open a new tab.
5. Angry Birds. I was never a fan of the game (I don't own an iPod) until I found it as an extension. It's a great time killer and travel buddy (IT WORKS OFFLINE TOO!!!) so it comes in handy. A bonus? It's a good game.