10 Terrific Chrome Extensions You Can't Live Without!

All the buzz in the browser wars as of late has to do with Google's Chrome browser, and with good reason. Sporting a minimalistic interface and limited functionality, it's always been hard to take Chrome too seriously. Alternative players like Opera offer far more functionality out of the box, and of course there's Firefox, the fully customizable browser with thousands of extensions.

But that's all changed now that Chrome is ready to run with the big dogs with official extensions support. Not that extensions are brand new to Chrome, but up until recently, you had to try your luck with a beta build if you wanted that functionality. Not anymore, so if youv'e been thinking about giving Chrome a second (or first) look, now is the time.

Join us as we walk you through 10 awesome add-ons that every Chrome user should install right away!

Mouse Stroke

Rocking the Web without mouse gestures is like trying to play baseball withtout a bat. It can probably be done, but what's the point? There are several mouse gesture-based extensions to choose from, but few come with the same level of customization as Mouse Stroke. It works out of the box, so won't feel overwhelmed, but should you decide to dive into the menus, you'll find plenty of options to play with.

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Xmarks

One of the coolest things about Chrome is the ability to sync your bookmarks. That's great if you're a one-browser kind of guy (or gal), but what if you like to play the field and aren't yet ready to commit to a single browser? That's where Xmarks come in. This groovy extensions syncs your bookmarks not just on multiple PC, but also multiple browsers. Profile management is icing on the cake.

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Google Translate

True geeks never let silly things like a language barrier get in the way of a tech scoop, but what do you do when the site serving up a juicy rumor isn't in your native language? You could enroll in a local language class, or save your ducats (and your time) by installing Google Translate. Translate foreign pages with the click of a button, or configure Google Translate to work its magic automatically whenever you navigate to a non-English site. Groovy!

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Beautify Facebook

Alright, so we slipped in an extensions that isn't vital to your online browsing experience, but we stand by this recommendation nonetheless. Just as the name implies, Beautify Facebook gives Facebook a makeover, but doesn't overdo it. We're talking about subtle changes here, like soft shadoes, rounded corners, and other welcome enhancements.

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Webpage Screenshot

It doesn't matter if you're a professional blogger, frequent forum poster, or Web voyeur, Webpage Screenshot is a must-have for anyone who takes a lot of screenies. Don't just capture the visible area, nab the entire site. The ability to auto-resize is a welcome option.

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