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Buying Guide: Best Internet Explorer Extensions, 2011
We typically think of Firefox or Chrome when it comes to add-ons and extensions that increase a browser's functionality. But since version 8, Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) has also sported a catalog of third-party add-ons. While nowhere near as widespread or popular as the extensions for its competition, anyone using IE should take a look at what we consider the must-haves to add on.
Fully Microsoft-approved IE add-ons come in different flavors. There are accelerators, which do something when you highlight a URL or text on a page, such as a Wikipedia definition search, or instantly share something on Facebook. A Web slice will notify you via the IE Favorites bar when sites you choose, such as Amazon's Gold Box deals, get an update. Search providers are just that, third parties you can search using the IE search bar, rather than only Bing. They can also search more than just the obvious webpages, drilling down into specific sites. And of course, there are toolbars of every kind, some of which stay hidden until needed. You'll find these sanctioned extensions at the Internet Explorer Gallery of Add-ons, but IE isn't limited to those. There are full programs to install that provide lots of extra functions.
Outfitting IE may be trickier than adding-on to Chrome or Firefox, but you'll be happy you did. Here's our collection of the 13 must-haves for IE users.
1. Bing Bar
While there are a number of Bing related add-ons in Microsoft's Gallery, you won't find Bing Bar there. This is a fully-installable program that works with IE to give you a mega-toolbar for accessing all things Bing: news, maps, weather, Live.com email, Facebook, videos, stocks, games, and more.
The goal of StumbleUpon is to help you, of course, stumble upon new sites to read. This toolbar from the IE Gallery will help you find those sites and share the gems with others.
3. LastPass
It doesn't matter what browser you use, LastPass can be part of it—and should be. It's PCMag's top-rated method for encrypting and storing passwords for everything you access online, as well as filling out forms automatically. There's a universal installer for Windows that works with your IE browser, but we recommend you get the premium LastPass account and then use the LastPass IE Anywhere tool. It doesn't even require installation; you can run it from a USB thumb drive.
Read PCMag.com's review of LastPass Premium.
4. ReadOnWeb
ReadOnWeb makes webpages more readable by cleaning up the text, sans ads and other junk. You can then save the "CleanPage" for later reading, editing, and sharing with its online Web service called MyFiles. It will even read the text aloud. It's not as nice as Clearly from Evernote (available for Firefox and Chrome), but comes as close as you can get for now.—Next: 5-8 >