LostInTechnology

I am an avid Google fan. From its search engine, to Gmail, to Calendar, I have used many Google services and have always noticed Google’s motto of improvement in action. Nowadays, the Google product I use most is Chrome. I like how quickly it responds to my actions and how it takes less time to load up webpages.

Recently, I started searching for Google-related Chrome extensions. I cannot think of a more fitting way to use Google’s services than through its very own browser. I came across many extensions, picked out the best 5, and decided to share them with all of you.

If you are looking for a Chrome extension for any Google product (from Gmail to Voice, from Reader to Gtalk), take a look at my list below, read each entry, and see which extension best suits your needs.

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Google Voice, previously Grand Central, is a free service that gives you the capacity to merge your phone numbers into one, transcribe your voice mail, send text messages from your computer and more. This service can be extremely helpful for the those who spend a lot of time on their computers and smart phones.

While Google Voice is still in an invite only stage, many have reported that they received an invite within a week after applying for one on the Google Voice invite form.

After getting the invite, you are invited to port your own number over or pick a new one for free. I would suggest that you pick a new number, because it is free and with that you get the full features list. I’ll call this account the full account, because with the full account, you not only get a new number and have access to all of the features, but also the option to port your own number over as well. You can see the difference between a full Google Voice account and a ported number Google Voice account here.

You can pick your Google Voice number by searching through their long list, either by number phrase or word phrase. Once you pick your number (which can have any area code), you are asked to enter your forwarding number. This can either be a cell phone or a land line. While Google Voice is ideal for someone with several numbers, one forwarding number will suffice.

Google Voice will guide you through the process of setting up that forwarding phone. You will be called, and asked to enter a two digit number which is displayed on the screen. After that, you can press one to begin recording your greeting messages.

After that,  you can begin tweaking your settings. If you have another phone you would like to add, click settings at the top of the screen, then add another phone.

If you and your partner both want to have Google Voice accounts point to one number, you are in luck. While Google Voice limits a mobile number to only one account, they do allow you to activate a home phone to two different Google Voice accounts.

Let me take you through some of the features that explain why I recommend Google Voice to others.

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This is my weekly round up of the links I have followed over the past week. You can get this list every week by subscribing to my RSS feed or subscribing through email. You may also follow me on Twitter or join the Facebook Fan Page to get some of these links throughout the week. As usual, catch the links after the break.

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VerbApp is a free web based user focused task management and sharing application. If you are looking for an effective task management application then, VerbApp is for you. It’s the perfect solution for freelances who would like to manage their tasks and collaborate in an organized manner.

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I was recently staying at a hotel that offered  Wi-Fi. On the network with my Macbook, I noticed the other computers on the network. Curious, I clicked on one, expecting to see a password prompt or an access denied message. Instead, I saw the computer’s public folder and another folder. Interested in what files someone would publicly display to anyone on the network, I opened it to see files that were highly sensitive, including financial data. My mind was blown.

What kind of person would do this? Perhaps a person who had no idea how to use their computer. Perhaps a person that didn’t realize the security flaws at risk. Perhaps a person that was not reading this article.

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I’m sure everyone here knows that BitTorrent is one of the most popular digital content delivery networks out there. The Peer to Peer distribution technology amounts for nearly 30% of the total web traffic and is used by a number of leading corporations, movie studios and media outlets including 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Paramount, Spike TV, MTV, Netgear and D-Link.

Here at Lost in Technology, we have covered torrent related topics in great detail including tips on how to make torrents, open ports, optimize bandwidth utilization and improve speeds. Today, I’m going to share a neat trick which lets you setup custom RSS feeds for your favorite torrent clients which allows you to control your client from anywhere in the world.

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Google is constantly trying to better their products. To enhance the functionality of their internet browser, Chrome, Google has released a number of extensions that complement the browser. Many of these extensions integrate many of Google’s existing services into Chrome. For example, there is a Google extension for Gmail which places an icon in the address bar showing the number of unread messages. A similar Google extension exists for Google Reader.

These extensions are quite helpful for a person who is using one of these services. But if somebody is using both services, then installing these extensions can create an unwanted clutter in the address bar.

Recognizing this, a third-party developer has combined the functionality of these extensions, added a few more functions, and created what is called One Number.

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This is my weekly round up of the links I have followed over the past week. You can get this list every week by subscribing to my RSS feed or subscribing through email. You may also follow me on Twitter or join the Facebook Fan Page to get some of these links throughout the week. As usual, catch the links after the break.

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