Chrome/Firefox: HTTPS Everywhere, the browser extension that keeps your data from falling into the wrong hands, has updated to double the number of web sites it supports. If you aren't using it, you should be. More »

Chrome: If you tweak Chrome's privacy settings pretty often (like cookies, autofill, history, and others), Privacy Manager puts every single on of those settings in a simple dropdown, with on/off toggles for each one. More »

Chrome/Firefox/Internet Explorer: Facebook Chat now includes a feature that lets you know when a friend has read your message—or when you've read theirs. If you'd prefer to keep that information under wraps, Chat Undetected will do it for you. More »

<!-- videoId: VDzdhPHe60c --><!-- /videoId: VDzdhPHe60c --> Chrome: Ever had trouble following a debate across the web? Rbutr is a Chrome extension that aggregates online debates across web sites to give you a fuller understandings of discussion, debates, and arguments online.

Chrome: Tab Grouper is a simple extension that does one thing: groups all your tabs from the same site together, so you don't have to go searching through your tab bar to find the right one. More »

You guys seemed pretty stoked about creating your own custom Chrome themes using Google's new tool, so in the vein of our featured desktops, home screens, and workspaces, we're inviting you to share your custom Chrome theme with us. More »

With each update, Facebook has gotten incrementally more cluttered, perplexing, and ornery—and I'm not even talking about all your annoying acquaintances flooding it with inane status updates. Yet, at the same time, it's become a tool few of us can live without. If Facebook has you on your last nerve, here's how to fix some of its biggest annoyances in a matter of minutes—and with only one new addition to your browser. More »

Open Chrome tabs can eat up a lot of RAM, even when not in use. TabMemFree unloads tabs after a specific amount of time to free up memory when you aren't using them. More »

If you're sick of hitting an email link only to see your old email client open up on your desktop, Chrome has finally built in Gmail support, so links to email addresses open up right in your Gmail inbox. More »

Chrome/Firefox: HTTPS Everywhere is a simple extension that, with just a one-click installation, can seriously increase your security on over 1,400 web sites by encrypting your connection. More »

Chrome: Google's chat feature is useful for sending quick IMs and starting video chat sessions, but you can only view it when you're on a Google page like Gmail. Google has released an official Chrome extension that detaches it from your browser, allowing you to view it no matter what web page you're viewing. More »

Q:

I have been warned on the Web that Microsoft Office won’t work on Apple’s new Mac operating system, Lion. Is this true?

A:

In my tests, and also according to Microsoft, Office for the Mac does work in Lion, though some relatively minor features won’t work right. Also, you must be using one of the two latest versions of Office.

In my tests, using the current version, Office 2011, all features I tested worked fine, though of course I wasn’t able to test every one of the thousands of features. I even wrote my entire Lion review in Word 2011 on a Lion-equipped Mac. According to Microsoft, the 2008 version also works, though the 2004 version doesn’t.

However, Microsoft hasn’t updated Office for Mac to take advantage of Lion’s new features. More information on Mac Office compatibility with Lion is here and here.

Q:

Can you point me in the right direction for a purchase of a tablet? I am a home inspector and presently use a Toshiba Satellite laptop with a special Windows software program for my job. I need a tablet with a screen size of 12 inches or more. USB ports would be essential.

With its iPhones and iPads, Apple has led people toward a new way of operating digital devices that relies on direct manipulation of items with finger gestures, not a mouse and scroll bars. App icons are arrayed front and center, not buried deep in a file system or limited to a strip at the bottom of the screen.

Readers offer their best tips for maximizing your browser window in OS X, getting free Android apps from Amazon, and keeping your home address secure on your GPS unit.More »