Only a few years ago, it was easier for people who knew how to use the command line to use it to copy files between drives, rename folders and even download applications from an FTP site. For some people, they still prefer to use the command line as you can do some really powerful stuff if you understand the commands and parameters. Mozilla Labs have realised this and implemented a way of controlling the Firefox browser from a command line.

Mozilla Ubiquity for Firefox 0.5 is a free add-on that brings a command line to your browser and, on a simple level, will enable you to control the browser. However, it will also do far more complex things in the future and you will be able to tell your browser to perform a function using simple natural languages.

Mozilla Ubiquity link.

There are various new add-ons that enable you to share your bookmarks and passwords across your various Firefox browsers, wherever they are installed. If you have Firefox on your work PC, add a bookmark and you'd find it automatically appears on your Mac laptop (with Firefox). Passwords are the same. You can keep your web login and passwords synchronised securely across your various browsers. Problem is that you can't share your add-ons, so you have to spend time individually configuring each edition of Firefox, every time you install the browser.

Mozilla Firefox Add-on Collector 1.0.2 is a free official tool from Mozilla that enables you to publish your add-ons as a 'collection' which you can migrate to other Firefox installations. You can also share your collection with other users and download new add-ons as part of a pre-compiled collection.

Mozilla Firefox Add-on Collector link.

Although broadband speeds and reliability have improved dramatically in recent years, innovative features have been few and far between in terms of browsing technology. One of the main reasons Mozilla's Firefox is so popular is that you can customise the browser with an array of third party add-ons, some of which greatly enhance the browsers functionality. Although there are a number of more mundane plug-ins available, sometimes we come across something a little more interesting.    

HyperWords 5.3 is a new technology that enables you to find more information on a highlighted word displayed on a web page, like a town or city. You can refer to Wikipedia and Google as well as quickly translate foreign words. This is a useful add-on for finding more information quickly, within your current browser window.

HyperWords 5.3 link.

The Internet is huge, so finding relevant web pages isn't always easy. There's also an over reliance on one particular search engine, from Google, for our results. One interesting plugin for Safari has recently been ported to work across Firefox and Internet Explorer and will enable you to quickly enter a search term and see instant results that are most relevant to your requirements.

Inquisitor is an free add-on that used to be Safari-only and is now available for both Firefox and Internet Explorer. It was recently bought by Yahoo and, as a result, is now based around the Yahoo search platform, meaning search results are restricted to this network. It's currently only in beta - and you have to login to the Mozilla add-ons website in order to download - and we couldn't get it working on our main desktop-based Firefox 3. Simply never appeared in our Add-ons manager.

Inquisitor link.

Portability is one area of computing that's seen a great deal of interest in recent years. Many of us now have laptops or portable devices with web access, and the number of applications based on portable hardware is on the up. Obviously the needs of users that travel or work on-the-move are very different to a more static work environment, and require software solutions that enable them to work efficiently, no matter where they are.

Geode 1.5 is an experimental add-on for Firefox 3 that incorporates location awareness with your browser great accuracy. For example you may be visiting a new city, almost anywhere in the world and have no idea where anything is. By using your favourite reviews website Geode will enable you to find places such as restaurants, within a set area of your location.
 
Geode 1.5 link.

When we're browsing the Internet, it's easy to come across a word, a phrase, an address or similar where you're simply stumped. Of course, it's not too difficult to open another browser window (or tab) and simply check Wikipedia or Google. But what if they don't always give you the answer? You can keep on looking. Another solution is a device which would enable you to perform a custom check or search, depending on your choice, from the page you're currently browsing.

Hyperwords for Firefox 5 is an extension that enables you to highlight a word on a page and quickly find a reference in Wikipedia, Google, find a location on a map if it's an address and so much more. You simply right-click on the word and a list of options will appear.

Hyperwords for Firefox link.

Working for a large organisation means you'll also have to abide by their rules and regulations. These often stipulate that you can't use your work email for personal matters, such as trying to organise a vacation. The problem is, you can't install another email client and you can't keep opening your browser to check whether you have received new email.

Gmail Notifier 0.6.3.3 is an add-on for Firefox that places an icon in the bottom right hand side and will inform you if you have new email through your Gmail account. You can then click the icon, when it's safe to do so, and quickly read your email. The add-on can be used with Firefox 2 and Firefox 3 and across your Windows, Mac and Linux version of the browser.

Gmail Notifier 0.6.3.3 link.

Web browsers aren't geared up for serial downloaders. People who spend their time downloading multiple files from the Internet. For this reason, it's better to integrate a more established download manager in to your browser and let this handle your files, resume files that have not download to your system and even speed up the process of obtaining files from a website.

DownThemAll 1.0 is a free Firefox extension that's been in beta for ages and finally seen a release. It integrates deep in to Firefox and takes over all download management. It will speed up the process of obtaining your files and even download the content from a web page, as well as individual files. You can use the same download manager on OS X or Linux, so you can get used to the way it works across multiple operating systems. It will also work with the beta of Firefox 3.

DownThemAll link.

The addition of web browser tabs was a major feature that has since been implemented across all browsers. Rather than open multiple windows, you can simply open a website in a tab instead. Recently browsers have also had the facility to move tabs around on your interface, which can be useful if like working with your websites in a particular order. However, the problem with any tabbed system is that you can't easily see the open website, especially when you have pages from a site open in multiple tabs. It's not always easy to remember which page is open in which tab.

Firefox Showcase 0.9.4.6 is a Firefox extension that enables you to open your websites as a visual preview located alongside the left hand side of your browser window, rather than along the top as standard tabs. Makes it easier to see the open sites within your browser.

Firefox Showcase 0.9.4.6 link.

Apart from being a modern and updated browser, Firefox is a wise choice simply as so many third-party developers are busy producing various add-ons. In the last week, we've put Cookie Swap, Mini Map Sidebar and Weave online. All fantastic and worthwhile add-ons. Everyone likes a customised experienced, which is why one persons idea of interior design differs widely from another. The problem with life is finding the time to experiment. Who has time to download various themes and then worry about whether they'll be compatible with their machine?

Mozilla Personas for Firefox 0.9.2 is an add-on that adds some basic and lightweight theming to your Firefox web browser. It enables you to choose from a number of pre-defined themes, as well as the most popular and selected themes. It will also work across different versions of the Firefox browser, irrespective of the operating system.

Mozilla Personas link.