1. WOT chrome extension

User-friendly and safe, this tool will tell you which websites you can trust and which not. While, you surf, search and shop on the net the traffic-light rating symbol will rate the websites that you visit showing you, how trustworthy a website is. These ratings are powered by millions of users who rate the sites according to their experiences.

2. View Thru Chrome Extension

From the numerous links you come across on the net, how do you choose, which link is safe to click on and which not? Well, this extension will do the work of expanding short URLs showing you the full URL along with the title of the destination page, so you can make a better decision.

3. McAfee Site Advisor Chrome Extension

This extension, similar to WOT chrome extension, will inform you the ratings of the WebPages that you visit. However, WOT displays the ratings next to all the links. This is not seen in Site Advisor. Site Advisor will warn you only if a site seems to be threatening. People who are unsure about WOT ratings, usually go for this tool.

4. FlashBlock chrome extension

This tool is really useful for those who do not want to be bugged by unnecessary Flash content on webpages. Nevertheless, if you need to be able to see flash on some specific websites, there is an option to create a whitelist which can include sites whose flash content should not be blocked.

The most amazing thing about this extension is the kind of flexibility that it allows: each flash element is replaced by a placeholder which gives you the facility to be able to load only selected elements on a page. Not only this, it also helps in reducing memory usage and CPU cycles and can easily replace AdBlock. No data is read, used or transmitted to any third party so that the privacy and security of user is ensured.

5. KB SSL Enforcer chrome extension

A lot of sites have SSL encrypted versions of the login pages, which are most toyed with, by hackers. This extension enables the lock icon ans the https:// at the start of your Omnibar, before you type your details, thus making things safer for you. KB SSL is able to detect if a site supports SSL (TLS) and automatically redirects you to the SSL encrypted version. It also provides you the flexibility to override this redirection, so you can choose where you want to go.

These Google Chrome extensions not only provide you with premium security but also enhance your browsing experience and reduce the chances of any threats to your PC.

With the release of the Google Chrome Beta 5 this week it seems to have become the fastest browser in the market. It has some significant improvements with speedy JavaScript functionality and support to emerging web standards.

The top features include:

Expanded Sync

Till now, you were able share your bookmarks and preferences on any computer running Chrome. This facility has been expanded with the new version and with the latest Chorme 5 beta. The extended syncing capabilities include sharing homepage, visual themes, web content settings, startup settings and language.

Adoption of HTML 5 and other web-standards

Although, HTML 5 is officially not ready, but Google did not shy away from implementing some of the cool features of HTML 5. With Google Chrome 5 Beta you can drag-drop a file, Geolocate and cache offline application (replacement of Google Gears). It is now also equipped with websockets for faster communication with remote servers.

Adobe Flash Plugin

Apple is doing its best to kill Flash and promote HTML 5 but Google did not ignore the potential of Flash and integrated a Flash Player inside Chrome. As a user now you will not have to keep downloading the latest version instead just open the Chrome beta 5 and get going to your favorite online video sites like Youtube, Dailymotion, Megavideo, Metacafe, Hulu and more.

Ability to run extensions in Incognito Mode

The incognito mode in Chrome allows you to surf the internet without storing cookies from a website or recoding the history of sites you browse. Till now you were not allowed to run Chrome extensions while you surf using Incognito mode. With Google Chrome 5 Beta you will now be able to use these extensions. But, you will have to re-enable them manually

Google Chrome 5 Beta is Lightening Fast

Google Chrome 5 Beta is equipped with the V8 Javascript Engine and a major optimization has been done by the V8 team from Denmark. It is observed that the performance of JavaScript has improved by roughly 30%. According to a test conducted on various browsers Google Chrome 5 Beta seems to be a clear winner among its competitors.

Google seems to be all set to take the browser war to a new level. If it is able to iron out a few rough patches Chrome could really become lethal and play a key role in fading out some popular browsers from the market.

Graph Credits: arstechnica