F R E E T E C H 4 T E A C H E R S . C O M
Firefox Add-ons to Improve Your
Search Experience
These Firefox add-ons and bookmarklets can improve your Internet search
experience.
Googlepedia
Ambiently
Cloudlet
Increasingly, I’m seeing students
Do you remember the old days of
Cloudlet is a free Firefox extension
start their Internet research on
doing academic research? You
that helps users refine Google
Wikipedia before going to Google.
know, back when to find content
search results through the use of a
There’s nothing inherently wrong
related to what you were reading
tag cloud. Cloudlet takes just a
with that, but often that process
you looked in the book's
minute to install. Cloudlet doesn't
yields duplicated information.
bibliography. Ambiently takes that
clutter your browser’s toolbar
That’s where Googlepedia can be
concept and applies it to web
because it only appears when you
useful.
research.
use Google.
Googlepedia is a Firefox add-on
Ambiently is a browser
Cloudlet produces a tag cloud
that allows users to see Google
bookmarklet that allows you to
related to your search terms. Once
search results side by side with
quickly find websites related to the
you have installed Cloudlet simply
Wikipedia entries. To use
one you're currently viewing. For
enter search terms in Google as
Googlepedia simply enter a search
example, if I'm viewing a website
you normally would. To refine
term in Google and if there are
about fly fishing in Maine I can
your search simply click on any of
matching Wikipedia entries they
click the Ambient Page
the tags in the cloud generated by
will appear on the right hand side
bookmarklet and I will be shown a
Cloudlet.
of your browser window.
list of websites that are also about
fly fishing in Maine. Installing
You can see a video demonstration
You can find Googlepedia by
Ambiently is a simple matter of
of Cloudlet here. http://
clicking here or by searching in the
dragging and dropping the
www.getcloudlet.com/swm.php?
Firefox adds-on directory. This is
Ambient Page bookmarklet to your
page=video
the url for Googlepedia: https://
browser's toolbar.
To get Cloudlet click here or enter
addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/
addon/2517
Find Ambiently at http://
this url into your browser: http://
www.ambiently.com
www.getcloudlet.com/
Permission is granted for non-commercial reproduction. For questions about reproduction of this material please contact the author at richardbyrne@freetech4teachers.com
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