The new Google Toolbar 3.0 is a nice step up from the previous toolbar. It has several new features that will make surfing the web more efficient and enjoyable.
New features include Spellcheck, Autolink, WordTranslator and Customize Search.
Spellcheck will underline questionable words (or non-words) in any web page form that you happen to be filling out online which will cut down on copying and pasting back and forth from MS Word to the web page, or flying solo without a spellcheck net.
Autolink, which lets you add useful links into web pages with one click, such as linking a street address to a location map and in the toolbar options form you can set your preference to Google Maps, MapQuest or Yahoo Maps. AutoLink also recognizes package shipping numbers, car VIN numbers, and book ISBN numbers.
In the toolbar options menu you can even check the WordTranslator feature and select the language for the page you would like to read. Simply hover the mouse over the word you would like to translate into your language and you’ll receive a few suggested translations. This works for translating an English page into another popular language but not vice versa.
Customize Search allows you to create a Toolbar button that will let you perform specific searches on whatever website you happen to be on. The search will highlight the words for which you are looking.
Autofill, while not new, lets you fill out name, address, phone number and will highlight web forms in yellow where you can use the autofill info. You can even store your credit card information in the toolbar, which still makes me nerous and I will continue to leave this feature to the more brave-hearted.
One of the parts I found useful with the new toolbar are the handy-dandy explanation windows that are nicely designed and contain photos, graphics and links to more information on the given topic. When you need help it is indeed helpful to get a good visual representation of the matter at hand along with the textual explanation.
While this beta isn’t a blockbuster, it is still a nice step up from the previous version.
