With TinEye, you add a simple extension to your browser. It's a way to quickly search any image on your screen, and a bookmark to take you to the developer's site. Here, you can upload or copy and paste the URL of the image you're interested in. Use it to snoop for celebrity mugshots, and discover when they were first uploaded. Or make sure that the person on your dating app is a real person, and not just a fake user. Web developers can use it to discover the image with the quality they need, or to make sure that no-one publishes your image without your consent.
Features
Install the extension, mouse over the image you want to reverse search, and right-click. Choose the 'Search image on TinEye' option.
Click the button on your extension bar, en visit the developer's website. Now you can drag and drop local files to the tab, to start your search.
Privacy guaranteed, as TinEye doesn't save user search data.
Quick search with publishing history of the image.
You can find more information on their product page.
Benefits TinEye
It's definitely useful to be able to search your images. In fact, as TinEye works to make the visual world more manageable, it also publishes a host of other, mostly paid services. You can buy MatchEngine, to make sure the images in your own collection are current. Commercial organisations can set alerts, so they are notified the moment their images pop up somewhere else. The company from Canada even offers engines to build your own apps, like wine-apps, MobileEngine, and a MulticolorEngine. And there's still a free version available.
Drawbacks
Many of the benefits of TinEye seem obvious. They are in the business to make our images searchable, which can be helpful and informative. However, it can also be disturbing, as the reverse image search engine doesn't help you with the removal of unwanted copies of your images. They might help you with more information about the sites that might own you pages, but they offer no further assistance or help.
Alternatives
Google Images is the major player to compete with TinEye. They even offer similar images, which TinEye just doesn't really do. Still, it's great to see another company competing with the search giant we can't live without.
Final verdict
We like TinEye a lot, even though Google offers much the same functionality. You can right-click any image and search with Google, as with TinEye, but still, the results TinEye present are categorized historically. We prefer that. Why not? Try it out!
sh.We think ZenMate might just be the best the VPN extension in the Chrome Web Store. The interface is simple and straightforward, just like you would expect from an extension with the word ZEN in it. Even with the free version you can change the location you appear to come from.
Features
Installation is easy and fast.
Change the location you appear to surf from with one click.
Design is beautiful.
Based in the European Union.
Speed is capped in the free version.
No logs.
Benefits ZenMate
There are many VPN providers out there, and not all of them inspire trust the way ZenMate does. It’s clear from their website that this isn’t a one-man operation. It’s also clear that their mission is to make it easy and safe for everyone (and their Mother) to surf online. This is commendable, even though it might just be a matter of marketing. Since they also offer clear pricing plans, and an affiliate program (which we didn’t apply for) it looks like they’ve got their act together. This wouldn’t be sustainable without offering a great product that millions of people around the world rely upon.
Drawbacks ZenMate
As always: once you decide to use a VPN, you hand over your data from your provider to a third party. They better protect your data with their life! How can you be sure that they do just that? This is a matter of faith, unfortunately.
Other drawbacks are the gentle reminders to upgrade to their paid plan, while on Free. It’s usually not more than a single click, but it gets annoying.
Pricing
Basic: free to use. Four locations, no logs, speed cap of 2MB/s
Unlimited: starting from $2,05 per month (2 year contract).
You can find more information on their pricing page.
Alternatives to ZenMate
If you’re looking for an alternative to ZenMate, there are many options. None of them are as versatile and powerful, but they’re still worth your attention. This is the list we’ve tried ourselves:
TouchVPN (this appears to be the most widely used VPN extension, but the reference site doesn’t lead to an active site. It doesn’t inspire trust at all).
Hotspot Shield VPN (this is the free version of their VPN. It offers much the same functionality of ZenMate, but more cluttered).
ExpressVPN (more expensive than ZenMate, but marketed aggressively, based in the BVI).
You’ll find more options with reviews on this site: TechRadar.
Final verdict
When looking for an extension to shield your traffic destinations, you can’t go wrong with ZenMate. We consider the user experience, the business model transparency, and the team behind the product trustworthy. And even when you’re not interested in all the perks of the Ultimate subscription, this VPN will do the trick when download the odd torrent file now and then. Power Users better for fork over some money, but even this amount doesn’t seem unreasonable.
The problem with Internet security is that it’s a giant, opaque, frightening world of possible hurt. And costly too. Where do you start to protect yourself? What are your best options? In our opinion, you can’t go wrong with SafeInCloud, a browser extension that makes your password management easy and secure. And it’s almost free to use too.
Features
Free Windows and Mac apps for your computer.
Modestly priced versions for Android and iPhone.
No expensive subscriptions.
Save your passwords in your own cloud: the developer has no access to your data.
Benefits SafeInCloud
What we like about SafeInCloud isn’t just the price. If you were interested in nothing but saving a bit of money, you could rely on the save password function that’s built into any modern browser. And since many websites rely on an automated system of password retrieval, you could even decide to enter random passwords for every site, without bothering to remember them. A new password is requested almost without delay.
Still, with over 150 passwords in my SafeInCloud database, I see a clear advantage for trusting this data to a third-party app. What if you use more than one computer? What if you want to make sure you can use these passwords outside one single browser or on one device? The biggest benefits SafeInCloud offers is just this: save your passwords where no-one can access them but you. Fully integrated with important browsers and platforms. Safety couldn’t be cheaper.
Drawbacks
The programming of SafeInCloud seems robust and reliable. The extension makes it easy to find and save passwords for the sites you prefer to visit, but it still needs the program to function properly. Sometimes the dialogues aren’t completely understandable. If you lose your password, you lose access to all passwords: that’s a pain, but it just might happen. It happened to us. And then it takes some effort te re-install everything.
Alternatives
Besides the already mentioned built-in password functions in browsers, that aren’t safe at all, apparently, there are several paid options. Lastpass is a freemium solution, with an attractive family tier, so everyone will be safe and secured. If you want to understand what their free plan has to offer, you have to try it yourself, on their website is not much information. It’s clearly geared towards the premium plan. Dashlane is another contender for the prize, but it’s limited to 50 passwords, which makes it just about useless without forking out $ 36 annually.
So, there you have it: in the almost completely free arena of reliable password managers, we really see no alternative. SafeInCloud might not feel as slick and user-friendly as it’s competitors, but it’s the next best thing. And it’s based on your own cloud, which is pretty much unique.
With the browser extension Whatruns, you can click to discover what makes a site run. Which platform do they use, serverside or clientside? Do they use a CDN? Google Analytics (hint: always!)? A necessary tool for any developer or anyone interested in knowing more about the Web.
Features
As always with an extension from the Chrome Web Store, the installation is a breeze.
Use it on any site, including Whatruns.
Do you blog yourself? See the themes and plugins your competitors rely on!
Useful for competitor analysis, sales intelligence, and website profiling.
Benefits Whatruns
The major benefits of this Chrome Extension are easy to divine: you get to pop the hood and take a peek at the machinery. Now you see just what technology your prospective new client or the company relies upon, so you can prepare yourself for that important first contact. Or the job interview. You know just where to invest your time and effort. And if you want to learn from their success: this is a quick and dirty way to stay ahead of the game.
Drawbacks
The information you get isn’t always easy to interpret, especially for someone without a background in coding. And for a real coder, there are a lot more informative ways to get to the heart of a strangers website: Devtools, for example. And also, if you really want to learn about alternatives to the products Whatruns discovers: don’t rely too much on their categories or background information. It seems arbitrary at best. You’re better of checking Alexa or the discover section of start.me.
Alternatives
There aren’t many alternatives to Whatruns, but the Chrome Web Store does mention Snovio web technology checker. With no more than 4000 installations, they can’t really compete with Whatruns, though. They clock over 175.000 installations. This inspires trust.
Final verdict
So there you have it: again an extension we propose to anyone who wants to get a quick look at the Internet that’s hidden in plain sight. Whatruns will astonish you, and help you become a better coder, if you’re so inclined. At the very least it will help you see through the CSS and visual spectacles, to get at the bottom or heart of things.
There’s nothing more annoying while traveling or working in your favorite coffee shop, than coming across a slow internet connection. What’s causing the delay? With this extension from the Chrome Web Store, you don’t have to guess anymore: one click, and you see precisely the speed of your connection.
Features
Runs in a pop-up once you click it.
You don’t have to wait for it, after clicking, it runs in the background.
Use it with or without an account.
Information about Ping, Upload, and Download speeds.
Bonus: see how fast the website loads.
Benefits Speed Test Ookla
With a separate website and an entire suite of apps for all devices, this extension is more than just a speed test designed by one lone programmer. Based in Seattle Washington, acquired by Ziff Davis in 2014, it once offered a stripped-down version of a paid, premium service. Now programmed in HTML5, it’s the industry leader, as far as we’re concerned.
They’ve served over 21 billion speed tests to date, which is no small feat.
Drawbacks
The website this extension leads to, speedtest.net, is filled with obtrusive banners, which doesn’t inspire trust. Still, they might keep the service free of charge, which is a beautiful thing. In the extension itself, you’re not bothered with any of this, so we can live with it.
When it comes to knowing more about the internet speeds you’re experiencing, there’s no real competitor. Ookla offers a free, reliable, and fast impression of everything you want to know. The company behind it seems legit and built for the future. You couldn’t go wrong here.
