Google+ is still in private beta but developers have already put their mighty efforts and built many extensions, bookmarklets, add-ons, userscripts, web apps and much more! This post lists all those tools (webapps, extensions and everything in between) which can make Google+ better in all aspects.
#1. Color Plus
Let’s start with the most basic tool. Most of the geeks/bloggers (including me) didn’t like the color of the Google bar and many wanted to customize it, there are many ways to do this. If you’re on Chrome then Color Plus might do the work for you. Using Firefox? No worries, there’s a userscript for that.
Links: Color Plus (Chrome-only) | Google bar color changer (Userscript-works on all browsers)
#2. Gplus.to
Shortens your Google+ profile URL, hopefully Google will introduce this feature in the coming days. Just choose a nick name, enter your profile ID and you’re done! Your shortened URL will be something like this – http://gplus.to/nickname
Link: Gplus.to (Web app)
#3. Block Plus
Some say that the best feature of Google+ is its integration with the Google bar, no doubt, it’s a wonderful feature but it may make a bit unproductive as it follows you everywhere (on all Google sites).
Block Plus removes the Google+ integration from the Google bar and you may continue doing your work than concentrating on Google+ notifications. Another Userscript, Google+ notifications blocker, does the same thing but eventually works on all browsers.
Link: Block Plus (Chrome-only) | Google+ Notifications blocker (Userscript- works on all browsers)
#4. Plusbar
This is a nice addition to Google+, Plusbar is a bookmarklet which converts Google+ into your entertainment dashboard. You can watch BBC News, Al Jazeera, Nasa TV and many other live streaming channels directly from Google plus.
Plusbar Demo
Link: Plusbar (Works on all browsers)
#5. Surplus
This is just the opposite to Block Plus, Surplus makes it easy to check your Google+ updates on non-Google sites. Apart from checking updates, you can also post links/normal text. You can also turn on desktop notifications and sounds in the options.
Link: Surplus (Chrome-only)
#6. PlusFeed
PlusFeed allows you to follow Google+ posts of anyone by subscribing to their feed. To get the feed address, replace Google_plus_ID in http://plusfeed.appspot.com/
Link: PlusFeed (Web app)
#7. Like +1
Even though Google+ is liked by most of the beta testers, only a very few of them left Facebook and decided to choose Google plus as their primary networking tool. So, as with the arrival of Google+, the +1 button has got some meaning and many started +1’ing (along with liking) their favorite articles.
Like +1 combines +1 button and like button into a single button, so that you can save a few seconds. Your +1’s won’t appear instantly, it may take a minute to appear.
Link: Like +1 (Chrome-only)
#8. Extended Share
Share your Google+ posts on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn with a couple of clicks. Just click on Share on.. present beside the Share option and choose the site on which you want to share the post.
Link: Extended Share (Chrome-only)
#9. Find People on Plus
Pretty self-explanatory, it’s a directory of all the people who signed up for Google+, it detects your area and shows user suggestions. Apart from acting as a people directory, it is also a showcase of Google+ statistics and top Google+ users which I found interesting.
Link: Find People on Plus (Web app)
#10. Google+ Statistics
While Find People on Plus shows some mild statistics of every Google+ user, Google+ Statistics is better if you want to checkout graphs, following trends etc. You might know about Twitter Counter, the same guys have built Google+ Statistics.
You can also track your Google+ statistics by signing up using your Google account. It also provides a statistics widget which you can embed on your site.
Link: Google+ Statistics (Web app)
Bonus Tools
#11. Move Your Photos
This chrome extension will help you in exporting all your Facebook photos to your Picasa account. If you’re migrating to Google+ then this one will be handy, as you don’t need to manually export the photos.You need to login to Facebook and grand permission to the app, as this app has become popular lately, it may take more time to migrate the photos.
Link: Move Your Photos (Chrome-only)
#12. GTools+
With GTools+ you can customize the interface of Google+ such as editing the Google bar components, changing the position of the chat box, pinning the Google bar to the top and much more. It can also be used for translation and to setup notifications for Google+, you can even customize the color of notifications.
Link: GTools+ (Chrome-only)
#13. Agent G+
There are many extensions and add-ons to post sync your Google+ posts with Twitter and Facebook, but this one is extension-free. You just need to authorize the app in Twitter and Facebook and post a Google+ update of the authorization string you get (share it with only + Agent G).
Once you have done that, you can sync your Google+ posts by simply sharing the posts with +Agent G.
Link: Agent G+ (Web app)
So, that is it. If you know some worthy Google+ tools, do share them through the comments.
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