Keeping your bookmarks in sync
Whether your web browser of choice is Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome or Apple’s Safari there’s a quick and easy way to make sure all of your bookmarks are the same on every computer you use. Over the years we’ve seen homes without a computer dwindle, now it’s not surprising for a family to have two or more (Macs or PCs) in the house. This creates a problem most people haven’t had to face until now, how do you manage all of the bookmarks you’ve accumulated over the years? And why can’t these software companies make it easy to sync your bookmarks across different computers. We’ve done the legwork for you by testing out each of the free solutions on the market, and we’ve compiled a short list of recommendations depending on which browser you prefer.
Internet Explorer - Xmarks the spot (please forgive us, we couldn’t resist) when it comes to most of the popular web browsers on the market and Microsoft’s is no exception. In return for signing up for a free account with the Xmarks crew you’ll use your username and password to sign into their secure servers (once for each computer you use) and then follow the prompts to sync your bookmarks across computers. It’s secure, easy to use and will automatically update your information as soon as a new bookmark is entered, making it easier to just enjoy your time online.
Mozilla Firefox - Originally named FoxMarks, Xmarks began as a very humble Firefox extension which let users sync bookmarks between computers. Where the Firefox version sets itself apart is that not only will your bookmarks remain in sync, but you can choose to do the same with your password as well. The Xmarks servers are very secure and this is a great feature for those of us with a thousand different online passwords and no method for remembering them. If your use Firefox then Xmarks is a must have add-on.
Google Chrome - With a very colorful advertising campaign and the fastest browser on the market Google Chrome had developed a devoted following in short order. Over the coming months it’s quite possible that we’ll recommend Xmarks here. However, Chrome itself is still pretty closed to the outside world for the time being and we’re not comfortable with this version of Xmarks as it stands today. To Google’s credit they acknowledged this shortcoming with a feature of their own creatively called “Google Chrome Bookmark Sync.” By downloading the newest version of Chrome here you can use this new feature to sync your bookmarks instantly. Google has posted a helpful video here (Windows only for now).
Apple Safari - Fear not Mac users, your bookmarks aren’t left out in the cold. Xmarks also provides a version of their software which will sync with Safari (whether you use Leopard or Snow Leopard). By clicking here you can compare the Mac version of Xmarks to the others and pick the one that’s right for you. The standout feature for the Mac is that you can use Xmarks to keep your bookmarks in sync with all of your computers, and your iPhone or iPod Touch. This is perfect for everyone who uses these devices to suf the web on the go and hates entering your favorite sites over and over again.
