CNET Editors' note: The Download Now link will prompt a local download of the Firefox extension. To install the extension directly, open the file using your Firefox browser.
CNET Editors' review
FastestFox (formerly SmarterFox) is one of the more powerful add-ons to enhance Firefox browsing. It displays a clean-looking bubble filled with customizable search engine shortcuts when you highlight a word or phrase. Type a query into the Firefox address bar, and FastestFox will offer up suggestions as you type. It will also place alternative search engine icons on a results page (like Google, Yahoo, and Bing), and will repeat smaller version of those icons on Wikipedia pages, along with a list of related articles. To open a new Web page faster, there's the qLauncher. One hot-key combo brings it up; tapping a single keyboard key opens Facebook, the New York Times, and whatever else you program in.
FastestFox doesn't stop there. Right-click anywhere on the page to separately download all the links, images, and Flash video content on a page. The endlessly useful Endless Pages feature preloads subsequent pages of multipage sites, so that instead of clicking to advance through, you can just scroll down (and down and down.) Equally useful, but not always as consistent, are the copy/paste features (turned off by default) that copy the text you highlight, and will paste it elsewhere with a mouse click.
Not every feature behaves uniformly at all times. The page scroll has been known to be oversensitive or unresponsive at various times. The alternate search engines are limited in some features, and highlighting text hasn't always copied it to the clipboard. Yet the pros vastly outweigh the cons, making FastestFox a must-try add-on for anyone who spends significant time online.
Publisher's Description
From Yongqian Li:
FastestFox, formerly SmarterFox, is a popular productivity add-on. Save your time get faster, parallelized downloads auto-load the next page when you reach the end, search as you type from the URL bar, and search highlighted text with the pop-up bubble. FastestFox has some more options like Download all links, images, or media on a page in parallel, maximizing the use of your bandwidth, easily save page media such as Flash videos, flash games, and Shockwave movies on any YouTube-like site to your hard-drive, search by selecting or highlighting text and then clicking on the popup bubble, Visit bookmarks quickly with keyboard shortcuts using qLauncher.
More Popular Firefox Add-ons & Plugins downloads
- PDF Download
16,513 downloads
- Do Not Track Plus for Firefox
10,588 downloads
- Firefox Video Download Helper
3,475 downloads
- Video DownloadHelper
2,002 downloads
- Adblock Plus for Mozilla Firefox
1,946 downloads
-
All versions:
3.1 starsout of 31 votes
-
Current version:
0 stars Be the first to review this product -
My rating:
Write review
-
"I haven't really used the product yet."
Version: FastestFox 3.0.4
Pros
I haven't really used the product yet but seem happy with it.
Cons
Nothing yet.
-
"Usable, Great Idea"
Version: FastestFox 3.0.4
Pros
Keep my ad-ons to a minimum and this is one that I use all the time. Would be lost without it. The best part is that I don't have to reload numerous search pages, they are loaded automatically when I reach the bottom of the page.
Cons
Really minor, but the little pop-up is a little bothersome if I do a Print Screen, but so minor hardly worth mentioning
Summary
The search part of the ad-on is nice, but what is really worth it is the loading of the next page in a search window.
-
"Does what it says"
Version: FastestFox 2.1.2
Pros
A nice add on
Cons
Pop up are annoying at times
-
"Still not as fast loading as Google Chrome"
Version: FastestFox 2.1.2
Pros
Faster than E8.
Cons
Slower than Chome. Faster than previous version.
-
"Decent Features, Bad Privacy Protection"
Version: FastestFox 2.1.2
Pros
Good overall Functionality. I used Endless Pages and Linkification mainly.
Cons
The product collects and sends usage data (website visited, etc) to SmarterFox servers AND third party servers!
Inconsistent behavior for Endless pages.Summary
I used to use it but not any more because of the privacy issue. Now I use Autopager extension for Endless Pages (which is FAR more consistent and covers more patterns) and Linkification for automatic link conversion.
It's strange how the privacy policy was removed from the extension page at Mozilla. -
"Takes getting used to!"
Version: FastestFox 2.1.2
Pros
Faster scrolling through Google search results pages
Cons
Not sure if Firefox crashes are being caused by this; sometimes the interface changes are unexpected.
Summary
It does save time; you just have to learn where the changes are.
-
"It does what its suppose to"
Version: FastestFox 2.1.2
Pros
Easy to use, always there
Cons
Nothing worth mentioning
-
"Good, but I expected more of it..."
Version: FastestFox 2.1.2
Pros
Good to imrpove searches and automatize certain functions
Cons
After all the reviews I read, I expected more "automation" and "smart work" from it, I see it as quite basic
-
"Makes surfing so much easier & faster!"
Version: FastestFox 2.1.2
Pros
Love the preview and use app! Not having to leave the site I'm on to preview another is super!
Cons
So far, all good!
-
"caused problems"
Version: FastestFox 2.1.2
Pros
a good idea.
Cons
Interfered with existing add-ons, erasing Morning Coffee.
Seemed a lot of fuss for what it added.
Add Your Review
Submit your reply
E-mail this review
Report offensive content
See more CNET content tagged:
Previous Versions:
