Black Menu

Black Menu for Google is a free Chrome extension that improves on the late, lamented Google drop-down menu. Its customizable menu accesses all of Google's many services, from AdSense to Zeitgeist. A tabbed sidebar displays search results, notifications, and information on Google features. Black Menu installs almost automatically from the Chrome Web Store.

Pros

Dark good looks: Black Menu's attractive and functional layout is based on the drop-down menu that Google dropped in one of its frequent updates. Clicking its browser toolbar icon opens Black Menu; right-clicking the icon accesses the extension's Options and Manage pages and other resources. We could open multiple search and menu windows, too.

Google A to Z: Sure, Google does everything, but we didn't mean that literally until we started browsing Black Menu's entries. Popular features like the Play Store, Maps, Translate, Drive, Calendar, and Gmail are listed by default; many more can be dragged onto the menu from the sidebar.

Links, search filters, and more: We could access a full menu of Google+ Links and Search Filters for sharing, social media, chats, spam, and other features. We could even search and watch YouTube videos.

Cons

Pinning needed: We'd like to see a way to pin Black Menu open in Chrome, so we don't have to click it open when we're jumping around.

Bottom Line

Many users missed the drop-down menu that disappeared in one of Google's frequent redesigns. Black Menu not only restores the functionality but improved it substantially. You may not realize everything Google has to offer, but Black Menu can change all that!