Fast Dial for Windows

Fast Dial attempts to be a user's' best friend by giving more control when choosing favorite Web sites and bookmarks. This interesting program may not convince those who are happy with their current tools, but those looking for a little visual assistance might like its approach.

This free Firefox plug-in adds a single button to your toolbar that launches a blank page with a lot of empty squares. Simply double click a square and users are asked to input a URL, a picture if they want (the Web site's homepage will appear if not), and a title for the page. To make accessing a page even quicker, it's easy to also create a shortcut key to open the page automatically. Users can adjust the number of boxes shown on the page, the font used to display each, and the frequency with which the page updates. Fast Dial works precisely as it should, and the Web sites appear immediately and open as expected.

For those who are frustrated with their bookmark or favorites list, this is a great alternative that provides more visual cues and freedom.