Google Apps Shortcuts for Windows

Google Chrome and Google Apps are a natural marriage, and Google Apps Shortcuts is the matchmaker. It's a free extension that adds Google Apps to the Chrome interface. If you haven't tried Google Apps, it's worth checking out. It gives quick access to the Google applications you use every day, such as Gmail, Google Docs, and Contacts. Chrome is already fast; Google Apps Shortcuts makes it a lot more versatile.

Google extensions install automatically when you open their download links in Chrome. We merely clicked to allow the browser to add Google Apps Shortcuts, and Chrome did the rest. The extension's lightning bolt icon appeared in the Google toolbar on the right-hand side with the other extensions. Clicking it called up a menu packed with useful Google apps, tools, and documents. We started with Gmail: Clicking the appropriate icon instantly opened a tab with our Gmail account logged in. The same was true of Google Buzz, while clicking Google Docs opened a page with all our documents displayed. You can store a wide range of documents, files, and other items in Google Docs and access them anywhere you can log on to Google. Other entries let us create new templates, documents, spreadsheets, forms, drawings, presentations, and more, and save them locally as well as to Google Docs. Google Reader, Voice, Wave, Contacts, Calendar, and Tasks all opened with a click, too. The options let us hide or display any of the entries as well as create custom entries that could open any Google document or Web address; for instance, if you want to add Google Earth to the Google Apps Shortcut file menu, it's a simple matter of entering the target URL and description.

If you're using Chrome, you really should have Google Apps Shortcuts, too. If you're not using Chrome, try it with this free extension. We think you'll like the match.