TabSense for Windows

Similar to Mozilla Firefox's upcoming "Tab Candy" concept, Google Chrome add-on TabSense helps manage your tabs in a streamlined, organized manner. Though in its rookie status--there are still minor bugs--the extension is definitely worth keeping thanks to its simple utility. After the lightning-fast install, a rounded/rectangular icon will appear to the right-hand side of the address bar. A message will say that settings can be configured through the extensions option of the tool menu. In this menu users can uninstall and disable; however, the "options" link takes you to a blank page that merely says "To Do"--looks like the developers are still in the process of putting it up.

To open TabSense, click the icon or press Ctrl-Shift-S. Note that Ctrl-Shift-S will not work on pages that are already loaded before you installed TabSense, as is mentioned in the extension's Google page. In the TabSense window there will be rounded boxes, which represent each open Chrome window. Inside each box there is a list of that window's tabs. Initially, each list will have the title "no name." To change the title, click on it and type. Having separate lists, each for a different purpose, is very useful. For example, one box can be called "shopping," another can be called "work," and you can even have an "evil" box that includes distractions. Open a tab in its respective window by clicking on it inside the TabSense box. Starring the tab inside the box will send its respective icon to the space underneath the address bar; every time you open a new Chrome window followed by a new TabSense page, this list will appear.

On the extension's Web site it says that this is still a work in progress. With this in mind, it is no wonder that the add-on has some glitches. A minor annoyance is that after exiting out of a window, its respective box does not disappear from the TabSense page unless the page is refreshed. This also applies to opening a new window, as well as exiting/opening new tabs. However, the most frustrating feature is the little suitcase icon that resides at the top-right-hand corner of each TabSense box. Clicking on a suitcase closes the window that the box represents, sending it to the bottom-left-hand corner of the TabSense page. Clicking on the suitcase at the bottom of the screen is then supposed to open the window up again. The problem is that once this new window is open, its TabSense page is illegible and smashed together and each tab starts out by taking up only a fraction of the screen. Thankfully, this is cured with a page refresh.

TabSense is a useful tool if you tend to open multiple windows and tabs simultaneously. Having your tabs in separate, easily accessible, folderlike boxes across a large page is an efficient way to get organized. Though there is still room for improvement, this add-on is a great way to deter distraction when rummaging through tabs.