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Earlier this workweek I wrap up Instapaper , a World Wide Web - based service that lets you economise articles for later reading . Today ’s Gem , Quix , is also Web - related , but its determination is to add a lot of convenient functionality to your Web web internet browser itself .
We ’ve cover many multi - function web browser app add - ons in Mac Gems , but what makes Quix alone is that it does n’t require you to install additional software and it wo n’t decelerate down or otherwise adversely affect your browser app — all of Quix ’s functionality is contained in a single JavaScript bookmarklet thatworks with all modern browsers .
To establish Quix , you simply go to the Quix Website , cart the Quix App push to your internet browser ’s bookmarks bar , and give the novel bookmark a name ( say , Quix ) . To get at Quix ’s features , you just select that bookmarker and typewrite a program line into the dialogue that appear .
Using Quix to perform a Google search of Macworld.com for “iPad Keyboard Dock”
You ’ve catch a plethora of bid at your disposal : Quix ’s helper pagelists near 100 , prepare into 10 categories such as basic , societal media , WordPress , Webmaster , and URL shortening . ( handily enough , typinghelpin the Quix command box will take you to that Help Thomas Nelson Page . )
For example , a few week ago , I covered a shortcut for Googling the current Website . Quix has just such a feature built in : Typegs [ search term]to execute a Google search on the current web site . Some of my other favorites from the “ basic ” category admit :
( This is a perfect chance to remind you of one of my favourite Safari features : The first nine bookmark — not folders — in Safari ’s bookmark bar , come out from the left , can be opened by weigh Command+1 , Command+2 , Command+3 , and so on , respectively . So if you locate your Quix bookmarklet in , say , the second position from the left , you could activate Quix by pressing Command+2 , making it even more commodious to use . Check out Quix’sbrowsers pagefor standardized tips for other browsers . )
Using Quix to perform a Google search of Macworld.com for “ iPad Keyboard Dock ”
If you ’ve father an iPhone , iPod sense of touch , or iPad , the fact that Quix is a JavaScript bookmarklet means that you’re able to use all of Quix ’s feature on the go by synchronize your Safari bookmark with your portable . Yes , you may even find words and phrases on a Web page while using your iPhone of iPad — one of the most glaring omissions of Mobile Safari .
You are n’t stuck with Quix ’s bloodline program line , though . The developer provides asyntax guidefor creating a custom commands single file that includes any universal resource locator or JavaScript codification you require Quix to be able to open up or hightail it . ( Thebuilt - in commands fileprovides some good examples of command sentence structure , too . ) Once you ’ve created your commands file , you put it on the World Wide Web somewhere ( for example , in your MobileMe Sites pamphlet ) , enter the file ’s uniform resource locator on theExtend Quix page , and then drag the new Quix bookmarklet , which now include your command , to your bookmarks Browning automatic rifle .
Quix ’s biggest drawback is that it can be baffling to commend all your preferred commands — you’ll likely find oneself yourself visiting the Help varlet often , at least at first . But even if you call back only a handful of those commands , Quix is sure to be a commodious sweetening to your Web web internet browser .
