Dave's Download

Firefox's Smart Address Bar Is a Thing of Beauty

By David LaGesse

Posted: August 5, 2008

Old habits die hard. For more than 13 years, I typed "www" into the address bar of a browser. Over and over again. Sure, bookmarks and search engines reduced the need to type Web addresses. But I still do it. And often.

Now I'm trying to stop, at least the w's. I've finally come to appreciate how the address bar morphed into the "Smart Location Bar" in Firefox 3.0. Type the site's main word—as in "usnews" for www.usnews.com—and the address comes up for me as soon as I just type the "u."

It's a thing of wonder and alone worth the upgrade.

i want to sex!

shane @ Aug 22, 2008 11:53:03 AM

Grrrrrr...

I hate the new bar.

When I type, I don't want a list of every possible url containing the same letters that I type. And I don't need a description of each url it displays. Luckily, the "oldbar" add-on restores the old look and feel. In fact, Firefox 3.1 will make the new behavior an option, so when I type 'us', I get usnews, and not toys-r-us.

of NV @ Aug 06, 2008 10:40:56 AM

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Dave's Download

Our in-house gadget guru, Senior Writer David LaGesse, checks out the latest technologies and gizmos, from computer software to GPS systems -- and reports back to you in plain English.


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