Do you uise "speed dials" with your browser?

[Carpet_pissr]

Like this, for frequently used pages:

or this?


Basically a Home screen replacement for (in my case) new tabs, with a GUI instead of the typical lists with nested folders, etc.

I used FVD Speed Dial for years when I used Firefox, but now, re-installing this on Thorium, it seems they have made some nasty little changes like adding in their own (sponsored) dials for you, etc. Lots of nasty, recent reviews due to these and other reasons. Not to mention that it doesn't seem to auto pick up the graphic anymore like it used to. I have to manually create almost every dial face. Boo

I saw a couple of recommendations for "Yet Another Speed Dial", but it only has 82 reviews on the Chrome Store, and these things are kind of a big time investment (importing/exporting, or worse, if not possible, manually recreating in a different app/extension).

Any recommendations welcome!

[LordMortis]

Dunno what a speed dial is exactly but I do use the pinned tile in firefox. I just hate that the pins go FUBAR when you drag them around, which I do because the things I want pinned change. Like when TD changes to Schwab or Sprint changes to T Mobile or I get the boot from my health care provider and COBRA plan. The tiles don't just drag and drop and when they move the knock the pin off another tile. <blech> on the implementation, even as I love the feature way more than book marks or toolbar links.

[Carpet_pissr]

They started as extensions a long time ago, then many browsers starting including the capability natively. Edge now has this built in, as does Vivaldi, among others.

[Blackhawk]

Never. I've tried them, but I don't want to have to open a page in order to open a page. I use the bookmarks toolbar, which lets me navigate to my most frequently used sites in a single click, or open them in a new window with a middle-click, all without leaving the page I'm on. If I'm wanting to open several, I can just middle-middle-middle on them and I'm done. And if they're in a folder, I can just middle click on the folder to open the whole set.

That covers about 90% of my browsing. The other 10% is stored in the usual bookmarks folders/subfolders.

Click for full size

[Kraken]

I didn't know they were called speed dials. When I open a new Firefox tab it has eight tiles going to my most frequently visited sites, and I do often use those. Every now and then they throw in a "sponsored" wildcard, but those are easy to dismiss.

[LordMortis]

I didn't know they were called speed dials. When I open a new Firefox tab it has eight tiles going to my most frequently visited sites, and I do often use those. Every now and then they throw in a "sponsored" wildcard, but those are easy to dismiss.

I pin the ones I actually use. I also set it so it gets rid of pocket ads and 32 tiles. I have 23 pins for the things I use a lot. Either daily, weekly, monthly, or when I need it, I don't want to be bothered to look for it (healthcare and grocer pages, as example)

[Kraken]

I didn't know they were called speed dials. When I open a new Firefox tab it has eight tiles going to my most frequently visited sites, and I do often use those. Every now and then they throw in a "sponsored" wildcard, but those are easy to dismiss.

I pin the ones I actually use. I also set it so it gets rid of pocket ads and 32 tiles. I have 23 pins for the things I use a lot. Either daily, weekly, monthly, or when I need it, I don't want to be bothered to look for it (healthcare and grocer pages, as example)

I have many years worth of bookmarks sorted into folders and alphabetized, with the most-used ones on the main menu. So I mostly use bookmarks.

[Pyperkub]

Only after reboots on clean launch (OO )

Otherwise, it's all bookmarks (usually in folders on the quicklaunch toolbar).

[Anonymous Bosch]

I prefer using the free and open-source xBrowserSync. Because it encrypts, securely backs up, and syncs your bookmarks so you can easily access your bookmarks in different browsers. It also provides a superior search interface with more useful descriptions and search tags:

xBrowserSync is a free and open-source alternative to browser syncing tools offered by companies like Google, Firefox, Opera and others. The project was born out of a concern for the over-reliance on services provided by big tech, who collect as much personal data as they can and have demonstrated that they do not respect their user’s privacy. Now, with the proliferation of open-source code and projects it’s easier than ever to create tools and services that allow users to take back control of their data!

xBrowserSync respects your privacy and gives you complete anonymity. No sign up is required and no personal data is ever collected. To start syncing simply download xBrowserSync for your desktop browser or mobile platform, enter an encryption password and click Create New Sync! You’ll receive an anonymous sync ID which identifies your data and can be used to access your data on other browsers and devices.

xBrowserSync does not only sync but also enhances your productivity by enriching your native browser bookmarks with the addition of descriptions and tags, and an intuitive search interface enables you to find, modify and share bookmarks quickly and easily. xBrowserSync even adds descriptions and tags to new bookmarks for you automatically. And don’t ever worry about losing your data thanks to the included back up and restore functionality.

The xBrowserSync desktop browser web extension syncs your browser data between desktop browsers. It works with the browser’s native bookmarking features so you can keep using the native tools whilst always staying in sync. If you like to organise your bookmarks into folders don’t worry, xBrowserSync respects your bookmark hierarchy and syncs it across your browsers.

Here's a handy Youtube video that walks you through how to install and use xBrowserSync:

[Carpet_pissr]

I use(d) a similar program called Eversync, but I only used THAT so I could back up my Speed Dials (and easily keep updated between my work and home computers), when I was using them in Firefox. It also does the bookmark backup and xfer however, and still seems to be highly regarded, unlike my old speed dial extension.

[Anonymous Bosch]

I use(d) a similar program called Eversync, but I only used THAT so I could back up my Speed Dials (and easily keep updated between my work and home computers), when I was using them in Firefox. It also does the bookmark backup and xfer however, and still seems to be highly regarded, unlike my old speed dial extension.

Yes, but free and open-source software like xBrowserSync often tends to be more secure, private, reliable, and flexible than closed-source proprietary counterparts like EverSync/EverHelper, whose privacy policy seems less than reassuring.

Because colour me sceptical that closed-source proprietary companies who collect countless personal identifying details on internet browsing habits, personal and online interests, user IP addresses, operating system and device type, and uses info from third-party data collection to deliver content and advertising necessarily respects and values their user’s privacy. So, given the choice, I much prefer to opt for more secure and private open-source alternatives where possible.

[Blackhawk]

Otherwise, it's all bookmarks (usually in folders on the quicklaunch toolbar).

There's a man who knows how to browser!

[Carpet_pissr]

I use(d) a similar program called Eversync, but I only used THAT so I could back up my Speed Dials (and easily keep updated between my work and home computers), when I was using them in Firefox. It also does the bookmark backup and xfer however, and still seems to be highly regarded, unlike my old speed dial extension.

Yes, but free and open-source software like xBrowserSync often tends to be more secure, private, reliable, and flexible than closed-source proprietary counterparts like EverSync/EverHelper, whose privacy policy seems less than reassuring.

Because colour me sceptical that closed-source proprietary companies who collect countless personal identifying details on internet browsing habits, personal and online interests, user IP addresses, operating system and device type, and uses info from third-party data collection to deliver content and advertising necessarily respects and values their user’s privacy. So, given the choice, I much prefer to opt for more secure and private open-source alternatives where possible.

Yep, trust me, I’ve been listening to you over the years and have converted to many if not most of your suggestions because of that argument you keep making about open source security/privacy.

It just pains me to realize that I used Lastpass for so many years, with hundreds of logins stored there, only for them to be horribly hacked a couple years ago (I’ve been on Bitwarden happily for years, ever since we discussed it here long ago).

[Anonymous Bosch]

It just pains me to realize that I used Lastpass for so many years, with hundreds of logins stored there, only for them to be horribly hacked a couple years ago (I’ve been on Bitwarden happily for years, ever since we discussed it here long ago).

Funnily enough, you'll see Bitwarden features heavily in the tutorial above on how to set up and use xBrowserSync.

[Blackhawk]

When LP started going insane and I switched to BitWarden, I immediately nuked everything on LP. I didn't trust a company that nuts to hang onto that kind of data after I left.

[Carpet_pissr]

When LP started going insane and I switched to BitWarden, I immediately nuked everything on LP. I didn't trust a company that nuts to hang onto that kind of data after I left.

It keeps me up at night not even knowing if I nuked mine or not. I think I can assume I didn't, because my spam increased 8,000% not long after that, and got REALLY specific.

Or that could have also been around the time of the Equifax breach, not sure, but LP would be a much bigger, much richer treasure than Equifax, in terms of personal data, etc.

[Lassr]

I use a Firefox add on called Perfect Home page that does something similar. This is what pops up whenever I start Firefox.
I set it up for most frequented sites with bookmark directories I use a lot at the bottom.