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Gmail is set up to create a new contact for each e-mail you send. However, there are times when this can be more of a hassle than a handy tool. For instance, if you are replying to a lot of Craigslist ads for different pieces of furniture to put in your new apartment, your contacts list will likely get cluttered with nonsense e-mail addresses. Luckily there is an easy option that you can readily toggle off and on to control this feature of Gmail. Here's how:

Step 1: Log in to Gmail.

Step 2: Open the "Mail settings&… Read more

The bottom line: Firefox 5 Mobile brings both familiarity and power to the Android browser scene, but it's Firefox's killer Sync that will drive attention to Mozilla's new mobile browser.

Review: Editors' note: Portions of this review are based on CNET's review for Firefox 5 for desktops.

Mozilla's foray into the Android Market ports much of the desktop Firefox experience to your mobile device. The look and feel of the desktop browser have been remarkably replicated, and the browser itself doesn't feel alien compared with other Android browsers.

If you have a Maemo phone, … Read more

A macro is an automated series of computer actions that can save you a lot of time if you find yourself doing the same tasks over and over again. Unfortunately, macros aren't always easy to create, which means that a lot of people who could benefit from them never get the chance. iMacros for Internet Explorer changes this, making it easy even for novices to create and use macros.

This browser extension appears as a small icon on the IE toolbar, and clicking on it opens a sidebar to the left. Here there are tabs for playing, recording, and … Read more

Maybe you want to give credit where it's due, or just make a note of that one awesome site that seems to point you toward all the answers to your tech questions. Searching your browser history can be hit or miss, especially if you want to know how you came to find any particular page. Firefox users have an easy way to keep track of browsing history in threads, like email conversations. Here's how to get started:

First, head over to Mozilla and install the FromWhereToWhere add-on.

The next time you want to head down Memory Lane, instead … Read more

Crashes and their potential to harm productivity and personal data are the bane of many computer users, but the ability to diagnose and prevent them has arrived in the latest version of Soluto (download), available exclusively today from CNET Download.com. Soluto 1.12.113 beta sees two major new features, crash protection and browser add-on management, form a tripartite attack on problematic computer performance with the program's original feature, boot time management.

Called "Heal Crashes" within the program's main interface, the crash prevention feature takes information that Windows logs but ignores, and uses it to … Read more

Flash adds multimedia effects to Web sites, but not everyone wants that. Some people find Flash animations annoying or distracting, or they're concerned about privacy and security. And for some, it's all of the above. Developers have responded with a variety of tools designed to block all or some Flash animations from loading. We took a look at Flashblock, a free Flash blocker for Firefox and other Mozilla browsers as well as related browsers such as Netscape. It blocks Flash, Shockwave, and Authorware in both Macromedia and Adobe versions.

After we installed Flashblock and restarted Firefox, the first … Read more

Google Tasks is a sweet little to-do app for those who value ease of use over fancy accessories. Google's Chrome Web browser is a fast, sleek application that more and more people are using. Integrating the two is fast, easy, and a real time-saver, especially for folks who want to dash off a quick to-do item without shifting between tabs or windows. Here's how to get started:

If you haven't already installed Google Chrome, do so. It's easy to import settings from most other major browsers.

Now, install the Google Tasks extension. It should take only … Read more

Popular third-party password manager LastPass revealed yesterday that it may well have been hacked and that some e-mail usernames and master passwords may have been stolen. Does this mean it's time to migrate to another password manager, or even abandon the entire concept of online password management for a pen-and-paper solution?

Given the facts of the situation from LastPass' blog post explaining what happened, I'd say no to giving LastPass the boot, and definitely not to abandoning digital password management for a "little black book."

Leaving a paper trail is a horrendous idea for two reasons. … Read more

Though Google Toolbar 7 for Firefox launched several months ago, the Internet Explorer version (download) went live just this week. It brings Google Instant to the popular toolbar, along with more robust privacy options and a cleaner interface.

Although the support for Google Instant search is the most notable feature improvement in version 7, what appears most interesting is the way that the toolbar lets you know that features like Instant, which require tracking to work, actually do track you. While this might not be news to some, it's a strong reminder that many of the data-rich features that … Read more