Mozilla finally makes it easier to add Search Engines to Firefox

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Firefox users have a few options to add new search engines to the browser. The entire process is not as straightforward as it could be though, especially when you compare it to how search engines are added to Chromium-based browsers such as Google Chrome.

The two main options are to add the new search engine from the address bar or search bar of the browser, or by installing it. The settings, for instance, are a place that that you can’t add new search engines from.

With Firefox 140 comes a change that adds two new option to the process.

The first allows you you to right-click on any search field to add that search engine to Firefox. Some users may find this new option more natural, especially when compared to the current status quo regarding search engines in the open source browser.

Firefox's new "add search engine" option

So, simply right-click the search field and select “add search engine” . This opens a prompt that gives you the option to change the name of the search engine and assign a keyword to it. Activate the “add engine” button to add it to Firefox.

The search engine is available now in Firefox. You still need to go to the Settings to make it the default, but you can select it right away when running searches in the browser.

Search Engines in Settings

Firefox Add a new search engine in Settings

The second option is available right in Settings. Open the Settings in Firefox and switch to the Search group to get started.

There you find the new Add option to add a new search engine to Firefox. You do need the search URL for this one and use the %s placeholder for your search terms. The two other options let you pick a custom name for the search engine and add an optional keyword.

There you have it, two new options to add search engines to Firefox. This improves the feature significantly.

Now You: how do you add new search engines to your browser of choice? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

How to sort files in Windows using two parameters, e.g. type and size

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

It is easy to sort files in Windows’ File Explorer. Just activate one of the displayed column headers, e.g., type or size, and Windows will sort all files using the selected value.

Select size and files will be displayed from largest to smallest. Click again, and the sort order is reversed.

Did you know that you can add a second sort parameter to this without breaking the first sort order? This can be useful, for instance by sorting all files by type and by size.

This keeps files grouped by typed, e.g., PDF documents, images, videos, while still sorting each individual group by size.

To do so, simply sort files like you always do. Click on a column header to sort by type. Hold down the Shift-key then and click on another header, e.g., size.

You will notice that files get sorted again without breaking the first sort order.

This can be quite useful, for instance when you want to check the largest files of multiple file types.

Now You: have another tip that is a time-saver on Windows or other devices that you use? Feel free to leave a comment down below to share it with everyone.

The Browser Company drops Arc Browser in favor of Dia, its new browser

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

When the Browser Company announced its Arc Browser, it got favorable reviews on a lot of sites. Yes, there were critics as well, but if you read the likes of Lifehacker or The Verge, you’d believe that it would soon overtake every other browser out there.

I have to admit that I did not like Arc Browser from the very start. I said so much last year when I reviewed it. My main concern back then was not the minimalistic approach, but the lack of features, e.g. extensions, and the clear intention of turning a profit with Arc by introducing subscription options.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with earning a living from your hard work, but a paid browser is a hard sell in a world where all major browsers are free.

Today, The Browser Company sent out a letter to Arc members letting them know that it made the decision to discontinue the Arc Browser to focus fully on Dia.

Here are the key points made in the long letter:

  • Arc was “too different” with “too many new things to learn” for “too little reward”.
  • The browser felt like a very specialized tool while the company was aiming to become a mass-market consumer product.
  • Arc was complex, and many of its core features, those highlighted by reviewers, were not really used by the majority of users.

Dia came into existence as a result of AI taking the world by storm in 2023. With Dia, The Browser Company hopes that it is getting it right this time. Speed and simplicity are the cornerstones of the new browser, and the main reason why the changes could not be integrated into Arc Browser, according to the company.

Dia focuses on artificial intelligence. I wrote about it last month when a quick tour video of Dia was released by The Browser Company. Core features highlighted in the video included the option to have conversations with the AI about any web content open in the browser and use AI search functionality next to that.

Dia is not out yet. When you visit the company website, you still get an option to download Arc Browser for Windows or Mac. While there is a link for Dia as well, it leads to a basic webpage with no download options. You can leave your email address to stay in the loop, but that is about it.

Is Dia going to be the big thing that The Browser Company hopes it is going to be? I have my doubts. AI will certainly play a bigger role in web browsing and the Internet in the years to come, but all major browser makers are integrating AI into their browsers.

Now You: what is your take on this development? Will you try Dia when it becomes available?

Windscribe

A look at WindScribe’s Build your own VPN plan

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

VPN services are mighty useful additions in this day and age. They protect your data and privacy, and may also help you bypass geo-restrictions. There are numerous VPN services out there that serve different purposes.

Many charge a lot for monthly plans and give you huge discounts if you sign up for a year or more. Some, like NordVPN, seem to offer discounts all the time.

I reviewed WindScribe years ago when the VPN service gave free users 50 gigabytes of data. Currently, free users can still sign up and get 10 or so gigabytes per month for free. Connections are also limited some

I stumbled upon the Build your own VPN plan recently. It sounds interesting. Instead of getting a range of features and server locations, you simply select what you need. The price is then based on that.

Here is how it works. Once you have set up a Windscribe account or signed in to one, you may select the Build your own VPN option from the paid plans section.

Here you make two core choices that determine the plan:

  • Select whether you want unlimited bandwidth (adds $1 to the plan).
  • Pick at least two regions that you want to connect to (each region adds $1).

So, if you just need connectivity to one or two regions, you end up paying $3 per month for the plan. While that limits connectivity, it does not really matter if you do not require access to servers in other regions.

Also, you can edit the plan to add or remove locations from it. The regular plans costs $9 per month or $5.75 per month when paid yearly. They offer a handful of advantages besides unlimited regional connectivity:

  • Only 10 custom rules for the R.O.B.E.R.T. add-on, instead of 1000.
  • No ephemereal port forwarding.
  • Static IP only if you get the unlimited bandwidth option.

It does not really make sense to push the custom plan beyond the price charged for the regular plans, as you get access to all server locations in those. The main advantage is that you pay less, if you limit regional availability to two or three locations.

While $3 may still pale compared to the discounts that companies like NordVPN throw around all year round, it may still be better than the $5.75 that you pay for a regular plan at Windscribe.

My main recommendation regarding a VPN remains Mullvad though. While it costs $5 per month, it is as private as it gets. May not be for everyone, especially if you have different requirements.

Now You: do you use a VPN service? If so, which do you use and why? How much do you per per month or year for the service?

Firefox

Firefox’s address bar is getting a makeover: here is a first look

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Mozilla’s Firefox web browser remains a popular choice, especially for open source enthusiasts and users who want as much customization options as possible.

While Mozilla is going through some form of decline, at least when Firefox’s usage share is concerned, it is still used by hundreds of millions of users each month.

Mozilla tried several strategies to turn the tide. It continues to reduce its reliance on Google money through new products, but most revenue still comes from that one search deal with Google.

Recently, Mozilla introduced much-requested features in Firefox. From tab groups to vertical tabs. an improved profile manager and the upcoming link previews feature.

Now, it is the address bar that is getting a makeover.

Tip: check out my guide on enabling compact mode in Firefox.

The improved Firefox address bar

Improved selection of search engines and search data

Image source: Mozilla

Click on the icon at the left side of the address bar to pick any search engine for search. You may also select internal options, such as bookmarks or the browsing history from the menu.

My take: Good addition, but nothing major.

Search term instead of search URL

Image source: Mozilla

A controversial change. When you run a search, Firefox displays the original search term in the address bar instead of the URL. Mozilla says that it is done to give users easier access to change the phrase and to run the search using a different search engine.

My take: Don’t like, as the URL should always be visible.

Search using keywords

This feature is not really new, as Firefox supported keyword-based searches for a long time.

Use @bookmarks or @tabs to limit searches

My take: not really new, but may expose the feature to more users.

Actions to take

Image source: Mozilla

Actions is a new feature. An action is a command that you want Firefox to execute. Options include printing the active page, opening the Settings, viewing the page source, or clearing the recent history.

My take: this one is handy for users who prefer the keyboard over mouse.

Contextual search suggestions

Firefox shows contextual options for some searches or prompts. It may show a shortcut to search the active site or to switch to a specific tab.

My take: sounds like a useful feature, not entirely new though.

No HTTPS:// anymore, but clear warnings for insecure sites

Since most sites use the secure HTTPS now, Mozilla decided to hide the protocol from Firefox. It continues to show warnings if a site uses HTTP or another insecure protocol or misconfigured protocol.

My take: I prefer to see all protocols all the time, so, not something that I like.

Good news is that you can make changes to Firefox’s configuration to alter the defaults. Check out Mozilla’s blog post for additional screenshots and information.

Now You: what is your take on these features? Something that you find interesting or superfluous? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Quick Tip to get rid of AI elements on Google Search

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

If you do use Google Search as your daily search driver or occasionally, you may have noticed an increase in AI summaries at the top of the search results.

Run a search for “what is Windows 11” and there is a good chance that Google displays an AI generated answer to the query at the very top. While that is useful at times, especially if you just need a quick overview of a topic or want something that would require significant manual research, it may at other times be of no use or even relaying incorrect information.

While you could switch to another search engine or install an extension that removes the AI content, you could also use the following to handle this on a case-by-case basis.

All you have to do is append &udm=14 to the URL. Just paste the string at the end of the URL and hit reload. This takes care of the AI overview.

Tip: you may also add a custom search engine to your browser of choice. This is the URL that you need to add: https://google.com/search?udm=14&q=%s

If you want something permanent, the best option is to install a browser extension for that.

Here is a short list of extensions you may consider:

Chromium-based, e.g. Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, or Opera:

Mozilla Firefox:

Now You: What is your take on AI overviews or summaries in search? Do you find them useful, sometimes useful or not useful at all? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Mozilla is shutting down Pocket and Fakespot

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Mozilla announced today that it is shutting down two of its services: Pocket, a long-standing bookmarking and reading service, and Fakespot, a recent acquisition, that can detect fake reviews of products online.

Pocket

Pocket started out as an independent “read it later” service back in 2007. It allowed users to save bookmarks to web resources to keep track of everything from a central location. Mozilla acquired Pocket in 2017 and integrated it in Firefox.

Pocket users have until October 8, 2025 to export their data. The service will enter export-only mode on July 8, 2025 and you may use the service normally until then. All user data will be deleted permanently after October 8. The Pocket extension and mobile apps will also be shut down.

Why is Mozilla shutting down Pocket? Mozilla says that “the way people use the web has evolved” and that it made the decision to channel its resources “into projects that better match” the browsing habits and online needs of this evolved user type.

Paying subscribers will get a partial refund that is based on the time left in a subscription after July 8.

You can check out this support article for details.

Fakespot

The second service that is axed is Fakespot. It started out as an independent service to distinguish fake reviews and ratings of products online from legitimate ones.

Mozilla acquired Fakespot in 2023 and integrated Review Checker into Firefox. This tool is shutting down on June 10th, 2025.

Closing Words

I have to admit that I never warmed to Pocket. While I tried the service, especially in the early days, I never found it particularly useful for my use cases. I know users who have used it for over a decade.

Some were disappointed by some of the decisions that Mozilla made regarding Pocket. Search, for example, some said, got a whole lot worse years ago making Pocket less of a useful tool in the process.

Mozilla does not say, but it is probably throwing dead weight over the board to become leaner and be better prepared for the potential Google breakup and end of the search deal with Google.

Google

Google: “people have been finding ads within AI overviews helpful”, so we are expanding them

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

When you run a search on Google, you may get an AI Overview at the top of the results. Google announced an expansion of the AI-powered feature to roll out in more markets and for more languages.

Google revealed information about its AI plans yesterday on its Ads & Commerce blog. There, the company noted that AI Overviews is “one of the most successful launches in Search in the past decade”. Google saw a 10 percent increase in usage of Google for queries that displayed the overview generated by Google’s Gemini AI.

As a consequence, Google is expanding ads across AI Overviews. In particular, Google says that it is expanding ads in AI Overviews in English to more countries on mobile and desktop, and Search and Shopping ads in AI Overviews for desktop users in the United States.

Ads will also be tested in AI Mode, which Google calls its “most powerful AI search” feature. AI Mode is limited to Google Search users from the United States at the time of writing.

In other words: expect (more) advertisement in AI Overviews and other AI tools in the coming months and years.

Clearly, running AI is expensive. While companies like Google, Meta, or Microsoft have the means to sustain development, infrastructure and operations, the clear goal is the direct or indirect generation of revenue from these services.

Direct revenue may come from subscriptions or ads, indirect revenue from using data for training or other purposes.

The consequences are clear: users should expect to see more and more ads baked into AI services. This looks like a testing ground currently, but it looks similar to how Google introduced ads in search. First, some ads, separated clearly from search results. Now, Google users get more ads than organic search results in some queries and there is no longer a clear distinction between the two.

Now You: do you use AI services? What is your take on ads being integrated into those?

Gemini Google Chrome

Gemini in Chrome: Google integrates AI directly into the browser

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Google announced Gemini in Chrome yesterday. The integration of the AI into Google’s browser is the next step in Google’s masterplan to spice up its products using artificial intelligence.

Chrome users in the United States who are subscribed to Google AI Pro or the new Google AI Ultra plan, will be the first to gain access to the AI.

The initial version closes the gap to other browsers that use AI already to summarize webpages for users or allow users to ask questions about the content of a website.

Gemini for Chrome will do the same initially. You activate the AI tool with a click on its icon in Chrome. From there, you can ask questions or give it instructions. The first iteration is limited to the active webpage. You can, for instance, ask it to explain certain concepts to you or provide a summary of the key points.

Google included the following examples in a demo video:

  • Make a regular recipe gluten-free.
  • Helping a student understand the differences between chemical bonds.
  • Adding a reminder to calendar.
  • Asking Gemini which plant is best from a selection of plants in open tabs.
  • Asking Gemini which poses one should do for a racing podium.

Note: it is a good idea to verify information generated by AI to make sure it is accurate.

Gemini in Chrome: goal is full access to all tabs and agentic functionality

Google is working on improving this base functionality. The company plans to give Gemini access to all open tabs. This enables more features, including the ability to compare different webpages or products or taking everything into account when generating a response.

Gemini will also be able to open websites on behalf of the user, according to Google’s announcement. Google did not explain why users would want the AI to open webpages on their behalf.

Closing Words

Like it or not, AI is going to be integrated into the majority of web browsers. Not everyone will see the use of this, but this will surely expose AI tools to more users. This could change how users use web browsers, searches, and the Web significantly.

Now You: do you use AI features or tools in your browser of choice already? Let me know in the comments below.

Microsoft Edit Open Source Text Editor

Microsoft’s new open source Edit application may remind you of the classic MS-DOS Editor

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

If you have used computers for a long time, you may remember MS-DOS and the tools that Microsoft shipped with it. Microsoft developed Edit, an open source command line text editor for Windows as an homage of sorts.

Interested users can download and install the latest version of Edit for Windows or build the app from scratch, if they prefer to do so. Microsoft plans to integrate the editor into insider builds of Windows first before making it available to all users as part of Windows 11. It is also available for Linux.

The big difference to the classic MS-DOS Editor is that Edit has a modern graphical user interface.

Microsoft describes Edit in the following way on GitHub:

This editor pays homage to the classic MS-DOS Editor, but with a modern interface and input controls similar to VS Code. The goal is to provide an accessible editor that even users largely unfamiliar with terminals can easily use.

Edit has a size of just 250 kilobytes and users may run the app without installation.

Here are key features that Microsoft highlights on this Dev blog:

  • Lightweight open source text editor.
  • Supports mouse and text user interface to select all menu options using keys.
  • Support for opening several files and switching between them using Ctrl-P.
  • Support for finding and replacing text. Use the keyboard shortcut CTRL-R for that, or select Edit > Replace.
  • Word wrap support.

Compared to established text editors, the functionality is not really special. Notepad++, for instance, supports additional features, such as syntax highlighting, which Edit does not.

Edit on the other hand does not appear to be an attempt by Microsoft to introduce competition to established third-party editors. Microsoft itself says that the main goal of Edit was to introduce a command line text editor for 64-bit versions of Windows, as these come without one (unlike 32-bit versions of Windows).

Closing Words

Edit looks like an interesting protect. It is open source, lightweight, and will one day be included in default Windows installations. That does not mean that you have to use it, but it is an option for users who like these types of editors.

Now You: what is your take on Edit? Will you give it a go? Let us know in the comments.