One of the things I missed the most using Firefox over Safari was .Mac synchronizing bookmarks and passwords between my various Macs. I have been using Bookmark Synchronizer 3, with Firefox which did part of the job. Google, in its assault on Apple’s .Mac service, has just released a Browser Sync extension for Firefox that allows users to continuously synchronize your browser settings across computers including bookmarks, history, persistent cookies and saved passwords. It also allows you to restore open tabs and windows across different machines and browser sessions. The Browser Sync extension works with all of the operating systems supported by Firefox the opens-source browser. Unlike .Mac this includes Windows and Linux as well as Mac OS X and is FREE. This makes all my computers happy!

Google does warns that using the extension can increase your browser’s start-up time. Installing the extension is pretty easy and I will now say goodbye to Bookmark Synchronizer 3 as Google’s Browser Sync works better and does more. Browser Sync uses encryption to protect your data over the Internet so passwords are not sent over the Net in the clear. Your data is stored with your Google Account which is free. If you have Gmail, you already have a Google account.

To use Google Browser Sync, simply install and configure the extension on all computers for which you’d like your browser settings automatically kept in sync. Even if you only install Browser Sync on a single computer, you can use it to backup your browser settings and to restore your open tabs and windows across browser sessions.

Here’s how to install:
You must have a Google account (if you have Gmail, you have a Google account). If you don’t already have a Google Account, you can create one here.

Using Firefox (requires 1.5 or better), get your copy of the Google Browser Sync for Firefox extension here. Be sure to review the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Notice.

If this is your first time installing a Google Firefox extension, when you click “Agree and Install”, the Firefox browser may display a notice in a bar across the top of the page.

If this notice appears, you will need to edit your browser options to allow the extension to be installed from Google:

Click “Edit Options…” in the bar. The Firefox “Allowed Sites” window will appear.

In this window, enter tools.google.com in the box under “Address of web site”.

Click “Allow” to add Google to the list of allowed sites, then click “OK”.

You will need to click “Agree and Install” a second time to begin installation.

After clicking “Agree and Install”, the Firefox software installation window will appear with Google Browser Sync listed.

Click the “Install Now” button. The Firefox extensions window will appear confirming installation.

Close the Firefox extensions window, then close all Firefox windows and restart the browser.

Configuring your computers
After successfully downloading and installing the extension, then restarting your browser, you’ll see a setup wizard.

The setup wizard will take you through a series of quick and easy steps. Fill in your Google account information (create one if you do not have one).

You’ll need to choose which browser components you’d like to keep synchronized with your other computers (the standard install includes all possible components).

Choose a PIN to protect your sensitive information. DO NOT FORGET THE PIN YOU CHOOSE you will need it to setup your other computers.

You can recover your PIN quickly and easily. Just log on to a computer where you’ve installed Google Browser Sync, then follow these steps:

Open a Firefox window.
Open the “Settings…” menu under your username in the upper-right corner of the page.
Click the “Show” button in the “Security settings” section of the page. Currently, there is no way to change your PIN. If your PIN is compromised, the best thing to do is to remove the Browser Sync service from your Google account at http://www.google.com/accounts and start fresh. Since Browser Sync imports your current browser settings, you shouldn’t lose anything.

OK, you are done installing and configuring. Now click on Done. Google Browser Sync will now take a few minutes uploading your data to their servers. This takes a few minutes the first time you do it.

Configuring your second computer is even easier. You only need to install the extension, log in with your Google Account username and password, and provide your choosen PIN.

Day-to-day use
Google Browser Sync is completely automated. The settings you select at startup are automatically synchronized across each of the computers on which you install Browser Sync. You won’t even need to log in every time you start the browser. You can change which browser components are being synced – or even stop the syncing process entirely – using the settings panel in the upper-right corner of the page. The settings panel also gives you access to your PIN.

Click on Google account icon to make changes.

Account Information

Sync Settings

When you log onto a different computer using Firefox while your Firefox browser is still open on, you will usually get a dialog from Google Browser Sync on the first machine. The icon also changes color showing when you are connected or not.

When you open Firefox on the new machine you will be asked if you want to Restore Your Last Session.

This also includes sessions that have multiple open tabs.

If you click to Restore Session your Firefox browser will open the tabs stored from your previous session in the same order, pretty slick!

Some privacy concerns may be noted for some users as Google already knows plenty about all of us and now you will be storing passwords, history, and bookmarks on Google servers. But this is no different from .Mac in this regard.

Please note: Any user of your browser can see its history and other settings. Google Browser Sync synchronizes these settings across every browser on which you install Browser Sync. This means that anyone who uses one of those browsers can see browser settings created on the others. In addition, by using the browser anyone can create new settings, such as browsing history, that will be synchronized.

Please note: Google Browser Sync must update your browser settings whenever you start Firefox. This will increase the start-up time of Firefox (the time between clicking on the Firefox icon and loading your start page) – Google says “please bear with us as we work to decrease this delay.”

How to Uninstall
In the Firefox browser, click “Tools” and select “Extensions”. The Extensions window should appear.

Click “Google Browser Sync”, then click the “Uninstall” button.

Click the “OK” button in the confirmation window. The Extensions window should confirm that Google Browser Sync has been uninstalled.

Close the Extensions window, then close all Firefox windows and restart the browser.

    | Tags: .mac, bookmarks, firefox extension, Google, sync