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Apple Releases Safari 5.01

The browser's new "extensions" are varied, numerous, and easy to add.

By Ian Paul / Thursday, July 29 2010

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Extensions

Trying out the new extensions feature on a Mac was a fairly straightforward experience. I just clicked on Safari>Safari Extensions Gallery, and I was taken to Apple's dedicated extensions page at extensions.apple.com.

At launch, Apple is offering more than 100 extensions on its site categorised into 16 different sections such as social networking, search tools, shopping, and RSS tools. Featured extensions included the MLB toolbar giving you access to game and league updates, Bing Highlights (to search Bing by highlighting text on any website); and an Add to Amazon Wishlist extension, among others.

Installing Safari extensions was an easy, one-click process. For example, to add the "Instapaper It" extension to my browser all I had to do was click on the "Install Now" button and within seconds the extension was installed. Then I just added my Instapaper account information into Safari under the Preferences tab, and started using the extension.

You can also completely turn off extensions for Safari by clicking Safari>Preferences>Extensions, and click on the "Off" button at the top of the preferences window.