Google Chrome makes it easier to access online applications such as Gmail, Google Docs, Reader, and more by allowing you to create shortcuts locally on your system. Simply go to the online application to which you would like to create a shortcut. Once there, click on the page icon in the upper right side of the browser. Select "Create application shortcuts" and you will be presented with a dialogue box asking where to save the shortcut. The options include Desktop, Start Menu, or Quick Launch Bar. Make your selection and the shortcut appears. When you click on the shortcut the application opens in a streamlined Chrome browser window. When used with Google Gears enabled sites this feature makes online applications behave more like traditional desktop applications. Once more Google is making the browser ubiquitous and is seemingly heading towards making the browser the only application anyone will need to install on to their system.

Additional Note:

Mac and Linux users should keep an eye out for a version of Chrome for their operating systems. Word has it that Google has added Mac and Linux developers to the Chrome team and a version of the browser for those platforms should be appearing soon.

Gmail has quickly become the de facto mail client for most of us. To that end, web developers have created many tools for extending the functionality of the venerable mail application. I ran across the Ultimate List of Gmail Tools & Tips on TechoCrunch. It’s very comprehensive. If you are looking for a way to tweak Gmail to your liking then check it out.

OK, sometimes the things we want to do in Photoshop is right before our eyes. One thing that has bugged me for years about Photoshop was the inability to resize a selection made with the Marquee Tool. You make your selection, it’s a bit off, but there are no nifty handles to grab to resize the selection to your liking. So you try commands like grow, similar, and expand but eventually settle for “close enough”. The way-to-easy solution can be found under the Select menu itself. Simply make the selection with the Marquee Tool, then go to Select > Transform Selection and voila, instant resize handles for your selection enjoyment.