Google names the best Chrome extensions of 2023 with a glaring omission

Google has released yet another year-end list, and this time, the tech giant goes over what it thinks are the best Chrome extensions for 2023.

It’s similar to the 10 best Android app awards from last month; however instead of highlighting different kinds of software, the company is focusing on extensions that help you with work or navigating the internet. It didn’t really touch upon any entertainment plugin.

The first group pertains to AI-powered software that aims to “get tasks done faster”. You have Scribe which utilizes artificial intelligence to “document your workflows”, then create step-by-step instructions for other people to follow. DeepL Translate does as the name suggests: translate web pages for you on the fly. It can even instantly change the language of your writing without having to run it through Google Translate. Sider is one of the more interesting suggestions as it lets you access ChatGPT through a sidebar.  

QuillBot helps you write emails or summarize news articles in front of you. And Teal lets you bookmark job listings on online boards as well as track applications in a single location. 

Accessibility tools

From here, we start to see the accessibility tools such as Transkriptor to record audio meetings into text for later reference. Google also recommends installing Equalizer onto Chrome to add better audio controls for media. It lets you create a unique listening experience just by moving the sliders up or down.

If you’re having trouble with (or just don’t feel like) perusing emails or PDFs, users can download Speechify to have a natural-sounding AI voice read it out loud for you. This one is pretty amusing because Snoop Dogg is one of the voices and it’s a very surreal experience hearing him read something you wrote on Google Docs. There isn’t much in the way of customization extensions apart from Bonjourr transforming homepages into a minimalistic centerpiece by removing the search bar and widgets.

Glaring omission

Google caps off the list with a trio of miscellaneous extensions: Coupert helps people find promo codes online, Boxel 3D adds a mini platformer game for whenever you want to take a break, and BTRoblox introduces new features to the Roblox website.

What’s particularly funny about this list is that there isn’t a single adblocker anywhere. If you at other best Chrome extension roundups, you will almost always find an adblocker on there just like our old one from 2022. It’s not super surprising this is the case. Google has been at war against ad-blockers for the past several months, seeking to remove them from Chrome and YouTube altogether. 

It makes sense the company wouldn’t want to highlight something they’re not a fan of, but we certainly will because we know you’re fans of them. Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best ad blockers for 2023.

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