We recently let you know about a new extension for Microsoft Edge that’s slowly making its way to the Windows Store, specifically the Turn of the Lights extension making its way from Chrome that makes viewing video more pleasant. Now, the Edge development team is letting us know about a couple of other extensions that will be available soon to Windows Insider.
The news comes via the Microsoft Edge Dev Twitter account:
We’re happy to announce that we're working with uBlock Origin, Ghostery, & Turn Off the Lights to bring their extensions to Microsoft Edge!
— Microsoft Edge Dev (@MSEdgeDev) September 23, 2016
We'll preview these extensions with Insiders first before rolling them out to everyone. Stay tuned here & the Insider blog for more details!
— Microsoft Edge Dev (@MSEdgeDev) September 23, 2016
uBlock Origin is an extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera that acts as an ad blocker that can also read filters from hosts files. Here’s the description in the Chrome web store:
Finally, an efficient blocker. Easy on CPU and memory.
IMPORTANT: uBlock Origin is completely unrelated to the site “ublock.org”.***
An efficient blocker: easy on memory and CPU footprint, and yet can load and enforce thousands more filters than other popular blockers out there.
Illustrated overview of its efficiency: https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/uBlock-vs.-ABP:-efficiency-compared
Usage: The big power button in the popup is to permanently disable/enable uBlock Origin for the current web site. It applies to the current web site only, it is not a global power button.
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Flexible, it’s more than an “ad blocker”: it can also read and create filters from hosts files.
Out of the box, these lists of filters are loaded and enforced:
– EasyList
– Peter Lowe’s Ad server list
– EasyPrivacy
– Malware domainsMore lists are available for you to select if you wish:
– Fanboy’s Enhanced Tracking List
– Dan Pollock’s hosts file
– hpHosts’s Ad and tracking servers
– MVPS HOSTS
– Spam404
– And many othersOf course, the more filters enabled, the higher the memory footprint. Yet, even after adding Fanboy’s two extra lists, hpHosts’s Ad and tracking servers, uBlock Origin still has a lower memory footprint than other very popular blockers out there.
Also, be aware that selecting some of these extra lists may lead to higher likelihood of web site breakage — especially those lists which are normally used as hosts file.
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Free.
Open source with public license (GPLv3)
For users by users.If ever you really do want to contribute something, think about the people working hard to maintain the filter lists you are using, which were made available to use by all for free.
Ghostery is a Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Opera extension that helps protect a browser’s privacy and provide information on which sites are tracking things. Here’s the description from the Chrome web store:
Protect your privacy. See who’s tracking your web browsing with Ghostery.
Enjoy a faster, safer and cleaner browsing experience.We live in a connected world. When you browse the web, your data leaves a digital footprint. This footprint, connected by tracking technologies (called trackers), helps companies build a profile about you and how you interact with their sites and their competitors, allowing them to optimize their communications and site experience to reach you – and others like you – at the right place, at the right time.
Ghostery gives you the control to make informed decisions about the personal data you share with the trackers on the sites you visit.
Enjoy a faster web
Some sites take too long to load. This can be due to trackers weighing your system down. Ghostery allows you to block the offending trackers and significantly speed up your browsing.Get the content you want
Remove page clutter so you can focus on the content you want.Control your data
Sometimes being connected can help you find the data you need quicker, like a location tracker that helps you find the closest cafe. Sometimes it spoils the fun, like a remarketing tracker, revealing the birthday present you wanted kept a surprise. Ghostery makes locking down your data easier.Be Informed, Take Control
Ghostery gives you the tools needed to understand the different types of trackers and how they may impact your overall browsing experience, putting the power directly in your hands.
We’re still hoping to see that avalanche of extensions make their way over from Chrome, and will likely be rewarded for our patience once Microsoft opens up the flood gates. In the meantime, stay tuned for more information on these and other extensions for your favorite Windows 10 browser.
