Every web browser comes with bookmarking capabilities, and while bookmarking is not as popular as it was ten years ago, it is fair to assume that the majority of computer users make use of bookmarks. What is a bookmark? Standard bookmarks are nothing more than links that point to a web address. Bookmarks are like an address book, only for web properties and not people or businesses.
Advanced bookmarks, so called bookmarklets are another form. They are a mixture of bookmarks and small applets. They usually do not contain any link information but are stored in the bookmarks folder or toolbar of the computer.
So what is the best bookmark manager? Not an easy question as it may seem to be. The answer depends highly on the individual user. A computer user who only works on one computer and with one web browser may need nothing more than the built-in bookmark manager. Users with multiple web browsers on the same computer, multiple computers with the same or different browser, mobile devices, or computer access at locations without rights to install or synchronize bookmarks may all need different products.
Sometimes it may not be possible to sync bookmarks between different devices, and sometimes it may require the use of two programs or a workflow that requires manual steps.
Lets take a look at the built-in syncing capabilities of the five web browsers Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, Internet Explorer and Safari:
Native Bookmark Syncing
All solutions have in common that an account is needed.
Firefox: Firefox users can make use of Firefox Sync to synchronize bookmarks and other data between the same and different Firefox profiles on the same or different computer systems. Firefox Sync is a built-in feature of Firefox 4, and available as an add-on for Firefox 3. Data is stored on a Mozilla server or optionally on a custom server.
Google Chrome: The Chrome browser comes with built-in synchronization of user data. Chrome users need to click on Tools > Options > Personal Stuff > Set up sync to setup the feature. A Google account is required and the data is stored online and synced whenever the user opens the Chrome browser and is signed into the Google account.
Opera: Opera Link is the name of Opera’s synchronization service. Opera users enable it in the browser by clicking on Menu > Synchronize Opera. An account needs to be created during the setup, the bookmarks and other information are saved online on Opera servers.
Internet Explorer: Microsoft’s Internet Explorer does not offer a built-in sync feature. Microsoft however has added synchronization to the Windows Live Toolbar. A Windows Live account is required to setup synchronization. IE users need to download the Windows Live Toolbar first and click the share button after the installation to setup bookmark synchronization. The data is synced with Windows Live Skydrive.
Safari: There does not seem to be a built-in way to synchronize Safari bookmarks (correct me if I’m wrong). Options are the paid Mobile Me service by Apple, or a third party workaround solution like making use of Dropbox.
Third party tools to sync bookmarks
Xmarks: One of the most popular bookmark managers thanks to its support for four out of the five browsers listed above. Only Opera is not supported by Xmarks. Users who do not use Opera, but multiple other browsers from the list above may want to use Xmarks to synchronize their bookmarks. The service is free and reliable.
Up until now we have not really looked at ways to synchronize web browser bookmarks with mobile devices like the iPhone, iPad or Android phones. There is unfortunately no standard for this yet. The best solutions are to either install a mobile web browser, for instance Opera Mobile or Firefox Mobile to sync bookmarks with a specific Internet browser, or to install an app like Chromemarks Lite, My Bookmarks App or Firefox Home to synchronize the bookmarks.
The best solution depends largely on the browsers used on the desktop computer and the mobile devices. There is no service that synchronizes all bookmarks.
Two-step syncing: It is sometimes necessary to configure two-step syncing which basically means to synchronize the bookmarks from one computer or device to another application that can then synchronize the data with the target device. Say you want to sync your Internet Explorer favorites or Safari bookmarks with your iPad or iPhone. You cannot do that directly unless you find an app that supports it. You could however configure iTunes to act as a middle-man.
Another option are applications, that are usually only available for a specific operating system. Transmute for Windows PCs can for instance comes as a free version that can convert bookmarks between web browsers and even mobile devices. The paid version adds synchronization so that it is possible to automatically synchronize bookmarks between web browsers and Android devices.
Verdict
There is no one application fits it all solution. I have created a small Excel table with links and information about the synchronization options between browsers and devices.
The spreadsheet has a lot of blanks and I’m asking for your help to fill them with information. You can download the latest version directly from Ghacks: bookmark manager synchronization.
Related Articles:
Google Chrome 4 Gets Bookmark SyncingSynchronize Your Bookmarks Between Different Computers
Opera 9.5 beta is out
Synchronize Data with Opera Link
Bookmark Syncing Added To Google Browser Dev Builds
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I don’t want to use a browser or website to manage my collection of favorites. Can anybody recommend a FOSS stand-alone desktop that’s up to the task?
Currently, I use a Zim notebook because it gives me the “killer app” of data management: hierarchical keywords. Unfortunately, it’s a very manual way of doing things, but I only add new URLs infrequently. It’s a nice system for me because I also store my Address Book in the same notebook as well as information about businesses that I’ve encountered and products that I want. Zim makes it easy for me to link all of this information together so that I can associated a favorite URL with a people, products, businesses, and my “to do” lists, but it would be so much nicer to have a purpose built utility that does for URLs what RSS Owl does for rss feeds: automatic titling, drag and drop organization, status of service checking. I would also welcome any such offline tool to collect statistics on how often I use my very URLs, which might inform me on how to better organize them.
Any ideas? Anybody?
I’d be interested in that as well. Maybe it is time for someone to code the universal bookmark synchronization tool.
Maybe you can try Bookmark Flash + SugarSync .
I think Bookmark Flash is the best native bookmark tool I had used . It supports FireFox,Chrome,Safari,Opera and IE , but it won’t add any plug-ins to browsers . I sync the data with SugarSync .
Native bookmarking in FF is very uncomfortable but I haven’t found any better solution. I’m definitely open to suggestions.
Online storage of bookmarks ? spying and profiling practices come to mind
I use Google sync/ to keep my settings and extensions synced between browsers. I then use Xmarks to manage my bookmarks (I really like the sync profiles feature) and LastPass to manage passwords.
Give pinboard a whirl.
I have approximately 2000 bookmarks. What’s in there is for my eyes only. I export them to a Flash Drive for safe keeping. Those sync options are not secure and many hackers would love a chance to prove it to you.
Martin, you should take a look on miTaggedMarks. I think it’ll help you to complete/fill your blanks :)
We may be biased, but Linkpager is hands down the best way to save and share your bookmarks.
Save your favorite places from the clouds in the clouds and access your bookmarks from anywhere, on any device, at any time.
Forget the hassles of syncing and use Linkpager to organize your favorites into customized lists or Linkpages to be accessed whenever you need them, or shared out with your friends or the world.
Linkpager is bringing the social back to social bookmarking with a development roadmap in place to quickly roll out new features and make saving and trading your best sites easy and enjoyable.
http://www.linkpager.com
Free to Try, Free to Keep, Free @ Last!
btw the headline is about bookmark manager, but the article is about bookmark synchronizers and web browsers – nice black hat seo dude :D
Yeah, very much Black Hat seo.
And still at number 1 position with keyword search terms *bookmark organizer 2011*
I need to organize my bookmarks not sync them.
You guys have no idea what Black Hat SEO means..
really v good
good work
see you
I use
OnlineBookmark
http://www.frech.ch/online-bookmarks/
and
Getboo on my local server.
Both are local installations and you can access them anywhere in the world as long as you set them up correctly.
I like favicon support and tag cloud organization, that’s why I use http://www.twiggybox.com
Keeps hundreds of links nicely manageable, very easy to find old links back.
5 years and no one have been able to answer this question:
Regardless what browser I use, when I open my bookmarks from menu or when I choose to save a bookmark I have a BIG problem.
All folders from A-Z where I have cataloged and include different bookmarks in each folder, are in a open mode, meaning you can see all the folders from A-Z in a open view. This is o irratating since I have over 1000 folders. The list is then very long and you get lost when scrolling down to choose the folder you want to save a bookmark in.
Is there anyone who know if and how you can open your bookmark list and that all folders are in mode closed so you only see folder A-Z (like for example in Windows explorer where you see a “+” sign nest to the closed folder.
Please and best regards // alex.kjellberg@hotmail.se