Finding images for articles and presentations can be a nuisance. Unless you’re an expert in creating your own images, you probably use Google Images to find pictures that will fit the theme of your project or article. Most people use Google Images because there’s a huge selection of high quality images there, but visiting unknown sites to open full size images is risky. You could get yourself a nasty virus, and what about when you are looking for images with children? Do you cringe as much as I do at what might pop up? When searching for pictures, half the time, you find the image wasn’t even what you were looking for, or it was a broken image and you have to start over again. There has to be a better way!

Going through that process wastes a lot of time, time that you could be using more productively. If this sounds familiar, you aren’t alone. A company called Dear Computer has recognized the need for a more streamlined process, creating a viable alternative to Google Images. It’s Google Image Ripper,  a tool to be used in conjunction with Google Images, and it’s not a Google product.

This simple tool allows you to search Google’s image database safely and easily as thumbnails or full size images, with download ready links so you don’t have to open the source site to retrieve it.  Just right click on the image for easy storing and saving. The simple and clear layout of the images displayed, enables you to pick the perfect image for your needs.

2. Settings

For those of us that guard our eyes and the eyes of the young ones around us, the tool bar allows you to browse images in “Safe Mode” to avoid any inappropriate pictures from being displayed.

You can also customize the size the images are displayed, by selecting from Large, Medium, or Icon.

The last setting in the toolbar allows you to decide if the URL of the image should be displayed.  Even if you decide to display it, you don’t have to open it to retrieve the image but It’s an option if you wanted to view the source site.

3. Viewing

As you see above, you can view the images in several different sizes but you can also view full size pictures in a slide show mode. To do this, click on the image you would like to see in full size and either use your arrow keys to see the rest of the images or click the “Next” button.

Of course, there are a few image galleries like Flickr and Photbucket  that are gaining in popularity, but you need to sign up for an account and sign in every time you want to search the database. Again, wasted time. If you need something quick, easy and safe to use on a daily basis, Google Image Ripper is a great option. If you like Google Image Ripper but don’t have good luck with it due to your Internet speed, a Firefox plugin called Greasemonkey provides more of an image selection and faster download times for Google Image Ripper.

Which image gallery is your favorite?

Jessica is a Support Technician for Cytanium Hosting who loves to teach people how to use modern technology to be more productive and organized. Simple tips, tricks and tools can make anyone computer savvy! You can follow her on Twitter @learningrl or visit her blog at www.learningrl.net.

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