There are many contradictory opinions about toolbars. Some say they are useful, some say they are annoying and take precious browser space. There are some concerns about privacy also. Here you can see overview – what you get and what you loose with Google latest version of toolbar.
Like its name says, it is a bar below the menu bar of your browser. It consists small tools you maybe find them useful in your daily browser work. It has some useful features. Those features are:
Custom buttons – there is option to choose custom buttons that will appear ontoolbar. Those buttons are usually links to favourite web locations, but also those can be tools, for example scientific calculator, or currency converter,or games – bowling or if you loved Mario – Mario tetris. Full list you can findin Google Toolbar Button Gallery.
Auto Fill – this button will fill out forms with your information. You can make several profiles for your needs and then when you have to fill forms choose right one and forms will be filled. You don't have to enter your personal information every time you want to buy something. I am a little sceptic and don't use this.
Translate – some may find this option useful. It can translate entire web page into language you want. Also when you put mouse over the word it will translate the word into predefined language.
SpellCheck – it checks text you type in web forms. Helpful, I'd say.
PageRank Display – well, this is the tool I found very useful. It shows Google pagerank of a page.
Highlight Search terms – it highlights searched terms on a webpage. Another one useful tool.
SideWiki – if you have Google account you can write your comments about page you're currently looking. Those comments will be visible by other visitors of that page. Also you can read information and comments about page if you click SideWiki icon on toolbar.
What else toolbar brings? There is suggestions for navigation errors, where instead of Error 404 page you will get the page with suggestions for the addresses you maybe wanted to access to. There is modified tab page, so when you open new tab you will have shortcuts toyour visited pages so you don't have to type address or open Favourites or Bookmarks. You can access your toolbar from every computer, if you are logged in with your Google account. It brings you web history with pages you recently viewed, but this is same as the browser History option. It is inconvenient also cause you must be logged into Google account, so the browser offers better solution. Another one thing same as in Browser are Bookmarks, so I won't explain it. Button Share enables you to share favourite web locations with your friends from some social network.
Those were propositions what you can get if you choose to install Google toolbar. I can qualify them as pros, for those who may find those features helpful. Let see what are the cons. First, it takes your browser space. It annoys many people. And then here is the fact that the toolbar updates without asking, no matter how restrictive your browser or firewall settings are. It may add some new feature and you won't notice. It was the controversial Autolink feature which really bothered webmasters cause it putted a links in their pages where they didn't existed. That feature later was retired. So, the toolbar has useful features that can facilitate your everyday's surfing. Not revolutionary ones, but it may save you a few seconds or nerves maybe. The decision is on you.