Open in Helium is a Chrome extension developed by Ben Cheshire that provides a seamless way to open webpages in the Helium or HeliumLift apps on Mac OS X. With Helium and HeliumLift being popular free apps that offer always-on-top floating windows, this extension enhances the user experience by allowing easy interaction with these apps.

By simply clicking on the "Open in Helium" button in Chrome's toolbar, users can open the current page in Helium or HeliumLift. Additionally, right-clicking on elements within a page provides the option to directly open hyperlinks, page frames, or multimedia files in the floating window.

Open in Helium offers several useful features, including the ability to autoplay YouTube links from where you left off and the option to open Twitch.tv streams in different styles with or without chat. Users can customize the extension to their preferences through the options page, and these settings will sync to their Chrome profile.

One notable advantage of Open in Helium is that it does not have a persistent background page that could slow down the computer, nor does it require any special permissions. This ensures a smooth and efficient browsing experience for users.

Overall, Open in Helium is a valuable Chrome extension for Mac OS X users who frequently use the Helium or HeliumLift apps. It provides a convenient and efficient way to open webpages in floating windows, enhancing the multitasking capabilities and user experience.