Engadget

It's not quite ready for the stable release of the browser, but Chrome beta users can now get a taste of a new notification system that should be rolling out to everyone sooner or later. Currently limited to the Windows and Chrome OS versions of the browser (Mac and Linux support is promised "soon"), the new notifications offer richer options than before, including formatted text and images, as well as the ability to incorporate actions directly inside the pop-up -- Google offers the example of responding to an email right away. A new notification center will now also let you view a list of all notifications you might have missed, and you can thankfully disable notifications from as many sources as you like.

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Acer's C7 Chromebook is the cheapest way to get in on Google's cloud-OS party. But, it still ships a 320GB 5,400RPM drive. Truth be told, such a large amount of local storage is counter to the whole idea of Chrome OS -- not to mention that the slow spin introduces a certain amount of unwelcome lag. Thankfully the bargain-basement $199 laptop is about to get an SSD makeover, according to a listing at Best Buy. The official specs at the Google Play store still list the standard hard drive, but the big box shop has a model featuring 16GB of solid state storage. The updated C7 keeps the same affordable price point, though we have no idea when it might start shipping. Best Buy lists the Chromebook simply as "coming soon," with no estimated delivery date. From what we can see there are no other changes to the machine, so if you weren't a fan of the cheap construction before, don't expect that to change.

[Thanks, Cody]

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In October Google started a field trial that allowed users to peruse their Drive files and Calendar entries straight from the Gmail search box. Apparently the test was a rousing success, as the company is rolling the feature out to all US accounts, in English. The feature hasn't changed since it made its debut late last year -- simply start typing and your autocomplete results will include your next homebrew meeting, your epic beer inventory spreadsheet as well as emails from family members suggesting you seek help for your new "hobby." If you don't have access just yet, be patient, Google says it'll roll out slowly over the next week.

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Microsoft already gave us a look at its next-gen Kinect alongside the Xbox One, but today the company circled back to announce an update to the Windows version of its sensor. Don't get too excited yet, though: the update won't debut until 2014. Still, Redmond has shared details about some of the enhancements it says will "revolutionize computing experiences," such as a higher-definition camera, expanded field of view and improved motion tracking -- essentially the same improvements we'll see on the new Kinect for the Xbox One. Microsoft says developers will learn more at the Build 2013 conference in June, so stay tuned.

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Not to be outdone by some of its music-streaming counterparts, Rhapsody's releasing a revamped version of its iOS app today. Taking on a newly minted look, the service promises this version will make it simpler for subscribers to access and manage their tunes within the application. Rhapsody added features such as a "personalized" organization that, as you'd expect, organizes your jams under the My Music section and splits them into two different categories: Library and Downloads.

Much like on the Android flavor of the app, Rhapsody also updated the Album and Artist pages to display more useful info and tools, including reviews and additional music controls. In theory, these should pair nicely with the all-new fullscreen player and a pop-up menu that allows you to easily add songs to the download queue. Rhapsody tells us the update will be hitting the iOS devices soon, so keep an eye on the App Store if you'd like to be one of the First! first to test out the goods.

Update: It's live now, and we've added the link below to help you get started with the download.

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Looks like there are more smartphone-loving vampires than we first thought. Following Samsung's plans to offer the Galaxy S 4 in multiple new colors, AT&T has scored a US exclusive for the smartphone in a very distinctive Aurora Red. The crimson-hued Life Companion will be available for pre-order on May 24th, with retail stores getting their supply on June 14th. The lone disappointment is the capacity: AT&T is only offering red for the 16GB, $200 model. Still, we're happy that we won't have to wait for the Galaxy S 4 Active just to get a Samsung flagship in a livelier color.

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File this under "things we could have sworn already existed." Microsoft just announced two mice, the Sculpt Mobile Mouse and Sculpt Comfort Mouse, and believe it or not, this marks the first time Redmond has made a pointing device with a hotkey for the Windows 8 Start screen. In addition to bringing up the Start Menu, you can use it return to the desktop, all without having to hit the keyboard. While the Mobile Mouse has just the Start key and a scroll wheel, though, the bigger Comfort Mouse takes things a step further: the button there doubles as a capacitive surface you can swipe to toggle through open programs in Windows 8. If you swipe that strip the other way, you can also bring up a list of open applications running along the left-hand side of the screen. Note: the Comfort Mouse's Start button is located on the left, meaning it was clearly designed for righties. Or, you know, someone with a strong left pinky.

Some other differences: the Mobile Mouse requires a dongle, whereas the Comfort uses Bluetooth. Oh, and the Comfort has a more ergonomic shape, too, but you probably gathered that just by glancing at the name. Expect the Mobile version to go on sale first -- it'll hit shelves later this month for $30. The Comfort model will arrive in June, with a higher MSRP of $40. In the meantime, we've got some hands-on photos (heh) for you to check out.

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