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Google is giving Chrome's app launcher the axe
Folks who favor launching Chrome apps from their dock on OSX or the taskbar on Windows rather than through the browser itself are bound to be disappointed by today's news. Google has announced that the Chrome App Launcher will be removed from the Apple, Linux and Microsoft operating systems. It's still safe on Chrome OS, though.
Launch desktop apps from inside Google Drive
When you're viewing a list of files on a Mac or PC, right clicking on an item (or group of items) gives you the "Open with" option. Well friends, that same handy shortcut now resides in Google Drive, too. Thanks to a handy Chrome extension, you can fire up Photoshop from Google's cloud-based repository inside the browser -- no need to head elsewhere to get the work session started. Of course, you'll need to have Chrome installed in order to leverage the add-on. And in case you forgot, you don't even have to launch Microsoft Office to edit Drive-stored documents and spreadsheets either.
Google introduces Chrome app launcher for Mac
This past July, Google released a Chrome app launcher for Windows. Today, Mac users can finally get in on the fun, as Google has released a developer preview of the app launcher for Mac. The Chrome app launcher allows you to open your favorite Google apps like Gmail and Drive right from your dock. Using the app launcher is simple. Click on the dock icon and a popup menu opens showing the apps you currently have installed. Each app will open in its own window outside of Chrome, just like any normal desktop program. Most apps are streamlined for use, meaning you're free from normal tabs, buttons and text boxes that might normally distract you from your work. They're also connected to the cloud, silently updating themselves and your work without the hassles of hitting save. Your apps are also synced across your devices, allowing you to pick up your work regardless of where you last left off. Again, Google has released this as a developer preview, but if you'd like to try the app launcher for yourself, you can give it a try by completing the following steps: 1) You need to make sure you're on the most recent version of Chrome (typically, Chrome keeps itself updated nicely, so just restarting occasionally should do the trick). 2) Enable the app launcher by entering chrome://flags into the address bar of Chrome, and then and locating and enabling "App Launcher OSX App Bundle." It may be easier to hit Cmd+F and search for "launcher" -- it's approximately 2/3 of the way down the page. 3) Once you've enabled the extension, relaunch Chrome. 4) Go browse the selection of desktop apps in the Chrome Web Store, find one you'd like to try and install it, then launch it once it's installed. 5) Once the app has launched, you should now be able to find the Chrome App Launcher in your Applications folder under Chrome Apps. From there, you can open the launcher, or drag the icon into your dock for easy access. Head over to Google's blog for more information on the launcher as well as suggestions on apps that work with it.
Chrome apps gain native powers and desktop launcher on Windows and Chrome OS, Mac, Linux versions to follow
The line between native and web apps has been blurring more and more with the advent of HTML 5, and now Google's taking things even further with what it's calling a "new breed of Chrome apps." These new apps, while built with web technologies and the Chrome browser, appear and act like native apps. In fact, Google is rolling out a Chrome app launcher for Windows to allow users to launch these new apps directly from their desktop. Windows and Chrome OS users will get first crack at using these apps, with Mac (where it's currently available in the dev channel) and Linux folks getting them a bit later. To give these apps a native feel, Google has given devs a whole host of new tools. Apps work offline, can save data locally or in the cloud, provide desktop notifications and can connect with any device hooked into your computer via USB or Bluetooth -- meaning games can be designed to use external controllers. And, apps won't look tied to the browser as they won't be saddled with tabs, buttons, text boxes or any other browser-esque visual cues. The idea is to create Chrome apps that are nigh indistinguishable from their locally installed counterparts. For now, there are over 50 such apps available in the Chrome Web Store, with offerings including games, basic photo editing and task tracking apps, among others. However, we have a sneaking suspicion that Google's going to ensure that number grows exponentially in the near future.
Google's Chrome app launcher now available for all Windows users
Though there's no official word from Google yet, it looks like the Chrome launcher has come out of developer preview mode and into full release, at least for Windows. On our own PCs, the installation placed the launcher app on the start page, taskbar and desktop for Windows 8 and in Windows 7's menu bar. From there, you can quickly access Chrome, the Chrome store, Gmail and any other apps that work with Google's ubiquitous browser / OS. We're not sure when it'll hit OS X or Linux (Chrome OS users have had it for awhile), but if your Windows workflow revolves around Mountain View's myriad products, you can enable it at the source. [Thanks, Adam]
Chrome gets app launcher on Windows dev preview, OS X and Linux to nab it soon
Chromebooks have had the luxury of an app launcher for quite a while, but now Windows users can get in on the action too, provided they download the latest version of Chrome from the browser's dev channel. In order for the launcher to appear in the taskbar, however, those running the fresh release will need to install a Chrome packaged app -- an application written in HTML, CSS and JavaScript that opens outside the browser and works offline by default. Packaged programs aren't searchable on the Chrome Web Store just yet, but folks can code their own or head to the Chromium Blog for a pair of software suggestions. Linux and Mac OS X are penciled in to receive the launcher soon via the dev channel, but there's no word on when it might find its way into a mainstream release of Chrome. Ready to take the feature for a spin? Hit the source link to let Mountain View point you in the right direction.
GO Launcher comes to Android tabs, frees you from fixed grid tyranny
Got an Android tab and don't like its government manufacturer-issue UI? Then why not join the ranks of the launcher rebel alliance. GO Launcher EX for phones has been around for a while, but now it's been upscaled for Honeycomb 3.0+ slates under the GO HD moniker. It's only a beta release, and with that comes the normal caveats on functionality -- such as a lack of fancy transitions -- but you can still make other tweaks to your tab's interface, such as alter the grid size and customize your dock. Ready to cross enemy lines? Then launch your browser toward the source for the download.
Video: Eee Dock app launcher demoed on Eee PC 1008HA
While we've already shown you exactly what ASUS' new Eee PC 1008HA looks like, we stopped by again today to take a peek at a less obvious new addition. The Eee Dock app launcher is making its debut on this here netbook, giving users an easy way to access a few common areas from a pull-out dock that can be positioned on the top, bottom or left / right sides. While we assume the 1008HA we toyed with had been on for days sans a reboot, the Eee Dock was a touch sluggish, though it did seem to get the job done if you weren't expecting lighting fast reactions. Our biggest knock was the inability to customize what apps and locations could pop out from the main menu, though we're cautiously hoping ASUS adds that ability in the future. Hit play above to have a look, or feel free to browse the stills below if that's more your style.
Mac 101: Spotlight, your application-launching pal
More Mac 101, our series of tips and tricks for new and returning Mac users. Love it or hate it, Spotlight's ubiquitous search has changed the Mac OS X experience; quick and (mostly) reliable full-text indexing is now part of the landscape. It's not just for finding files, however; did you know that Spotlight makes a handy application launcher too?You can launch most any application by hitting the Spotlight hotkey (???-Space by default), then typing the first few letters of the application's name. Chances are it will be the "top hit" for your search, so go ahead and hit Return or Enter to launch it immediately. This approach doesn't have the power-user moxie of third-party launchers like QuickSilver, Butler or LaunchBar, but it's helpful for applications that don't live in your Dock when you want to reach them quickly.If you've got ideas, suggestions or questions on the Mac 101 front, just let us know below.
Get that Wii look on your PC
Some of us are just more obsessed than others when it comes to the Wii, battling with their mind to clear it of all Wii-related thoughts so that they could get through a day without breaking down and crying out for their beloved console. It's OK, we are fanboys (and a girl) after all, so we know full-well how one's life can revolve around a certain object. Our rabid love of both Nintendo and their products never would've driven us to create an application launcher modeled after the Wii Channel menu for our PC, however. Well, actually, to be honest with you, we just don't know how. If we did, we're sure we would've.[Via Engadget]
Relaunch 1.1
You have a ton of applications open, and Software Update starts bouncing in the Dock. You need to restart your Mac, but you're right in the middle of something! Wouldn't it be great if there was a small utility that would automatically take a snapshot of all your running applications and launch them when you log in?Relaunch is just such an app. It lives in the menubar and quietly keeps track of what applications you have open. When your Mac reboots (for whatever reason) you can have Relaunch all the apps you had open and you can keep on truckin'. You can also initiate a relaunch without rebooting, in case you have a set of apps that you always launch together.Relaunch costs $5, and there is a demo available.
