We're all familiar with syncing bookmarks and save-for-later web services like Instapaper, but it's not often that they come with a full web component. Yahoo's hoping to hit the proverbial two birds tonight with Axis, which combines a desktop web browser extension (your choice of Chrome, Firefox or Safari) with a mobile app on the iPad and iPhone. You can bookmark any page and get at it later through a common portal -- hence the Axis name. That unity idea also extends to the idea of browser searching, where you'll see both trending topics as well as immediate answers and visual thumbnails of the top search results. Mobile users can share content through email, Pinterest or Twitter, if that's their inclination. Axis is ready and free to use as of today, although Android users won't get their turn until closer to the end of the year.

Engadget had a chance to give Axis a quick spin, and we largely like what we see, even if we'd say it's not for everyone. The desktop browser extension largely stays out of your way until you need it, although we're surprised the social sharing elements are left out. On the mobile side, it's effectively a full, tabbed web browser, and a fairly solid (if simple) one at that. Most of the advantage comes through having the deeper search options just a pull away. Our issues mostly stem from the need for the app and the ecosystem it's leaping into. If you already thrive on (or want to try) services like Instapaper or Pocket, you're not going to get significantly more here, especially since you can't save content offline. Choosing iOS also means you can't make Axis your default browser, so any links you get from other apps can't be directly shared with Yahoo's mobile app.

Gallery: Yahoo Axis

Yahoo Axis on desktop, iOS unifies your bookmarks, makes the web visual (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 20:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Upcoming Mozilla Marketplace lacks Linux support; open-source fix in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 01:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Those who've liked Firefox for Android but have been clamoring for a native version can rest easy, as there's now a truly optimized version waiting for you in Google Play. Mozilla's new Firefox 14.0 beta now looks like, and importantly runs like, a full member of the Android family. Making the leap also affords it Flash support, a new starting page with top sites, secure Google searches and a slew of load time and responsiveness upgrades over the creakier, XUL-based version. Beta status should still trigger a moment of pause if you're not ready to accept a few bugs, but if you've got Android 2.2 or later, you're welcome to give Firefox a shot.

Firefox native version hits Android in beta, new UI and speedups tag along originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 14:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google first teased live tab syncing in Chrome 19 beta, and it's now available for all of us who tread the safer path of Stable releases. If you weren't living on the bleeding edge for long enough to try the syncing early, you'll be glad to know that it lets you see and quickly sync all the tabs that are open on any device signed into your Google account. That includes your phone or tablet, if you've got Android 4.0 and the Chrome for Android beta loaded up. Like with the beta, though, you'll have to cool your jets if you were hoping to get live syncing right away: Chrome 19 Stable is pushing automatically over the next few days, but tab syncing will take weeks to be ready for everybody.

Continue reading Google Chrome 19 Stable arrives, shares live tabs across your computers and phones (video)

Google Chrome 19 Stable arrives, shares live tabs across your computers and phones (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

To commemorate the big two-oh years since its release, Bethesda has offered up the full Wolfenstein 3D experience to play for free in your web browser. Not only that, you'll also be able to play the id original on iOS devices gratis (at least for today) and creator John Carmack has decided to offer us a director's commentary on the game's development while shooting his way through a few levels. Watch, nod and reminisce right after the break, then hit up the source to play for yourself.

Continue reading Wolfenstein 3D celebrates 20 years of machine guns and flag-obscured passages with free web version

Wolfenstein 3D celebrates 20 years of machine guns and flag-obscured passages with free web version originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mozilla has shown off ideas for future versions of Firefox as it becomes less of a traditional browser and more of a "soft, friendly, human" ecosystem. Slides released on the web hint at a new desktop environ with a simplified menu, cleaner download interface, and a more functional startpage -- all the while maintaining the same curved-edge look as the mobile variant. A Windows 8 Metro tile-based version is also in the works that's similar to the Firefox tab layout on Android. There's no word when Mozilla's so-called Kilimanjaro project will come to fruition, but you can check out the slideshow after the break for an early glimpse.

Continue reading Mozilla plans war on fragmentation, reveals unified UI design for Windows 8 and mobile devices

Mozilla plans war on fragmentation, reveals unified UI design for Windows 8 and mobile devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 May 2012 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you've been defiantly clinging onto Firefox 3.6 by your fingertips, bad news. Mozilla is officially putting it to sleep -- whether you like it or not -- by auto-updating users to version 12. You've still got a few days to bid your emotional farewells, with the switchover being pegged as early May. But, the browser's creators stop short of setting a date for you to get the flowers delivered by. Official support for the 2010 release finished this week, and the final bout of security fixes was back in January. At the other end of the spectrum, Firefox 13 wobbled up onto its beta legs yesterday, bringing a new homepage, Google's new SPDY protocol and tab extra features with it. If you're making the leap, don't panic if you find some old friends missing.

Mozilla dispatches Firefox 3.6, fills its chair with version 13 beta originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Similar to that other, foxy browser, Opera reached numerical version 12 (although in beta form), promising to be as fast and smooth as it's ever been. Included in the new revision are a slew of under-the-hood enhancements, along with a few cosmetic alterations. For starters, Opera 12 now offers complete 64-bit compatibility for both Mac and Windows, while "experimental" hardware acceleration and WebGL support are also in tow. Furthermore, the browser added a "smarter" tab-loading sequence, speed improvements for faster page uploads and a way to customize the look with a bundle of new themes -- of course, you can create your own as well. As for the backend tweaks, Opera announced it's abandoning its Unite and Widgets features in favor of an extension-driven model. Those of you eager to take it for a spin can hit the Opera link below to get started.

[Thanks, Yousef]

Opera 12 opens its beta doors: improves performance and stability, adds new themes originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It doesn't yet include the opt-in system for plug-ins that Mozilla is working on, but Firefox users can now download an update that adds a few other new features and new tools for developers. If you've lost track, that means were now at version 12.0, and the biggest addition this time around is reserved for Windows users -- they'll now get silent updates that bypass the User Account Control prompt. Apart from that, you'll now get line numbers when you view a page's source code, along with a number of other more minor fixes and performance improvements. You can find the full release notes at the source link below.

Firefox 12 now available for download, Windows users get silent updates originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Who'd have thought those tiny reminders of the site you're browsing could bite your backside? Apparently Mozilla did, and with its latest nightly Firefox build it has expunged favicons from their eternal perch just left of the URL. The problem is that instead something friendly -- like Google's famous "g" -- nefarious sites can use a padlock or similar image, making you think you're on a secure SSL page. So, starting from mid-July you'll see a generic globe for standard websites, green padlocks for SSL sites with validation, and gray padlocks for SSL sites without it. Take note that (so far) tabs will keep their favicons, so those of us with 43 sites open at the same time will still know where in the web we are.

Firefox deems favicons risky, banishes them from address bar originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nokia announced earlier today the release of Browser 2.0 for its Series 40 devices, which of course includes the colorful Asha lineup. The update promises an overall speedier and easier browsing experience, this in large part due to the application condensing data by up to 90 percent. In addition to these enhancements, there's also a novel Download Manager in the refresh, giving users the ability to choose where they'd like to save content without leaving the app. Also included in the update is a new multitasking-while-browsing feature (finally!), as well as a social-sharing bit that lets you push out page URLs to sites like Twitter, Facebook, Sina Weibo and RenRen. Browser 2.0 will be native on future Series 40s, but for now those whom already own a small chunk of the 1.5 billion can grab the goods from the Nokia Store or wait for the OTA package to hit your device.

Nokia releases Browser 2.0 update for Series 40 handsets with improved speed, multitasking in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's still only available for Ice Cream Sandwich, but those not bound by an older OS can now download a fairly significant update to Google's Chrome for Android web browser. In addition to some added language support and broader availability, it brings with it the ability to select desktop versions of websites, save bookmarks to your home screen as a shortcut, and download files to your device, plus options to choose which apps handle certain links. As before, it remains a beta, and it's tailored to suit both Android smartphones and tablets.

Google updates Chrome for Android with added language support, home screen bookmarks originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There's something thrilling about using job postings to parse a company's strategy, especially when the advert is so gosh darn low on secrecy. Take Microsoft, for instance, which posted four openings for developers to work on its Skype for Browsers project. If that weren't self-explanatory enough, the various ads each explain that Microsoft is looking for code monkeys to help "bring [the] Skype experience on to the Web," a position that calls for HTML5 know-how, along with proficiency in C#, Java or C++. That's as official a heads up as any, though if you've been paying attention you know Skype already powers Facebook's web-based video chat service. So it shouldn't exactly be surprising, then, that a Skype-branded version is likely in the works as well. Armchair investigators can find the postings at the source links, where any brilliant, Europe-based developers can try their hand at one of the four openings.

Microsoft job ads hint at a browser-based version of Skype based on HTML5 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mozilla tests out opt-in system for plug-ins in latest Firefox nightly build originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google Play Music switches on labs features: HTML5 player, star ratings and notifications originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google updates Gmail's 'people widget,' now includes previous images originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Windows 8 Metro-style Firefox comes out of hiding, still a diamond in the rough originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Internet Explorer claws back a bit of market share at the expense of Chrome and Firefox originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Opera Mini 7 comes to Google Play, treads lightly on your data plan

Opera Mini 7 comes to Google Play, treads lightly on your data plan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Good Technology is touting the latest addition to its Good Mobile Access (GMA) Android software suite, a secure browser. The company's GMA offering gives corporate foot soldiers armed with a smartphone access to secure intranet resources without having to initiate a VPN session -- while simultaneously allowing IT folks to manage mobile ingress. By bringing a browser into the fold, Good's software will allow employees to access databases, resources and collaboration tools without ever having to leave the safe confines of GMA's sandbox. The software maker is targeting outfits with a bring-your-own-device policy in place (and war chests large enough to install the necessary back-end infrastructure). If you're interested in learning more, the full release awaits your review after the break.

Continue reading Good Technology debuts 'first secure browser' for enterprise Android deployments

Good Technology debuts 'first secure browser' for enterprise Android deployments originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Mozilla releases BrowserQuest for HTML5 gamers and warriors (video)

Mozilla releases BrowserQuest for HTML5 gamers and warriors (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 06:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

VMware's WSX promises to bring virtualized desktops to the web browser with HTML5 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google to end support for cookie-free log-ins on mobile devices originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Microsoft PSA: Internet Explorer 9 can do more than download other browsers (video)

Microsoft PSA: Internet Explorer 9 can do more than download other browsers (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 05:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft patent application details branded web browser frame originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mozilla outlines plans for Firefox in 2012: less emphasis on version numbers, more focus on user experience originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 22:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dolphin Browser arrives in BlackBerry App World, now with developer's permission originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Firefox 11 up for grabs now, Chrome migration and more dev tools in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

State department workers frustrated with their dated web browsers will get some relief very soon. At the latest town hall meeting, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was questioned on the update roll-out of secure, state-certified browsers and -- prefacing with a chuckle -- she announced that Google's Chrome had started already begun its roll-out last month. For now, it's an optional web browser for those not enamored with Internet Explorer -- the only browser compatible with the full breadth of the Department of State's IT system. Governmental workers that are fans of that big blue 'e' also got some good news -- they'll be seeing the roll out of Internet Explorer 8 from March 20th, with the department planning to leap over version 9 and straight into the loving embrace of Internet Explorer 10. Judging by the whoops and applause during the announcement (included after the break), we wouldn't be shocked if those public servants hugged their updated PCs outright.

Continue reading Chrome adopted by US State Department as optional browser, IE8 prepped for mid-March release (video)

Chrome adopted by US State Department as optional browser, IE8 prepped for mid-March release (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of February 27th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of February 27th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Mar 2012 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Chrome now easily opens email links in Gmail, thanks to some HTML5 magic originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Handster aggregates over 8500 developers with 55.000 apps and serves them for distribution to Handster/Opera appstores, as well partner distribution network consisting of LG, Ericsson, Alcatel Lucent, MTS and number of other partners. Recently we also signed a deal on providing aggregated content for RIM.

By the Handster standard distribution agreement, we can distribute apps via our main store and our partner network. Most of the developers use this agreement. Handster serves as hub, where you can publish app and cover multiple channels. As a result, developers generate higher revenue and more downloads for their products.

Before publishing any app to new partner channel, we sent notification email to all developers, with information about the partnership. Except notification email, there is usually prior press release and about the coming partnership. We also asked if there are any objections to distribution of apps in the channels, but so far getting only positive feedbacks from the developers.

But of course you should consider that in some cases notification email is not read, or responsible person changes and doesn't notify new people at the developer company of all channels. We contacted Dolphin team to clarify the issue, and expecting soon resolution.

Our partnership with RIM opens new distribution channel to Android developers, by allowing to receive revenue stream from Blackberry devices, without additional efforts. The team established complex process on verification of apps, conversion of APK to BAR files, retesting on Playbook devices and submission integration. These processes are quite complicated for each individual developer to implement.

Continue reading Is your Android app on BlackBerry App World without you knowing?

Is your Android app on BlackBerry App World without you knowing? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 25 Feb 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Mozilla Labs Apps set to allow developer submissions for Mozilla Marketplace at MWC

Mozilla Labs Apps set to allow developer submissions for Mozilla Marketplace at MWC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WSJ: Safari loophole lets Google track Apple users through web ads originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Firefox on Windows 8: Metro build is in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google Chrome update brings speedier browsing, enhanced security, joy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PS3 v4.10 update is live with an improved browser, Sony Entertainment Network nameplate originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading StatCounter: Mobile web usage doubling every year, Nokia leads the way

StatCounter: Mobile web usage doubling every year, Nokia leads the way originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft and British agency create child-friendly version of IE9 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Google Chrome browser arrives on Android (video)

Google Chrome browser arrives on Android (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.