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Opera 15 Chromium-based browser officially launched for PC and Mac
While the non-final build of Opera's new browser for PC and Mac was simply called "Next," today it's chosen the more formal title of Opera 15 for its official release. There aren't any features of note that we hadn't seen in the desktop preview of the WebKit-based software (or should we call it Blink-based?), but to jog your memory, it sports a fresh design, a Discover feature for catching up on the latest news and a tweaked Speed Dial menu for quick access to your favorite corners of the internet. Also, the web-clipping Stash feature, predictive address-cum-search bar, new download manager and "Off-Road mode" for extra compression on lousy connections are all included in the final version. We ran a quick SunSpider benchmark on the Mac build of Opera 15, in which it scored 167ms, compared with 171ms in Chrome. If you're not already allied to one of the many competing browsers and feel like giving Opera 15 a try, head to the source below for the download links.
Opera desktop preview brings web clipping and other tools, splits from Opera Mail
Opera for desktops may be a couple of steps behind the recently finalized Android version, but it's coming along nicely. A preview build of the now WebKit-based browser (or, technically, Blink-based) is available to try on Windows and Mac with a bunch of features which in some ways look similar to other browsers and add-ons, but which also do things a bit differently: Speed Dial -- a home tab that brings large tiles and folders for quick access to favorite sites Stash -- a web clipping tool that follows a similar big-tile aesthetic (shown above) Smartbox -- a search box that not only predicts what you're looking for but also offers to hunt for it on different search engines, such as Google or Twitter. One thing you won't find is an integrated Opera Mail client, since that's been split from the desktop browser (due to "popular demand") and is now available as a release candidate for a forthcoming standalone product. You'll find full download linkage below.
Box acquires Folders, in what sounds like the least exciting acquisition deal ever
File-sharing service Box has acquired the technology behind a French app called Folders, which was never released, but is also centered on browsing and sharing files on the iPhone. Terms of the acquisition weren't revealed, but Box said that Folders would be a big influence on the next few iterations of the file-sharing software. The company also noted that its iPhone and iPad apps will be "cleaner, faster and more beautiful throughout 2013." Folders was originally designed as a viewer for Box with an impressive user interface and file-viewing features, but now will be "folded" into future versions of the app itself. Box boasts more than 15 million users at 150,000 businesses, and those numbers are growing all the time. If the folks at Box can find a way to team up with Staples and the Paper app, they could have a whole office!
GoComics brings the funny pages to your iPhone
Universal Uclick is the company that holds the licenses for most of the comics in your daily newspaper -- the company was formed when the Universal Press Syndicate joined up with the Uclick media group. They've run a web archive of the company's comics for quite a while now, and today that content has arrived on the App Store in the form of the free GoComics app. Just like the website, the app offers up daily archives of many, many different comics from the funny pages, and while you can sign in to an account and even sign up for a "GoComics Pro" membership (which kills the advertising and gives you some extras like an email digest), just browsing through the drawings is completely free. The app is quick and smooth, and because Universal's reach goes so far, there's never any shortage of new comics to read. The one issue I have with the app is strictly mechanical -- when browsing through the comics on portrait mode, the UI will slide into the background as you're reading. On a timer, that seems to be exactly when I finish reading whatever strip is visible at that time. This would simply be an annoyance, except that when the UI does slide away, the ad in the app just happens to slide itself right into the spot where I normally would press to see the next comic. That may all sound complicated, but the end result is that the UI feels clunky, and it's extraordinarily easy to "accidentally" click an ad when I don't mean to. The same issue doesn't pop up in landscape mode, however, so I presume Uclick isn't just trying to sneakily sell more ads. At any rate, that's a small concern with an otherwise excellent little app. If you like reading the comics, but don't always have access to a newspaper, the GoComics app is a great way to browse through the cartoons. It's available for free right now.
Chitika: iPad usage still far outweighs tablet competitors
Mobile ad network Chitika has released a report that says the iPad is still far, far ahead in terms of web usage over any other tablets out there. All you need to really know here is that the iPad isn't even on the chart above -- the chart above shows average impressions on tablets per 100 impressions on the iPad, which means that the highest figure up there, from the Amazon Kindle Fire, has only 4.88 impressions per every hundred impressions on the iPad. That's pretty crazy -- the iPad isn't just winning in terms of tablet usage, it's very much dominating. These competing tablets are growing in terms of usage (the Kindle Fire rose by about 20 percent since earlier this month, and Samsung's Galaxy line rose by about 0.3 percent). But those growth rates, in terms of numbers, are tiny compared to the huge audience that's browsing the web on the iPad. And while the numbers have yet to come out, of course, there's no question the iPad mini has only made that audience even larger this holiday season. Apple has a huge lead in the tablet market at this point, and while it certainly can't last forever, it will likely be around for a while. [via Mashable]
Facebook's new Recommendations Bar pops up, just wants to be liked
Facebook's Recommendations Box sits passively on many websites, allowing us to engage or ignore as we see fit. But too much of the latter option has led to something slightly different: the new Recommendations Bar -- a pop-up variant which, when integrated by your favorite page, plugs site-specific links based on your friends' thumbs and shares. The Bar is similar to the in-house recommendation pop-ups we're all familiar with, but adds a like button for posting the current page to your timeline. It shouts much louder than the Box, so it's no surprise that in early tests the new plug-in produced a three-fold increase in click-throughs. In this case, privacy wasn't an afterthought -- Bar integration, like the Box, is at the site's discretion and sharing pages is very much on your terms. Just try not to accidently hit that like button during your daily scan of Bieber's homepage.
iOS claims 65% of mobile web marketshare
NetMarketShare has released its latest report on Internet usage by mobile devices, and not only has iOS remained on top for Internet usage, but Apple's OS has grown its lead up to 65% of total mobile Internet traffic. In just the last month, usage on iOS went up by 3%, and the year-over-year figures line up to almost 15% growth. That's incredible -- it's a sign that not only is Apple selling more and more iOS devices (including those new Retina iPads, which certainly made up a nice chunk of this new Internet browsing), but that users are depending on them more and more for connecting to and interacting with the Internet. It's also worth noting that iOS users are generally heavy 'net users as well. Even though there are more Android phones out there, iOS users are browsing enough to keep the totals in their favor and growing. [via 9to5Mac.com]
Browse John Peel's legendary record collection, travel back in time
The Peel Sessions -- those are three blissful words to any music enthusiast. John Peel's BBC radio show was the stuff of legends. It launched entire careers and created a legacy of eclectic and intimate musical snapshots by our favorite artists. Can you imagine exploring his record collection? Well, now you can. The Space has created a wonderful site that lets you browse the late DJ's record archive one virtual shelf and album cover at a time -- complete with links to iTunes and Spotify. It looks and feels like the real thing, and provides a fantastic journey back in time. Only the letter A's been cataloged so far -- additional letters will be added (one each week) over the coming months. This is your chance to discover music curated by a man with impeccable musical taste over a period of four decades. Just follow the source links below.
WSJ: Safari loophole lets Google track Apple users through web ads
Stanford researcher Jonathan Mayer has discovered a curious Safari loophole that allows Google to track a user's browsing activity via cookie-laced web ads. As it turns out, Apple's browser normally accepts cookies from sites that a user visits, but automatically blocks them from third-party advertisers. As Mayer found out, though, advertisers can still circumvent this filter by enticing users to interact with ads in different ways. In the case of Google, the search giant embedded a "+1" button on ads produced with its DoubleClick technology, as part of an opt-in feature for Google+ users. If a user was logged in to Google+ and had agreed to see +1 ad displays, he or she would have a cookie planted on their device, thanks to a system that sent invisible forms from Apple computers or iPhones. This made it seem as if a user actually submitted the form intentionally, thereby convincing Safari to allow cookies. These cookies were only temporary, with shelf lives of up to 24 hours, but they could open the door for many more, since Safari allows sites to plant them after having received access to install at least one.After the Wall Street Journal notified Google of this loophole, the company promptly disabled it and duly apologized, adding that it didn't realize that its +1 system would plant tracking cookies on a user's device. "We didn't anticipate that this would happen, and we have now started removing these advertising cookies from Safari browsers," Google's Rachel Whetstone explained. "It's important to stress that, just as on other browsers, these advertising cookies do not collect personal information." An Apple spokesperson, meanwhile, issued the following statement: "We are aware that some third parties are circumventing Safari's privacy features and we are working to put a stop to it."
Google Screenwise panel will pay you to track your every move online
Don't mind letting Google watch your every click while browsing the web? Awesome, because the folks in Mountain View want to pay you for letting them do just that. The company is recruiting panelists for a project it's calling Screenwise, a program that will give the internet behemoth more insight into how the general public uses the interwebs day in and day out. Once you opt in, you'll receive a $5 gift card code to Amazon and for up to a year, you'll get additional spending money every three months. But how will The Goog track your mouse clicks? Just before getting paid, you'll have to download a browser extension that will keep an eye on things and send your data back to the mothership. If you're looking to make a little more dough, Ars Technica reports that you'll be able to opt for a more lucrative hardware monitoring option. Here, you'll have to install the Screenwise Data Collector (pictured above) on your home network; however, the pay out is an initial Benjamin and $20 for every month you participate. Sound like something you'd want in on? Hit the source link below to be notified when registration opens. Update: Google has passed along the following statement on the Screenwise project with a reminder that participation in the panel is 100% voluntary. Like many other web and media companies, we do panel research to help better serve our users by learning more about people's media use, on the web and elsewhere. This panel is one such small project that started near the beginning of the year. Of course, this is completely optional to join. People can choose to participate if it's of interest (or if the gift appeals) and everyone who does participate has complete transparency and control over what Internet use is being included in the panel. People can stay on the panel as long as they'd like, or leave at any time.
Firefox 9.0 offers Mac OS X Lion gesture support
Firefox 9 is out now (the public page hasn't been updated yet as of this writing, but the build is available from official links already), and while that in itself isn't really big news (the uberpopular browser updates all the time, and plenty of people have already chosen to use Chrome or another browser anyway), there is one big note in this update worth mentioning: The app will now natively support two-finger swiping gestures on your MacBook (or Magic Mouse or trackpad, if you have one of those running). That means that without extra add-ons, you can now swipe two fingers forward or back to browse through your history, in addition to the other usual gestures available to most apps, like using two fingers to scroll and so on. The update to version 9 also adds improved theme navigation for OS X Lion as well, so that's a nice bonus. One thing that's not in the app yet is an actual Lion-style full-screen mode. Firefox has its own fullscreen mode, but it's not exactly the one-app view that Apple expects. And while Firefox is easy enough to install and update on its own, there's no Mac App Store version yet. Mozilla may not be interested in running updates through Apple's App Store, but it might be easier for users to do so. At any rate, if you're running Firefox on your Mac, you should grab the update now. I personally like Firefox, but for some reason it's never run well on my MacBook, and I switched over to Chrome full time a few months ago. But it's a solid browser (aside from some issues with memory leaks, mostly having to do with Flash, in my experience), and this update adds a little more Mac-specific functionality as well.
Apple updates look and feel of App Store on iOS
Apple has updated the App Store as usual today with the newest staff picks and featured apps for the week, but there's one other new touch (so to speak) on the iPhone and iPad. You can now simply swipe in the App Store's featured window to flip through pages of apps, as pointed out by AppleNApps. Before, you had to actually click on to each category page or featured page, and then when you went to look at an app specifically, the store tossed you right back out to the front. But now you can simply swipe both the apps on the main page as well as apps on the category pages, and viewing an app and then hitting back just sends you right back to where you were browsing. Very handy, much less annoying than the old way. As far as I can tell, there are no major updates for the iTunes version of the store -- it looks the same to me. Last week on the Talkcast, I had talked about updates I'd like to see in the App Store in the future, including some way of marking whether apps were on sale or not, and even a section a little more specific than "New and Noteworthy," showing just which apps were brand new, or even apps which were recently updated. But this change is nice nevertheless. It should definitely make app browsing even easier on the various iOS devices. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
Verizon begins collecting user data for targeted ads, is kind enough to offer 'opt-out' escape route
Verizon still wants to collect your personal information, but it'll understand if you decide to opt out. Really, it's cool. No hard feelings. The provider said as much yesterday, in an e-mail titled "Important notice about how Verizon Wireless uses information." The missive, sent to all VZW customers, essentially lays out the company's revamped privacy policy, originally unveiled last month. Under the new framework, Verizon will be able to monitor your browsing history, location, app usage, and demographic data, all in the name of targeted advertising and vaguely-titled "business and marketing reports." The good news is that you can always opt out of the scheme, either by phone or online. The bad news is that you'll probably have to explain the whole thing to your grandma.
Flickr unveils Android app, introduces real-time Photo Session feature (video)
The Android community may be awaiting its very own Instagram app, but at least Flickr has now stepped up to fill the void. Yesterday, the photo-sharing service unveiled its very first Android app, along with a new social feature known as Photo Session. Available for free on the Android Market, the app allows users to snap, filter and upload their photos directly to Facebook, Twitter or Flickr, all from the comfort of their own handset. It also features an array of camera functions like flash, ratio selection, and shutter focus, along with ten high-quality filters. Photo Session, meanwhile, allows you to browse through images with your friends in real-time. All you have to do is round up your online comrades, start a session and begin flipping through a photostream. Every time you move on to the next image, your friends will, too, effectively turning any browsing affair into a collective, Don Draper-like slide show. For more details, check out the source links below, or trot past the break for a video run-down of Photo Session.
YouTube testing new mobile layout
Of course, everyone's got the official YouTube app already installed on the iPhone, and whenever you want to browse the extremely popular video-sharing site, that's probably the best way to do it. But I often see YouTube videos on my phone when following links in email or on Twitter, and so I'm glad to hear that Google is playing around with testing a brand new YouTube layout. The new design is streamlined and darkened, and allows users to like, favorite, subscribe to a channel or comment on videos. All of the usual features, such as playlists and the dashboard, feature the new look as well. The only catch is that you have to opt in to the new look for now, but the good news is that you can do that on mobile Safari through the URL http://m.youtube.com/new_visual_design. The new update is sleeker and makes browsing YouTube in mobile Safari environment a little easier on the eyes.
Daily Mac App: Appalicious
We usually feature Mac apps on the Mac App Store in this series, but Appalicious is an exception. While not available on the MAS, it helps you browse the store in various ways that make the experience much more efficient and even fun. If you're a bargain hunter you'll find digging through sales and freebies has never been easier. Appalicious is a front end to a database for searching, sorting and filtering apps. The toolbar at the top features preset searches and sorting methods. These alone are worth the price of admission (which we'll talk about in a moment), because you'll easily be able to find the latest and greatest apps, on sale or otherwise. You'll also find a handy Recent menu and easy access to your store favorites. One wonders why Apple doesn't do these things in the official store already. Also, as data is pulled fresh from the App Store, searching in Appalicious is often better than browsing around the actual store. All of these searches and sorts can be customized, and you can even build advanced filters to further hone in on exactly the apps you want to see. For example, within seconds I was able to find a business card app that was on sale and in English. A handy right-click menu allows me to add the app to my wish list, which also exists as a drop-down menu. Appalicious has plenty of different ways to nail down exactly the app you want, all of which make it easy to use and quite powerful. Another drop down menu, for example, allows you to see everything about the currently selected app, including take you to their web site or support page. That's quite handy. While you can download Appalicious for free, the service itself (downloading the fresh database) costs money after one week. After that free week, you'll have to pay $12.95 per year. The site notes a $5 discount by using the code "INTRO," but check here to see if it is still available. Also check out the training videos to see if Appalicious is right for you. TidBITS has a more thorough description of the database advantages. If you rarely buy Mac apps, perhaps Appalicious isn't worth it. But if you love finding bargains (easily done, given the ability to search by price and even monitor app prices over time), it pays for itself rather quickly.
Smozzy dodges T-Mobile data plans, delivers mobile web over text
Paying for your mobile internet data can be such a drag on the wallet. Luckily, there are Android apps like Smozzy that'll get you away from the pricey tiers, and onto the information superhighway via text -- no data plan required. You'll have to be a member of the Magenta brigade to use it, and you'll need an unlimited messaging plan, but after that, it should be smooth sailing and a little bit of extra wait time. So far, the well-reviewed app is still wearing its beta tag, and has only been tested on the Nexus S and T-Mobile G2. But don't let a little wireless experimentation stop you from enjoying the loophole-exploiting internet access. Something tells us this workaround might not be available for long. Hit up the source link below to test drive the SMS'd net for yourself.
Graphing calculator web browser lets you visit your favorite sine wave fan sites (video)
Graphing calculators: essential tools for math education or low-res Game Boys? The debate rages on. Advocates of non-mathematical applications for the devices have scored a major victory with the introduction of Gossamer, a new web browser for various TI graphing calculators, which lets users visit some very basic versions of webpages, using the CALCnet and globalCALCnet protocols. The 1.0 version can request, display, and scroll pages. Logging in will bring you to a portal with links -- the application's developer has promised to add the ability to directly enter URLs in a future version, however. There's a demo video after the break, though you may want to wait until after math class to check it out.
Pew: Smartphone owners increasingly ignoring other devices to get online
Some more fun phone facts from the folks at Pew: 83 percent of American adults own a cellphone, 35 percent have a smartphone, and 87 of percent smartphone owners use their handset to browse the internet and read email, apparently having decided that the things are good for more than just making phone calls and keeping papers from blowing away. Also of interest is the fact that 28 percent of the 2,277 people surveyed actually use their small screen devices as their primary method for accessing the internet. It's worth noting that it's not a huge sample size we're working with here, so maybe hold off on declaring the PC dead -- still, it may be a sign of lots of squinting to come.
Mobile apps leaving the web behind in usage
Mobile ad company Flurry has released a new analysis on its official blog stating that customers are making the transition lately from using the mobile web to spending more of their daily time in mobile apps. In the early days of smartphone prominence (and by "early days," we mean about three years ago), the main feature on mobile phones was the web. You could check email, look up web pages, or browse the web on your smartphone, and that's how most people used them. Since the rise of iOS, however, mobile apps are picking up that time spent. And as you can see from the chart above, customers are now putting more time into mobile apps (about 9 percent more, it turns out) than browsing the mobile web. It should be noted that both stats are still growing -- customers are spending more time on mobile phones than ever. But mobile app usage is growing even faster. It's not hard to see why this is, either. Mobile apps are maturing quickly, and it's easier to get information from many of them now than it was just browsing around the web. Mobile apps also offer features like offline access and other things that the web doesn't, so this shouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone.
