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Google Stars leak reveals a new way to share and search your bookmarks
Google+ expert Florian Kiersch recently revealed that Google's testing a bookmarking app called "Stars," and just posted a video (embedded below) showing how it might work. The initial leak exposed certain features, like "starring" web pages from Chrome's address bar, organizing them by folder and searching content within the pages. Those searches would use suggestions and auto-complete like Chrome, displaying the results in an "image-rich grid." Now, a splash screen (above) has confirmed much of that. Kirsch's demo shows how you'd organize folders and set them to "public" for anyone to see or keep them confined to your Google+ Circles. Stars may arrive in the future as an app or extension on Chrome and would probably be embedded in other Google apps too -- assuming it survives the beta.
Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, others to launch new Web standards resource
Apple is just one of quite a few big tech companies signed on to help support the Worldwide Web Consortium (known as the W3C) in developing a brand new web standards resource called WebPlatform.org. The new site is simply designed to get all available information about how to code for the various web standards out there (from HTML and CSS to newer tech like the Canvas API and various Audio plugins) all together in one clean, easy-to-find place. If you do coding for the web, the site is probably a valuable resource already, and all of the companies involved are trying to convince content creators to help them grow it by contributing to the forums, docs and tutorials currently available on the site. Apple's got lots of reason to support a movement like this, especially as its various Macs and iDevices claim more and more of the web's browsing audience. So it's no surprise that Cupertino is contributing to make a resource like this available. [via TheNextWeb]
Snapstick could use your iPhone to program your television
The video after the break shows off a product called Snapstick, though there's not actually a product yet, just more of an idea. The idea is that you select a bit of web content (like a YouTube video or Hulu show) on your phone, and then use a flicking motion to send that content up to a bigger screen like your TV. The company is really excited about the 'snapping" motion, but the idea is that you can use your phone to control what's shown on screen, and pull that from anywhere on the web. At this point it's all vaporware, unfortunately -- you'll obviously need something plugged into your television, whether that's an official Snapstick piece of hardware, or something like an Xbox 360 or an Apple TV that's designed to actually show that content off. But however they figure it out, the idea will be that you can use an iPhone app to program and then share web content on your television. Interested? Doesn't seem to me like much more than a glorified web browser, but Snapstick's taking sign-ups for a private beta right now. We'll have to see how this pans out.
Android 2.2 will invite you to visit 'Flash-enabled' sites, rub Apple's nose in it
The battle for minds is well and truly on now, and if there was any doubt that Google and Adobe are cozying up together to take on Apple, let it now be extinguished. TechCrunch is reporting that the latest version of Android -- you know, the one with the 450 percent performance improvement and buttery smooth Flash playback -- will, upon updating, guide you to visit a selection of Flash-enabled websites. Countering Apple's list of iPad-ready (aka Flash-free) websites, this is clearly intended as a showcase of the Adobe software's capabilities. Ironically, a sizable number of the sites on the list are "mobile optimized," meaning you won't be hitting their full desktop versions (which doesn't quite mesh with the idea of "the full web experience"), but it's still likely to cause some consternation over in Cupertino. All we're wondering now is how much Adobe had to pony up to ensnare such a prominent promo position, but things like that don't stay secret for long.
Disney and CBS interested in Apple's subscription-based iTunes TV idea?
Disney and Apple -- now, where have we heard about these two mingling in content related activities before? Sure enough, whispers of a potential tie-up regarding a $30 per month TV service for iTunes are turning into more of a gentle roar, with The Wall Street Journal reporting today that both CBS and Walt Disney Company are "considering participating in Apple's plan to offer television subscriptions over the internet." Naturally, this comes from those ever present (and perpetually undisclosed) "sources," but considering that the outfit just shelled out for Lala, we wouldn't put anything past it. As the story goes, CBS is considering offering up content from CBS and CW, while Disney could include programming from ABC, Disney Channel and ABC Family networks; details on the purported program are obviously still under wraps, but we know that both of these guys would be looking for some sort of monthly compensation in exchange for access to their lineups. Whatever the case, it's being bruited that Apple could complete licensing deals and introduce the service sometime in 2010, so we'll be keeping an ear to the ground for more.
Boxee inks deal with first hardware partner: a 'Boxee Box' is coming
Color us shocked and elated. Boxee, the white-hot startup that has risen from nothing to everywhere thanks to its internet TV software portal, has just announced that a deal has been inked between it and an undisclosed "hardware partner." If you'll recall, we actually heard that the outfit was mulling the production of its own set-top-box back in January, and now it looks like Roku, Apple TV and a host of other mini PCs will have yet another formidable rival vying for space underneath the tele. The firm isn't spilling any details whatsoever on the so-called "Boxee Box," but we are told that mockups and the like will be presented at the Boxee Beta Unveiling on December 7th. Oh, and as if you aren't excited enough already, chew on this -- the company has informed us that they believe "this will be the first of several living room devices you'll see running Boxee in 2010," so don't be shocked if your favorite game console or Blu-ray player gains an embedded Boxee app in the near future.
