browsers
Latest
Chrome for iOS to get improved security, data compression and Google Translate in its next update
Google has announced the latest update of Chrome for iOS, and users are getting a veritable Christmas morning's worth of security and data features. On the security front, the company is bringing mobile users the Safe Browsing malware protection they've come to expect from the browser's desktop application. Now Chrome can give you warnings when you're about to visit a potentially dangerous site, which is good news considering a fun fact about adult internet browsing habits that influenced the other major addition to the Chrome app. According to a Pew Research poll cited in Google's press release, 21 percent of adult smartphone users now do a majority of their web surfing on their mobile device. The trend is increasing every year, so Chrome has added a data-compression option to help reduce your data usage while you browse. Using Chrome's data-compression tool can reduce your browsers data usage by up to 50 percent. To use the service, go to your Settings, click on Bandwidth Management and then Reduce Data Usage. The menu includes the ability to track exactly how much bandwidth you're saving by using the service each month. Finally, Chrome is introducing its famous Google Translate service to the iOS app. The update allows you to translate a page written in another language into your native tongue with the press of a button. The Chrome update will be available sometime this week.
Google updates Chrome for iOS with linking to external apps, fullscreen iPad support
Following hot on the heels of today's update to Google Maps, Google has updated Chrome for iOS. The updated app features a number of enhancements including the option to open links to YouTube, Maps, G+ and Drive in those apps instead of in the Chrome browser; fullscreen support for the iPad; and enhancements to voice search. Here are the full release notes: • Interoperability with other Google Apps. ◦ Option to open links for YouTube, Maps, G+ and Drive in the app instead of the browser. • Enhancements to voice search. ◦ Text-to-speech for all variations of English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Japanese, and Korean. ◦ Toolbar controls are always available when using voice search. • Fullscreen on iPad. • Data cost savings. ◦ Reduce data usage and speed up page load times. View data savings in Bandwidth Management settings. This feature is being rolled out and will be available to all users over time. • Access to browser history. • Stability / security improvements and bug fixes. Google Chrome for iOS is a free download.
InnoGames shutting down pirate-based browser game Kartuga
If you've loved the chance to have nautical pirate battles right in your browser courtesy of Kartuga, we've got sad news for you. InnoGames announced today that the the game has not managed to meet the company's standards for quality. The game also fails to meet the company's standard for cross-platform games, and with no way to bring it up to speed in an appropriate timeframe, the decision has been made to shut the game down in the very near future. Players with existing cash shop currency will be able to transfer that currency to another title run by InnoGames by August 14th. No exact date for the server shutdown has yet been established, but the official announcement specifies that the game will be available for a few more weeks. Our consolation goes out to all players and any development team members affected by this unexpected cancellation. [Source: InnoGames press release]
Mozilla has no plans to release Firefox for iOS
At SXSW this weekend, VP of product at Mozilla, Jay Sullivan, said that there are no plans to bring the Firefox Web browser to iOS unless Apple changes its ways, according to CNET. The issue stems from a limitation Apple puts on developers stating that third-party browsers can only use UIWebView, and not the Nitro JavaScript engine Apple uses in its Safari browser for iOS. The Nitro JavaScript engine gives Safari a significant performance boost over other browsers. Sullivan also noted that there's no way to make a third-party browser the default on iOS, and that's something else he'd like to see changed. Firefox had released an iOS app called Firefox Home that allowed users to sync bookmarks and history with other WebKit browsers, but the company pulled that app from the App Store in September 2012.
Opera hits 300M users, will transition to WebKit this year
Opera, the web browser available for Mac, iOS, PC and Andriod, has reached 300 million monthly users, the company has announced in a press release. Opera Software ASA also notes that the Opera web browser will be transitioning to the WebKit engine in future versions, taking advantage of the performance and standards WebKit has to offer. CTO of Opera Software, Håkon Wium Lie, said, "It makes more sense to have our experts working with the open-source communities to further improve WebKit and Chromium, rather than developing our own rendering engine further. Opera will contribute to the WebKit and Chromium projects, and we have already submitted our first set of patches: to improve multi-column layout." Wium Lie continued, "The shift to WebKit means more of our resources can be dedicated to developing new features and the user-friendly solutions that can be expected from a company that invented so many of the features that are today being used by everyone in the browser industry." He also briefly addressed Opera Ice -- an unreleased, gesture-based Opera browser -- as a research and development project, and that more will information will be provided in the future. Transitioning to WebKit will bring noticeable performance and speed enhancements to the Opera browser, which has been sidelined by the likes of Safari and Chrome, which both utilize WebKit, and Mozilla Firefox, which utilizes Gecko.
Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7, download the preview now
We've known for some time that Microsoft was working on bringing Internet Explorer 10 to Windows 7 -- in fact, the company published a blog post promising the preview version would be ready sometime in mid-November. Then, we heard it could be available today. Well, looky here! It is! The Release Preview is indeed now available to download from Microsoft's site. As you'd expect, the Win 7 build has the same look and feel as the Windows 8 version, with full-screen browsing, hardware acceleration, deep multitouch support and a predictive "Flip ahead" feature that guesses what page you want to see next (page two of a story, the next round of search results, et cetera). If you own a Windows 7 PC that doesn't have a touchscreen (and that's probably the case), you should still be able to pull off multitouch gestures in IE using a trackpad, assuming you have the right drivers. If all else fails, though, you can still use the browser with the ol' mouse and keyboard.
Chrome 19 found to be fastest browser on Mac
Google's Chrome browser has quickly become the choice for many web denizens searching for the fastest browsing experience. And while the latest browser report from New Relic confirms that Chrome is indeed your best bet for speed, the latest versions aren't actually getting any faster. The data shows that Chrome version 19 -- version 23 was released today, for those keeping track -- is actually the fastest browser on OS X. In fact, the top five fastest browsers are various versions of Chrome, with version 19 followed by versions 21, 22, 20, and 18. Firefox finally appears in the sixth spot with its 15th version. The firm's research also shows that approximately 61 percent of web traffic from Mac machines is done using the default Safari browser. Chrome comes in second with 21 percent and Firefox pulls up the rear at 18 percent. Safari also dominates in the mobile arena, with 87 percent of on-the-go web traffic -- on all mobile platforms -- coming from Apple's portable browser. [Via TechCrunch]
Apple says no Java for you, removes plugin from browsers on OS X 10.7 and up
Apple has recently released a Mac update for OS X Lion and Mountain Lion that removes its Java plugin from all OS X browsers. If you install the update, you'll find a region labeled "Missing plug-in" in place of a Java applet; of course, Apple can't stop you from clicking on it to download a Java plug-in directly from Oracle. The Cupertino-based company had previously halted pre-installing Java in OS X partially due to the exploitable factors of the platform, so this update signifies further distancing from Larry Ellison's pride and joy.
RockMelt social browser comes to the iPad, offers up news stories tailored to your interests
Remember RockMelt The "social web browser"? The name doesn't come up often, especially when we talk about conventional browsers like Firefox, Chrome, IE and Safari. Well, rest assured, the startup is still alive and kicking: after releasing an iPhone app earlier this year, it's introducing an iPad version as well. As ever, the browser is built around social networks like Facebook and Twitter, but instead of emphasizing chat and status updates, it's all about using your social network to help curate a newsfeed that matches your interests. In other words, you could do a traditional web search and sift though the results, but if you sign in with your Facebook or Twitter handle what you'll actually see are stories that RockMelt thinks might appeal to you. In theory, the browser will learn, over time, what you like and what you don't, and at any point you can add specific news sources as you would with an RSS feed. As an added bonus, the experience of reading articles from within the app is actually quite smooth, but that's neither here nor there. And, of course, what would a social browser be without the ability to share cat videos? In addition to sharing things with people directly (i.e., through email), you can use so-called emoticodes like "lol," "want," and "aww" to comment on a story without actually commenting on it. (Think of it as the equivalent of liking something on Facebook: it's less intrusive than posting random links on your friend's wall.) The app is available for download today, and we're told versions for other platforms are in development. In the meantime, check out the screenshots after the break to get a basic for the layout.
'Contre Jour' is now playable in the browser, one third of the levels require IE 10
Say it with us: Developers! Developers! Developers! That's Steve Ballmer's mantra and indeed, it says a lot about the way Microsoft has gone about promoting Internet Explorer. In addition to a series of prime-time ads (maybe you've seen 'em), the company has been using certain HTML 5 apps to show devs what they can do using IE 10's deep multitouch support. Now the outfit's back, this time with a game: Contre Jour is coming to the web, and while it runs in any modern browser, you'll need IE 10 and a Windows 8 machine to play a third of the levels (it shouldn't make a difference if you have a touchscreen or a multitouch trackpad). That's because in some parts of the game, you'll be required to use as many as three fingers at once to pull off certain maneuvers. In IE 10 you can do this, so you get access to all 30 levels; if you're using a different browser that doesn't support these gestures, the levels will remain locked. Hit up the source link to play the game for free, and if a game based on "The Little Prince" doesn't do much for you, at least check out the Behind the Scenes section -- coding geeks should appreciate the deeper explanation as to how the web app was built.
Opera Mini 7.5 update for Android adds Smart Page for social and news updates
Opera Mini for Android has been upgraded to version 7.5, bringing with it a new "Smart Page'" feature that aggregates social media updates and news from your most frequently visited websites. Smart Page works by creating feeds for your favorite web destinations and suggesting other sources based on your surfing habits. So far, Opera Mini 7.5 with the Smart Page is only available on Android -- you can download it via the browser's site or through Google Play. Check out a demo of the new feature in action below.
Microsoft issues security patches for Flash vulnerabilities in Windows 8 and Internet Explorer
As promised, Microsoft is issuing a security patch for a Flash vulnerability on Windows 8 in Internet Explorer 10. Though the operating system has yet to see its official public release, researchers testing the RTM version found a bug that could cause Flash to crash and allow for attackers to take control of a user's machine. Additionally, the company is rolling out an update to address a security hole in Internet Explorer versions 7 and 8 on Windows XP -- and IE 9 on Windows 7 and Windows Vista -- which left the door open for hackers to spread malware via a specially designed Flash animation. Both security patches are available via Microsoft's Windows Update service.
Google plays privacy catch-up, adds Do Not Track option to Chrome
Google's had one foot in the web privacy door for a while, offering Chrome users the Keep My Opt-Outs extension in its browser's Web Store since 2011. Still, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari already offer a Do Not Track option directly in their browser settings. Mountain View is now working to close that gap by bringing that same privacy configuration to Chrome. Do Not Track will let users opt out of tracking cookies and targeted advertising (from ad networks that comply with the standard, that is), and is currently live on Chrome's developer channel. The option will reportedly be baked into the stable version of the browser by the end of the year.
Browser extension enables SkyDrive attachments within Gmail
Gmail users who envy Outlook's SkyDrive integration will find that the proverbial grass is now a little greener on their side, thanks to fresh features in Attachments.me's Chrome and Firefox browser extensions. With the plugin installed, files residing in Microsoft's cloud service can be attached to emails from within Gmail. Also included in the update is support for user-created rules that can direct attachments to SkyDrive as they flood into inboxes. Can't wait for Gmail to gain similar support with Google Drive, or just prefer Redmond's storage solution? Hit the source link below to infuse Mountain View's web mail with some of Microsoft's storage locker mojo.
Mozilla pulls Firefox Home from the iOS App Store, posts source code to GitHub
iOS users keen on Mozilla's Firefox Home will have to find another browser syncing solution: the application has been retired. The app worked in conjunction with Firefox Sync, and was designed to give users access to their desktop history, open tabs and bookmarks on the go. Mozilla says the project "provided valuable insight and experience with the platform," but ultimately decided its resources were better focused elsewhere. All isn't lost, however -- the company is making the source available on GitHub, encouraging users to tinker with the iOS Sync client Firefox Home was built on. Feel free to swim in the code yourself at the source link below.
Firefox 16 beta arrives with web app hooks, Reader Mode for Android and VoiceOver for Macs
Firefox 15 is barely fresh off the vine, and we're already looking at a beta version 16 for both desktop platforms and Android. Mozilla's test release builds in the first support for web apps that play nicely with the Mozilla Marketplace; as long as titles have a slight amount of extra formatting, they can slot into Firefox without hiccups. More treats exist if you're running certain platforms: the Android crowd receives a Safari-style Reader Mode that strips out the fluff from pages, while Mac users see the once test-only VoiceOver support flipped on by default to improve accessibility. Even developers get a little something special through a quick-access toolbar and more readily accessible CSS4 scripting. If any of this sounds tempting, there's a pair of source links waiting for your attention.
Atari ports classic games to HTML5 for web and Windows 8, lets developers craft their own (video)
Atari is big on nostalgia this year, but it hasn't had much in the way of software to reflect the trip down memory lane beyond the existing mobile apps. Its remedy to that shortfall is full of 2012 buzzwords. The new Atari Arcade includes modern takes on eight classic Atari 2600 games, all built entirely with HTML5 and free to play. As fun as that promises to be, our interest is most piqued by the game library's open-ended nature; this isn't just an alternative to firing up a smartphone. A new Javascript kit lets developers not only build their own games but make money as they see fit, whether it's through ads or in-app purchases. Whether they're new or old, titles work in multiple contemporary browsers, although Microsoft would really, really like you to know that the games are ad-free and touch-optimized for both Windows 8 tablets as well as Internet Explorer 10. We'll try to remember that when we look to relive our Combat memories on a Surface.
Google Octane benchmark tests JavaScript in the real world, scales to mobile sizes
We're all too familiar with JavaScript tests like Sunspider -- we use them all the time to gauge browser speeds on phones and tablets. Most of these have little direct correlation to the sites we're visiting on our devices, however, and seldom acknowledge that we're testing with anything but a desktop. Google wants to drag the experience into this decade with its new Octane benchmark. The collection of tests uses real-life examples of JavaScript code -- who knew web-based Game Boy emulators were so popular? -- to generate results for a simple, more-is-better scoring system. Its interface also scales dynamically and should fit just about any screen size. While we can't guarantee that Octane will find a place within our own battery of tests, both the benchmark itself and the source code are available for anyone to investigate. Feel free to post and compare your results in the comments.
Browser-controlled robot lets you skip stones remotely, mentally escape the concrete jungle
Can't unwind without the aid of open spaces? Skippy the robot might be able to help you out. The aptly named bot lets you remotely skip stones across an Idaho pond using a simple web interface. After waiting for your turn in a virtual queue, the machine lets you adjust its aim, tweak the amount of force behind the pitch and dispatch a rock. Best of all, your stone jumping exploits are automatically recorded, letting you show off your skipping prowess. Devised as a way to raise awareness for Idaho's Sun Valley resort area during the summer months, the mechanical projectile chucker seems to be arduino-powered, and operates only during daytime hours. Check out the source to start pelting pebbles, or venture past the break for two short videos of the contraption in action.
Chrome 20 browser released: exclusive 64-bit Linux Flash, fewer MacBook crashes
If your new MacBook is having kernel panics, or you're forced to run a 32-bit browser in Linux because you need Flash, Google's brought relief with version 20 of Chrome. While acting sheepish about "yet another release," the Chrome Blog said "hundreds of bugs" were fixed, including a MacBook resource leak issue which was temporarily patched by disabling some GPU features. Also, Linux users will finally get full 64-bit support for Flash with Adobe's PPAPI "Pepper" version, but since it was made exclusively for Chrome, Penguin users will be stuck with that browser if they want the feature. To get it, check the source after the br... oh, right, background update. Nevermind.
