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Rockmelt says goodbye to its social web browser, says hello to Rockmelt for Web
It was a good ride while it lasted, but the browser wars haven't been kind to Rockmelt, which has announced that it'll cease supporting its socially-inclined desktop browser sometime in the next few months. The decision was made because keeping up with the steady stream of updates for Chromium, the code upon which the Rockmelt browser was based, was simply too costly. In its place, the company has announced Rockmelt for Web, a portal that may serve to alleviate some of the Reader rage many of us are experiencing. It aggregates content from "your favorite sites, your favorite people, and a dash of crazy stuff you never would have discovered," so it's like a combination of RSS, social networks and StumbleUpon. It's an invite-only beta for now, though users of the browser and iOS app have already been invited to the party. The rest of you lot can get on the list by hitting the source and signing up.
Webkit's Chromium-specific code to be removed in effort to streamline
Now that Chromium has pledged its allegiance to Google's new Blink rendering engine, Webkit is set to have the now-unnecessary Chrome-specific code stripped from it. Apple Webkit developer Geoffrey Garen kicked off a conversation on the project's mailing list about removing the Mountain View-centric cruft, saying that it would streamline things and hopefully "make development easier and more coherent for everyone." Garen adds that Googlers Adam Barth and Eric Seidel have already offered to pitch in with the clean up, but he asks that devs who will continue using the engine tidy things up as well. Over the next few weeks, code in Webkit related to the search giant's browser, such as the V8 JavaScript engine, will be put up on the chopping block. With a Blink-infused Chrome slated to arrive in roughly 10 weeks, these changes shouldn't mean much for the average web surfer, save for Webkit being a bit trimmer under the hood.
Google's Blink engine (gently) hints at a more streamlined future for Chrome
Word that Google had decided to fork WebKit and build its own rendering engine is still echoing through the spidery halls of the internet. The true ramifications aren't entirely clear yet, but Opera has pledged to embrace Blink and WebKit is already talking about removing Chrome-specific code from its repositories. This doesn't necessarily indicate a seismic shift in the industry, but it certainly suggests that we won't be looking at a world so thoroughly dominated by the direct descendant of KHTML. At least at first, the new entrant won't actually deviate much from WebKit. Primarily the focus will be on stripping away unnecessary code and files to streamline the rendering engine specifically for Chrome. Obviously, this won't prevent other developers from using Blink, since the project is open source. But Google has been pretty up front about the rationale behind the fork -- the multi-process architecture favored by Chromium-based projects is quite different than that used in other WebKit browsers. This has, to put it in the plainest terms possible, kinda gummed up the works. Blink is about 10 weeks away from landing in the stable version of Chrome (it's expected to be turned on by default in version 28), but it's already available as part of the Canary build. We downloaded the experimental browser and spent some time with it in an effort to identify what, if anything, was different. Keep reading after the break to find out just what Google has bought by shedding some of WebKit's baggage.
Google forks WebKit with Blink, a new web engine for Chromium and Chrome (update)
You could call WebKit the glue that binds the modern web: the rendering engine powers Apple's Safari, Google's Chrome, and many mobile browsers past and present. Things are about to unstick a little. Google believes that Chromium's multi-process approach has added too much complexity for both the browser and WebKit itself, so it's creating a separate, simpler fork named Blink. Although the new engine will be much the same as WebKit at the start, it's expected to differ over time as Google strips out unnecessary code and tweaks the underlying platform. We'd also expect it to spread, as the company has confirmed to us that both Chrome and Chrome OS will be using Blink in the future. We're safely distant from the Bad Old Days of wildly incompatible web engines, but the shift may prove a mixed blessing -- it could lead to more advancements on the web, but it also gives developers that much more code to support. Update: The Next Web has confirmed that Opera, which recently ditched its Presto engine for Webkit, will indeed be using Blink as it's already hitching its proverbial wagon to Chromium.
Chrome for Android build may tout a proxy-based speed boost
A fast smartphone will only go so far toward improving browser load times if the connection isn't there to back it up. If a discovery within a recent build of Chrome for Android is any hint, Google may have its own solution to that bottleneck. New code flags reference Google-run proxy servers that would squeeze pages using SPDY, improving performance at least slightly for the bandwidth-deprived. While there's not much more to go on, the finding is enough to suggest that roughly equivalent boosters like Amazon Silk and Opera Turbo could have a real fight on their hands. We'd advise caution when the flags are only accessible by running an ADB command -- they're clearly not ready for prime time. Should Google flick the switch on compression for Chrome's main release track, though, Android users may not need a third-party browser to sip the web through a thin straw.
Google tests new notification center in latest version of Chrome, bringing Google Now reminders... soon
Google's web browser might be creeping even closer to its mobile OS, with François Beaufort noting that the latest build of open-source Chromium for Windows has folded in some new "rich notifications". These are easily enabled by dabbling with the chrome://flags component, and you'll even get a look at the decidedly Chrome-ish pop-up box, seen above. The code elaborates on how devs can work their own notifications into the service, with the Clear All button presumably signposting that several notes can be stacked. We're still dealing with the test iteration at the moment, but after those Google Now cards made their appearance, it makes sense to see more functions permeate Chrome -- especially if you own one of their Books.
Google details Pwnium 3, targets Chrome OS
Google's Chrome security team has taken the wraps off its latest Pwnium competition. This time out, the target is Chrome OS on a Samsung Series 5 550, and as ever, the company's putting its money (and nerd cred) where its mouth is, offering up a $Pi million in rewards (that's a lofty $3.14159 million) for the third round of the competition. Amongst the payouts are $110,000 for a "browser or system level compromise in guest mode or as a logged-in user, delivered via a web page" and $150,000 for a "compromise with device persistence -- guest to guest with interim reboot, delivered via a web page." The company is also putting some weight behind the upcoming Pwn2Own competition, which goes down at CanSecWest in Vancouver in March. More info on both can be found at the source link below.
MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten pseudo-MMOs
So here we are at the second-to-last installment of my Chromebook All-In-One experiment. This will be the last time I give you a list of games that work well on the Samsung Chromebook, but always keep in mind that some of the other Chromebooks, especially the Samsung 5 550, have more power and do not use an ARM-based chip. What does that mean? Well, some services like NetFlix will not work on an ARM-based machine yet. Spacetime Studios' cache of browser-based titles will not work on this Chromebook yet as well. Don't worry, it's coming soon. Imagine the ARM Chromebook as a tablet with a keyboard attached... it's not a normal netbook or notebook. I also wrote up my wife's take on the Chromebook over at my personal blog. Be sure to check that out. She has been the perfect guinea pig as she pushes devices to their limits, and so the Chromebook has been getting heavy use from her and working wonderfully. Next week, my last installment of this series will be a video and article combo that covers the good and bad of the device, along with my final thoughts. Until then, though, click past the cut and enjoy my list of pseudo-MMOs. These are games that don't quite fit into the MMO category but have a multiplayer aspect to them!
Google adds ARM support to Chrome's Native Client
Google's Native Client endowed x86 machines with the ability to run apps compiled from C and C++ right inside Chrome in 2011, and now ARM devices are finally getting their time to shine. Mountain View's latest Native Client SDK adds support for ARM hardware, and tweaking existing Native Client apps to run on the architecture sounds pretty painless. According to Page and Co., developers just have to add a new file extension to their app, tweak a manifest file and get ahold of the fresh SDK. ARM support is reason enough for developers to celebrate, but Google says it's working on a next-gen Portable Native Client that'll let apps work regardless of architecture and without having to recompile, to boot. If you're ready to start coding, hit the source link for more details.
MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten standard MMOs
It's time for another installment of my month-long look at the Samsung Chromebook, the newest in the line of all-in-one devices brought to us by Google. Everything has worked pretty well so far, but the light notebook does have its issues. I'm so used to using my Google Nexus 7 tablet for reading emails and now reading articles and magazines that I am having a hard time without the pinch-to-zoom. I love the instant zooming; it's much easier when I am reading or surfing the net. (Wait, do we still say "surfing the net"?) In fact, the main issue with the Samsung Chromebook is its size. I have to hit ctrl-+ to zoom in pages often. Other than the smaller fonts, few other issues have cropped up -- I've found gaming has been really fun on this little guy. I've noticed that everyone who reads of gaming on the device is sort of perplexed. Why would I want to game on such a non-gaming machine? It's simple, really. As the title says, this is another attempt of mine to find the perfect device for doing all that I do using only the browser: writing, gaming, gaming, writing, watching videos, writing, and playing games. This week, I have 10 "standard" MMOs for you. These are games that act more like a common, client-based MMOs than the MMORTS titles I covered last week, but with some exceptions. The desktop browser can handle amazing, 3-D graphics, but a Chromebook does not allow downloads like Unity or Java. Keep that in mind.
MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles
Last week I introduced you to my newest device, the Samsung Chromebook. Yes, that's the official way to refer to the newest $249.00 Chromebook, according to my contact at Google. I have pined after one for a while, but the price point finally became too tempting and I nabbed one at my local Best Buy. Why? Why didn't I just spit out a few more bucks and get a "real" laptop or netbook, one that runs Windows 7 or 8? Well, it runs silently and almost without heat. It's essentially a keyboard attached to an 11-inch tablet that runs Flash. The Chromium OS is very secure, and it auto-updates every six weeks. But you're here to read about games. This week I am going to talk about the MMORTS genre and why it works so well on the Chromebook. I'll list 10 of my favorites -- a drop in the bucket for all the MMORTS games out there, but these are easily some of the best and run well on the Chromebook. Stay tuned for future columns, where we'll look at even more Chromebook-friendly MMOs and pseudo-MMOs as well.
Google Now coming to Chrome browser, brings reminder cards to the desktop
Google Now is fast becoming one of Android's defining features. But, if some recent additions to Chromium are anything to go by, the nifty little life-predictor could well be finding its way to Chrome browsers, too. An entry in the Chromium project code site titled "Show Google Now notifications in Chrome" along with some code revisions for "Creating a skeleton for Google Now for Chrome implementation" hints that the idea is, at least, at some level of development. This of course means that the service would leap out of its current mobile OS restraints, and become available to a much wider audience -- at least those using some portion of the Google ecosystem -- and not just its Android platform. The code was spotted by an eagle-eyed François Beaufort, who points out the reference to it working with Chrome's desktop notifications. While we wait for more official word, we guess a card to notify us of when this might be coming would be too much to ask?
Google patches SVG and IPC exploits in Chrome, discoverer banks $60,000 in the process
Google revels in hacking contests as ways of testing Chrome's worth. Even if the browser is compromised, the failure provides a shot at fixing an exploit under much safer circumstances than an in-the-wild attack. No better example exists than the results of Google's Pwnium 2 challenge in Malaysia: the company has already patched vulnerabilities found in the contest that surround SVG images and IPC (inter-process communication) before they become real problems. Staying one step ahead of truly malicious hackers carries a price, however. Pwnium 2 winner Pinkie Pie -- yes, Pinkie Pie -- is being paid $60,000 in prize money for catching the exploits. That may be a small price to pay if it reassures a few more Internet Explorer users looking to hop the fence.
Chrome Beta adds video engagement APIs, promises higher-quality video chats sans plugin
After concentrating on gaming and visual improvements in previous releases of Chrome, the browser's latest focus appears to be in video engagement. The latest beta includes a PeerConnection API that lets developers create real-time video chat applications without a plug-in. This builds upon existing WebRTC integration with a new getUserMedia API that should result in higher-quality video, audio, and data communications. The Beta also bundles in track support for HTML5 video, letting developers add in subtitles, captions, and other metadata -- the above photo, for example, is a screencap of a bike ride video enhanced with Google Map and Street View data. Another nice addition is a MediaSource API which adjusts video quality based on computer and network environments, which should put an end to those agonizing waits while the dancing inmate version of Gangnam Style buffers. Those interested can get their mitts on the new Chrome Beta today.
Yandex launches its own browser targeting Russian market
How many browsers is enough? Between Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Internet Explorer, (not to mention, Baidu, Amazon, Maxthon, Dolphin, etc...) you'd think we'd have plenty ways to surf the web. Not according to Yandex. The Russian search company has just released its own branded browser built around a Webkit base using Chromium as a starting point. This isn't its first foray into the world of software though, it's been offering a customized version of Firefox for some time, with Yandex as the default search engine. The new entry into the crowded browser market also borrows threat scanning technology from Kaspersky and Opera's Turbo for quickly loading content on slow connections. Tigran Khudaverdyan, head of mobile services at the company, even suggested to Business Week that a mobile version was in the works. For now it's only available for OS X and Windows, however. Check out the PR after the break and hit up the source link to download it now.
Google teases hackers with $2 million in prizes, announces Pwnium 2 exploit competition
The folks in Mountain View are starting to make a habit of getting hacked -- intentionally, that is. Earlier this year, Google hosted an event at the CanSecWest security conference called Pwnium, a competition that challenged aspiring hackers to poke holes in its Chrome browser. El Goog apparently learned so much from the event that it's doing it again -- hosting Pwnium 2 at the Hack in the Box 10th anniversary conference in Malaysia and offering up to $2 million in rewards. Bugging out the browser by exploiting its own code wins the largest award, a cool $60,000. Enlisting the help of a WebKit or Windows kernel bug makes you eligible for a $50,000 reward, and non-Chrome exploits that rely on a bug in Flash or a driver are worth $40,000. Not confident you can break Chrome? Don't let that stop you -- Google plans to reward incomplete exploits as well, noting that it has plenty to learn from unreliable or incomplete attacks. Check out the Chromium Blog at the source link below for the full details.
Chromium browser for Raspberry Pi beta available
Well known ChromiumOS developer Hexxeh has been fiddling around with the Raspberry Pi since its debut and his latest experiment is a beta version of the Chromium browser, ready to run on Raspbian images. While it's not the full Chromium OS (that's still under development) it should help ease the pain of browsing the web on one of the $35 Broadcom-powered units. It still requires quite a bit of horsepower however, so overclocking your Raspberry Pi and using a fast USB stick or SD card for storage is advised, hit the source link below for more instructions on downloading and running the 35MB~ package.
New Google Chrome beta lets webcams go plugin-free, video chat gets a lot less Flashy
Google has been talking up the prospects of integrating WebRTC into Chrome for the past several months. It's now ready to put theory into practice with a fresh beta of the web browser. The upgrade uses WebRTC to let typical microphones and webcams talk to the browser without using a plugin like Flash or something otherwise so very 2011. Just to embrace this future of direct hardware support ever the more tightly, Google is also building in a gamepad programming interface that lets controllers tap into Chrome without having to rely on Native Client's magic. There's more waiting at the source link, including more direct tie-ins with Cloud Print, so the more adventurous among us can get to chatting (and playing) right away.
Chromium OS gets ported to Raspberry Pi
Hexxeh has already proven his love for Chromium OS and the Raspberry Pi, obviously the next step was for the hacker to combine his passions into one project. Thus was born Chromium OS for the tiny ARM-powered computer from the UK. The initial commit of the port was officially approved by the Chromium team, meaning that anyone lucky enough to get their mitts on the board can download the code themselves. Of course, there's a long road to hoe before we see a stable version -- if we ever see such a thing. Right now the OS does little more than boot up, but if the embedded version of Chromium can be made to function without issue it could make browsing the web on the Broadcom SOC-sporting PC much less painful. Then again, performance is a big question mark. Seeing how much the 700MHz ARM11 chip struggled with the Midori browser, we wouldn't hold our breath for miracles. Then again, the underlying system is far less demanding than a full fledged Linux distro with a desktop. Hit up the source link to download Chromium OS for the Raspberry Pi yourself.
Chrome OS coming to ARM?
Many moons ago, Google made it quite clear we wouldn't be seeing its browser-based OS on any tablets or phones, but it never said Chrome OS wouldn't run on devices powered by similar silicon. In fact, the issues tracker at the Chromium OS project shows that work's being done to get Chrome OS compatible with ARM architecture, and in particular a Samsung Exynos 5250 chip. That Sammy silicon appears to be inside a new bit of hardware, codenamed "Daisy," but deeper digging failed to provide further details about the mystery device. While it certainly seems like Google's working on a new ARM-powered gadget, it's important to note that the Chromium project functions largely via user contributions, so the work might not be directed by Mountain View. You don't have to take our word for it, though. Head on down to the source link to see the evidence first hand, and feel free to form your own opinion.
