extensions
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Latest Windows 10 preview brings Edge browser extensions
Microsoft has finally started testing the feature that could make its new Edge browser a real alternative to the likes of Chrome and Firefox: extensions. An updated browser with support for extensions is part of the new build rolling out to Preview users in the Fast ring. There are updates for both PCs and Mobile, although extensions are a desktop-only feature and there are only three of them available right now: Translate, Mouse Gestures and the Reddit Enhancement Suite. Versions of popular extensions from the likes of AdBlock Plus, LastPass, Amazon and more are promised to arrive later this year. The video below explains how the installation process works, so you can watch that while your computer updates.
Extensions for Microsoft's Edge browser aren't coming until 2016
When switching web browsers, importing favorites isn't hard, but the thought of losing all your extensions is usually what keeps people where they are. As a result, even if you're on Windows 10 already you might not make use of Microsoft's slick new Edge browser until it too has support for add-ons. Unfortunately, in a statement to Ars Technica Microsoft confirmed rumors that its current plan is to put off the addition of extensions until next year. Its decision is apparently based on the need to make sure its extension model is secure before delivering it in a 2016 Windows update. While browser upgrades are still cooking, all signs indicate a fall update is on the way in November with most of the features currently being beta tested, like an integrated Skype experience, new features for Cortana and an activation process that can accept product keys from earlier versions of Windows. [Image credit: Shutterstock]
Google Chrome plugs into iOS 8 app extensions
Enjoy how Chrome and other apps share data back and forth on Android? Now you can get that feeling on iOS, since Google has updated Chrome to take advantage of the app extensions supported by iOS 8. That doesn't mean you'll be able to install any of Chrome's desktop extensions -- it just means links can be shared directly to any other apps on your iDevice, as long as they also support the feature. The update is rocking "iOS 8 compatibility" but no tweaks for the extra size of the iPhone 6 family have appeared yet.
Google cuts off Chrome extensions that don't come from the Web Store
A while back Google said that it would stop letting Windows users install Chrome extensions that didn't come directly from the Web Store. The company ended up delaying the plan, but there is no more fighting it. Today users of the stable channel of Chrome on Windows will no longer be able to install extensions from outside the Web Store. That won't impact too many users thankfully, but it could make it difficult for those that like to run experimental add-ons. If you've already sideloaded extensions from outside of the Chrome Web Store, those will be disabled starting today; if you want to re-enable them, you'll have to make the switch to the dev channel of the browser. The idea is to protect users from malicious extensions that haven't made it through Google's screening process. Of course, OS X and Linux users can continue to use all the unapproved extensions they want. Apparently only Windows users need to be protected (perhaps from themselves).
Feedback Loop: phone prices, mobile Chrome extensions, television shows and more!
Welcome to Feedback Loop, a weekly roundup of the most interesting discussions happening within the Engadget community. There's so much technology to talk about and so little time to enjoy it, but you have a lot of great ideas and opinions that need to be shared! Join us every Saturday as we highlight some of the most interesting discussions that happened during the past week. This week, we talk about the ridiculous pricing structure of cellphones, discuss the possibility of extensions in a mobile browser, share thoughts on HBO's Silicon Valley and fondly recall our memories of the Game Boy. Do you have something to say? Head past the break to join the conversation!
Move over Chrome, Google Docs has add-ons now too
Power users have been tricking out Google's Chrome browser with extensions for years, and now they can do the same with... Google Docs? Today the search giant launched an add-on store for its word processing and spreadsheet web apps so that productivity buffs can get more work done with less hassle. So far the store comes stocked with about 60 tools, ranging from the seemingly arcane (Supermetrics somehow turns Docs into a web analytics tool) to the incredibly useful (EasyBib takes the sting out of crafting those awful works cited pages). If you're feeling particularly creative, you can start crafting a Google Docs add-on of your own too -- just make sure you've got a nifty use-case in mind or Google will shoot it down. Neat as it is, though, the move is no surprise. Microsoft rejiggered its own web-based Office suite just last month, and courting developers could help the folks in Mountain View keep their edge in a battle that's only going to heat up.
Google starts banning Chrome extensions bought by shady ad firms
A brouhaha over adware-laced Chrome extensions has forced Google to remove two from its store and possibly exposed a wider issue. According to the original developer of "Add to Feedly," the problems happened after he sold his plug-in -- created in a few hours -- to a party for a too-good-to-be-true "four-figure" sum. As detailed in a blog, he discovered that new code was injecting ads into every page browsed without approval, angering users and lowering its rating. The same thing happened with "Tweet This Page," another app that served up unwanted ads after being sold. Since other developers were also approached, there's speculation that it could be a new type of scam: buying perfectly good extensions, altering them and then letting Google slip them to users via automatic updates. After it was contacted by the WSJ, Google pulled the renegade extensions, saying that recently altered terms of service prohibit them. However, that's only because they didn't ask user permission; there's nothing to prevent apps from inserting such ads -- something to keep in mind the next time you tweak Chrome.
Google tightens Chrome Web Store rules to prevent toolbar overload
Many web veterans can share horror stories of friends and family who installed a few too many browser toolbars, some of them by accident. Google is clearly eager to avoid those disasters in Chrome -- it's instituting a new Chrome Web Store policy that will limit extensions to a single purpose. From now on, new extensions can't sneak in toolbars, secondary extensions or other features that aren't part of the core functionality. The move will create problems for honest developers who simply want to make rich add-ons, but Google is giving these code writers until June to either slim down or split up their current extensions. Although we doubt that everyone will like the stricter measures, they may be worthwhile if Chrome stays largely clutter-free.
Google Drive extension lets you save pieces of the web to the cloud
Earlier today, a new Google Drive extension was released to the Chrome Web Store. This productivity tool provides users with a new way to capture and store web-based content. By clicking the extension's icon, you can save a copy of a webpage, its HTML source code, or a web archive. You can also save items by right-clicking photos or file links. In addition, Google has introduced new scrolling, fit to page and 100 percent image viewing options, along with the ability to comment on selected areas of pictures saved to your Drive. Whether you're looking for a replacement for Skitch, or an easy way to collect snippets of the web, this extension just might be what the doctor ordered.
Firefox 15 to arrive in finished form on August 29th, promises truly stealthy updates for all (update 2: stand-alone, Android too)
Mozilla has been keeping to a tight schedule of having a completed Firefox release every five to six weeks, and it's very much on track. The browser team's Ehsan Akhgari has confirmed that a properly polished version of Firefox 15 should reach the download servers on August 29th. When it does arrive, the new release will primarily expand the silent updates that Windows users first saw in Firefox 12: future iterations on all platforms will install themselves in the background and should be truly ready to go the next time the browser starts. Beyond this deliberately subtle change, the finished version 15 upgrade should still support Opus audio as well as clamp down on out-of-control memory use from add-ons. We're looking forward to not noticing the differences very shortly. Update: Although it's not on the front page yet, both Mozilla, reader Josh and this writer can confirm that Firefox 15 is rolling out sooner than expected -- there's no reason to wait. Update 2: It's now easier to get a stand-alone copy if you're not updating, since Mozilla just updated the Firefox front page to reflect the new version. Android users are also getting an update through Google Play that brings earlier speed updates to tablets, a personalized start page and a whole host of extra fixes, some of which come directly from the desktop Firefox 15.
OpenGL ES 3.0 and OpenGL 4.3 squeeze textures to the limit, bring OpenVL along for the ride
Mobile graphics are clearly setting the agenda at SIGGRAPH this year -- ARM's Mali T600-series parts have just been chased up by a new Khronos Group standard that will likely keep those future video cores well-fed. OpenGL ES 3.0 represents a big leap in textures, introducing "guaranteed support" for more advanced texture effects as well as a new version of ASTC compression that further shrinks texture footprints without a conspicuous visual hit. OpenVL is also coming to give augmented reality apps their own standard. Don't worry, desktop users still get some love through OpenGL 4.3: it adds the new ASTC tricks, new visual effects (think blur) and support for compute shaders without always needing to use OpenCL. All of the new standards promise a bright future in graphics for those living outside of Microsoft's Direct3D universe, although we'd advise being patient: there won't be a full Open GL ES 3.0 testing suite for as long as six months, and any next-generation phones or tablets will still need the graphics hardware to match.
Chrome Web Store adds offline app section, more markets and greater analytics for developers
Just two months ago, Google added badges to its Chrome Web Store to denote whether a specific app offers offline functionality. Now, the company is making it easier for users to specifically root out these apps with a new offline section in the Chrome Web Store. The change won't be immediately apparent to many, as the "Offline Apps" section is nested within the "Collections" portion of the store, but once here, users will find a host of familiar titles such as Angry Birds, Google Calendar, Google Docs and Offline Google Mail, along with selections such as Nitro for task management, NYTimes for news and Space Invaders for those who like to kick it old school. Along with the new collection, Google is also making life a bit sweeter for developers. First, it's announcing the availability of the Chrome Web Store in Turkey, Ukraine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. Along with this, devs will find new analytics tools to view the trending performance of their titles throughout the past 90 days. For a bit more insight, feel free to hit up the source link below.
Yahoo Axis on desktop, iOS unifies your bookmarks, makes the web visual (hands-on)
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-155648%
Google updates Chrome Web Store with offline badges, subcategories and trending apps
With Google tasking itself to organize all of the world's information, you'd think its own Chrome Web Store would be a bit easier to navigate. Apparently this revelation dawned on someone at the company, because it's just introduced several enhancements that should help users find new and useful extensions for their browser. Along with faster autocomplete searches and new subcategories, you'll now find badges that denote an application's offline functionality and games that can be played on Google+, with additional badges said to be in the works. There's even a new trending section, where users can discover recently popular titles that rank from "warm" to "on fire." If it's been a while since you've last visited the Chrome Web Store, now could be an ideal time to peruse the new features. You might even start a trend.
Google tests the 'do not track' waters with a Chrome extension (Update)
Well, that didn't take long. One day after agreeing to implement a do not track button as part of a new consumer bill of rights, Google has given the people what they want... sort of. Keep My Opt-Outs is a Chrome extension, developed by the Mountain View team, that will prevent advertisers from using your browsing history against you. Presumably, this function will get built straight into the browser one day but, for now, you have to go dig it up in the Chrome Web Store -- far from an ideal solution. Still, a tepid step into the shallow end is better than no step at all. You can install the extension yourself at the source.Update: As a few of you have noted, this extension has actually been available for quite some time, since Google originally announced the ad cookie blocker back in 2011. Check out the details in the team's original Public Policy blog post and combine it with a dose of web history cleaning to keep your activities to yourself.
Vonage launches Android app for free international calling, still no service to Brodo Asogi
Just in time for Tante Lulu's birthday in Gstaad, Vonage launched its Extensions app for free long-distance calling from your Android phone. With a quick download, homesick relatives can tap into their existing Vonage VoIP service from a Google-powered phone to call globally without racking up terribly expensive additional mobile charges. The catch? It requires a VoIP international calling plan before you can start dialing friends worldwide. Also, pricing is subject to your existing calling plan and it doesn't support messaging like some other similar apps, including Fring and Viber. For existing Vonage users, it's certainly a sweet added feature, leaving you no excuse but to call Auntie Lulu. [Thanks, Val]
Vonage Extensions makes mobile international calling a free-of-charge affair
Hey Vonage customers, your VoIP service of choice is about to get a bit of a mobile value-add. Announced today, the company's new Extensions service links your existing home internet calling plan to extra phone numbers -- like a cellphone-- for free, so you can make that long-distance call to Tante Lulu in Gstaad on-the-go. Okay, so the feature isn't exactly gratis -- you're still required to sign up for an unlimited international calling plan, but the bucks literally stop there. All it takes to get started with this "virtual calling card" is an access number and some foreign digits. Sound too complicated for you? Don't fret, official iPhone and Android-compatible apps are scheduled to hit their respective markets in the coming weeks. So, go ahead and ring ol' Lu for her 89th birthday. She'll be glad you called.
OS X Lion Bug: Safari guzzling massive amounts of RAM
After installing OS X Lion last week, one of the things I've noticed is that Safari tends to run away with enormous amounts of RAM over time. A subprocess called "Safari Web Content" will sometimes use over a gigabyte of RAM. Since my Mac maxes out at 4 GB, and since it's a rare day that I'm only using Safari and nothing else, having so much of my system's RAM gobbled up by one process was bogging everything down. Safari Web Content is a sandboxed subprocess of Safari that runs all webpage rendering. If you've got several dozen tabs open at once, it might make sense for the subprocess to use up that much RAM; however, I was seeing huge amounts of RAM usage even with only three or four tabs open. Four webpages shouldn't be consuming over a gigabyte of RAM. Many people's knee-jerk reaction has been to blame Flash for the excessive memory consumption, but that's not the case here; Flash runs as its own separate process and has nothing to do with the "Safari Web Content" process or its runaway RAM usage. A few people have recommended disabling any Safari extensions you may have running to reclaim a big chunk of the RAM used up by Safari Web Content. Whether it's a bug in Safari 5.1 or incompatibility with older extensions, the theory goes that one or more of the extensions I've been running was the cause for Safari's excessive RAM usage. Disabling all but a handful of my Safari extensions brought the Safari Web Content subprocess's RAM usage down from 1.06 GB or more down to a much more manageable 300 - 320 MB with five tabs opened, but over time usage climbed to over 600 MB again, so it's possible one of my enabled extensions is the culprit. As I write this, it's been around ten minutes since I restarted Safari the last time. I have only three extensions running -- Better Facebook, Rapportive, and ClickToFlash -- and I've browsed about ten pages between three tabs since relaunching Safari. Already Safari Web Content has consumed nearly 300 MB of RAM. A subsequent test with all extensions disabled has caused Safari Web Content to go from its initial 148 MB all the way up to 251 MB of RAM after browsing 39 webpages -- most of them on Wikipedia, which isn't exactly known for data-heavy content. This doesn't seem normal to me. This bug definitely seems to have been introduced in OS X Lion or Safari 5.1, and hopefully it's one we'll see addressed in a forthcoming update.
Opera 11 now available for download
There's no Scandinavian-themed video this time around, but Opera Software has just released the final, non-beta version of its Opera 11 web browser, which promises a couple of big changes and a slew of other more minor refinements. Among the biggest additions are what Opera calls "tab stacking," which lets you create groups of tabs to manage dozens of open web pages a bit more effectively, and "visual mouse gestures," which is sort of like multitouch gestures but -- you know -- with a mouse. You'll also now get extensions, along with a new and improved (and "safer") address bar, and a so-called "mail panel" that's basically a built-in email client. Head on past the break for the complete press release, and hit up the link below to start downloading.
iPhone 101: Save extensions in Contacts
Having friends with an office job in the typical corporate environment often times means having to dial a desk phone with an extension. As Lifehacker points out, this usually results in having to memorize a contact's direct extension for use after dialing the office's main line. The difficulty comes from the fact that simply dialing someone's extension immediately after the main line number will not work. The internal phone system of the company you are calling will not recognize the extension has been dialed until there is a connection between the caller and the system. To solve this problem, cell phones have functionality that allows users to save a "pause" in between a main line number and a contact's extension. This gives an automated phone system time to answer the call and then after the pause has occurred, receive the extension from the caller. Your humble iPhone supports this functionality, and it's very useful when needing to dial colleagues at the office rather than on their mobile phone. TheiPhoneWebsite.com has a handy tutorial that shows you how to save a "pause" followed by an extension using the iPhone Contacts app. In order to input a pause in your contact's phone number, you need to open the contact for editing using either the Phone or Contacts app on your iPhone or iPod touch. Tap on the number you wish to modify, and when the dial pad appears, press the "+*#" button on the lower left. This will change the dial pad as seen above and allow you to insert a pause (shown as a comma) into your contact's phone number. Add the extension to the end of the number, after the comma, and hit Save. Now when tapping on the contact's office number to initiate a call, you will not be required to dial the extension after the phone system picks up. You will automatically be transferred to cell phone dialing nirvana, or at least to the person you were trying to reach. [via Lifehacker]
