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Mozilla's CEO isn't happy with Microsoft's switch to Chromium
Mozilla CEO Chris Beard isn't fond of Microsoft's decision to overhaul its Edge browser using Google's open source Chromium project, which is the basis of Chrome. "By adopting Chromium, Microsoft hands over control of even more of online life to Google," he writes in a blog post.
This week's tech titan 404s | Engadget Today
If you tend to work in Google Docs, you already know about it being down for hours on Wednesday, but only AT&T users had the pleasure of realizing their phones also didn't work for a good portion that same day. To fix it, AT&T told users to restart their phones, and that it might take multiple restarts to get it working again. T-Mobile, never one to miss a diss, jumped right into the same Twitter thread to offer frustrated users a chance to switch carriers. Ouch.
Mozilla's new Firefox features improve browsing on iOS and Android
Firefox is adding a few quality-of-life features to its mobile browsers. To celebrate hitting one million downloads in the month since it launched, the minimalistic, privacy-intensive Firefox Focus for Android now lets users download files, supports full-screen video and enables opening the browser right from notifications.
Firefox's anti-tracking private browsing is now in beta
Last month, Mozilla released a pre-beta version of its Firefox browser featuring an overhauled Private Browsing mode, designed to block certain web elements (such as analytic tools) that track your online behavior. This experimental build, however, was mostly intended for developers. But now Mozilla is bringing these anti-tracking, privacy-focused features to more users, as it's making them available through the Firefox Beta browser on the desktop and Android. The company says it also used feedback from pre-beta testers to try a new feature within Private Browsing dubbed Tracking Protection, which will block sites from creating profiles about you across the web based on your data -- other mainstream browser's private modes don't protect that deep, according to Mozilla.
Don't freak out: Firefox is testing advertisements in new tabs
You know those rectangles that appear when you open a new tab in the Firefox internet browser? They show your most frequently visited websites -- convenient! -- but soon they'll also show a mélange of Firefox sites "and other useful sites on the web." Bummer? Maybe. These are just the tests, still mainly aimed at fresh installs of the Firefox web browser and always to beta users, before the rollout of sponsored tiles.
Whatever happened to Netscape?
Netscape's story reads like a proper fairy tale: takeovers, fierce and hostile competition, split-ups, a giant payout and even a dragon! While Netscape may now only be a sweet, sweet memory to those who used it to first discover the web, the browser's monstrous impact has cemented it as one of the first and most important startups to shape the internet. Netscape's founders successfully plucked a brilliant idea from academia and pushed it onto the world's stage at a time when competition didn't exist, websites were not much more than plain-text blurbs and inline images were still revolutionary. Consider the battle that would ensue between this web pioneer and Microsoft. The "browser wars," as they came to be known, would ultimately lead to creation of Internet Explorer, Microsoft's antitrust suit and the formation of the Mozilla Project and Firefox.
Firefox adds support for OS X Notification Center in latest release
Mozilla may have stopped working on the Windows 8 version of Firefox, but that doesn't mean its standard desktop browser is getting the same treatment. Quite the contrary, actually. Today, Firefox 28 was released for Linux, Mac and Windows, with support for OS X Notification Center, volume controls for HTML5 media playback and VP9 video decoding. There are also security fixes in tow, which, while not as exciting, are equally important. You can peek the full changelog here -- in case you're into that sort of thing.
Mozilla experiments with content personalization based on your interests
Mozilla is known for its staunch support of its users' privacy, but that isn't stopping the team from exploring options for personalizing the web. In a blog post today, Justin Scott, Mozilla Labs' product manager, discussed the possibility of incorporating your browser activity into an API that allows sites to prioritize their content based on your interests. For example, if you spend a lot of time looking up baseball scores, publishers could push related articles to the forefront just for you. Though that may sound like an overstepping of the bounds Mozilla has so strongly defended, the company insists that the ability to select what to share (if anything) with content creators will remain in the hands of the user. To read more about Mozilla Labs' experiments and weigh in on the proposal, head on over to the source link below.
Firefox updated to support 3D games, video calls and more
The latest version of Firefox (22) is full of big new features. Most notably, the latest update adds support for 3D gaming (care of Epic Games), for video and voice calls as well as file sharing "without the need to install additional software or use third-party plugins," and for a new version of JavaScript that Mozilla's calling, "supercharged." Mozilla's even got a 3D game for you to play called BananaBread, so you may put the company's claims through the wringer. Should that not be enough for you diehard Firefox devotees, there's also a thrilling update that'll show download progress on OS X directly in the Dock icon. Take a breath and a seat, and maybe download the latest Firefox build right here when you've cooled down.
Firefox OS shows up on a mystery phone, we go hands-on (update: now with video!)
Firefox's mobile operating system showed up on a mystery phone tonight at a pre-CES event ahead of its unveiling later this year, carrying no branding and looking light on features. Sadly, the WiFi in the event space didn't give us much of a chance to explore the OS' inner workings, and the phone was dubbed a "mystery" device by Mozilla reps, but we did snap some pictures of it. We also know that it's got at least an ARMv6 CPU and 256MB of RAM, and likely more power than that. Mozilla's planning a 2013 launch of the Firefox OS -- an OS powered entirely by HTML5 -- in partnership with Telefonica, Qualcomm, and "a long list of industry supporters. The phone we handled felt like a pretty standard low-end Android device, albeit running an HTML5 open source OS. Swapping between apps was quick and responsive, but the phone really wasn't doing too much. Mozilla's aiming the OS at low-end phones in emerging markets, and told us that South America would be its first focus. While what we saw was still pretty bare bones, the OS has certainly seen some heavy updates since its big debut at last year's Mobile World Congress. Update: To be extra clear, Mozilla isn't launching hardware, but a mobile OS that works across various devices. Sorry about any confusion! Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Snag YouTube's redesign early with a quick browser cookie change
After a debut this summer, YouTube's visual refresh hasn't rolled out to all of its users, but the folks at OMG! Chrome! have stumbled upon a way for you to get in on the action a little early. Simply point Chrome or Firefox to YouTube, open up the browser's console, enter a line that'll fiddle with a cookie and you'll be able to cruise Google's video service with its fresh coat of paint. To open up your console in Firefox, just punch Control+Shift+K on Windows or Command+Alt+K on a Mac. For Chrome, hit Control+Shift+J on a PC or Alt+Command+J on machines running OS X. Can't wait to take the new look, which gives Google+ a nod, for a spin? Hit the source link below for the code snippet to get started.
Firefox begins testing Social API with Facebook Messenger, here's how you can take part
You live a fast-paced life, and you don't have time to stop your high-speed internet surfing just to check up on Suzie's latest Facebook update. Mozilla understands your plight, digital denizen, and its "Social API" is here to help -- Firefox browser users can beta test Facebook's Messenger functionality right this minute, should they be able to pause for long enough to get it set up. Thankfully, that setup isn't too strenuous, requiring little more than the latest beta version of the Firefox browser and an opt-in to the Social API program (via Facebook). Mozilla's promising more social service integration as the beta rolls on ("soon"), but for now you can more readily stay in touch with Suzie at least, right?
Mozilla opens Firefox Marketplace for Aurora builds of Android, gives mobile a taste of web apps
Mozilla's love of web apps is more than obvious; we just haven't had a real chance to try the Firefox Marketplace that represents a large part of the company's app strategy. The doors are at last open for a peek, although Mozilla has chosen the unusual path of giving mobile users the first crack: Android users willing to live on the bleeding edge of an Aurora build of Firefox can browse and run those web apps in Mozilla's store. Everyone else willing to venture into the Marketplace will have to wait until their own Firefox builds receive a matching update, including that rare group with access to Firefox OS. We're not quite in a rush to try a first wave of apps in an alpha-grade browser. Should you be the sort who thinks that even beta releases are too sluggish, however, your gateway to the Marketplace awaits at the source links.
Firefox 16 final launches with Reader on Android, VoiceOver on Macs and web app support
Mozilla knows how to keep on the fast track. Just weeks after the Firefox 16 beta first showed, the finished version is ready and waiting. Surprises are few if you were an early adopter, although the update still has some welcome changes for the right audiences. Mozilla is most keen to talk about preliminary web app support for the Mozilla Marketplace, but you'll also find device-specific additions like a Reader Mode for the Android flock and VoiceOver support automatically switched on for Macs. More responsive JavaScript and on-by-default Opus audio playback give existing surfers extra reasons to upgrade. Firefox 16 is immediately available through all the usual channels, so hit the relevant source link if you're ready to live on the not-quite-bleeding edge.
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.
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.
Mozilla releases Thunderbird 15 with Firefox-like UI, live chat
Mozilla might be scaling back its official support of Thunderbird, but it still has love left for those who yearn for more in their e-mail clients than OS developers can give. The newly-released Thunderbird 15 update's most conspicuous change is a deliberate visual harmony with its Firefox cousin: the company wants its apps to have more in common than just a shared name on the About screen. Under the hood, there's now a live chat feature to skip the wait for e-mail, a Do Not Track option for web searches and the choice of using Ubuntu One cloud storage for large attachments. It's hard to know if future Thunderbird releases will be as substantial once the community takes the reins. For now, though, Thunderbird aficionados can relax. [Thanks, Keith]
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.
Google, Mozilla and Wikimedia projects get Maya language translations at one-day 'translathon'
Twenty native speakers of Yucatec, Mexico's most widely spoken Mayan tongue, met last Thursday to help bring the language to Google, Mozilla and Wikimedia projects. The event, dubbed Mozilla Translathon 2012, was organized to provide translations for Firefox, Google's Endangered Languages Project, the WikiMedia software that powers Wikipedia and 500 crowdsourced articles, to boot. Finding the right words, however, can often be a tricky proposition. "There are words that can't be translated," Mozilla's Mexico representative Julio Gómez told CNNMéxico. "In Maya, file doesn't exist. Tab doesn't exist." Gómez continues to explain that the group may keep foreign words as-is, or find other terms to represent the same ideas. In addition to software localization, it's believed that the effort could allow Maya speakers to "recover their identity and their cultural heritage," according to Wikimedia México president Iván Martínez. If you'd like to peruse wiki articles in the indigenous language, check out the source links below.
Firefox 15 beta boasts support for Opus audio format, reduces add-on memory leaks
Can't bear to part with your favorite browser extensions, but can't stand to see them devour your system memory? Maybe you should check out Firefox 15. According to Mozilla's Hacks blog, the browser's latest beta should patch up the majority of memory leaks gushing from Firefox add-ons. Also new, is the beta's support for Opus, a free audio format partially supported by Mozilla. The firm hopes competing browsers will pick up the format as well, calling it "as good or better than basically all existing lossy codecs." The blog makes quite a case for the format, citing tests and bitrate information, going as far as giving instructions on embedding Opus players in web pages. Check out the codec of tomorrow for yourself at the source links below.
