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Flickr launches prettified 'liquid' layout, brings high-resolution eye candy to the forefront
After refreshing the uploading tool (and throwing in some better editing functions), Flickr's decided to work on its looks. Its latest design update will now show a high-resolution version directly from a picture's main page. The size will also adjust itself to the resolution and size of your screen -- that's the fluid part of it -- avoid any nasty upscaling business. Hit up your own Flickr gallery to see the new design in action and expect more changes in the near future -- the developers are promising more to come.
iCloud.com slip-up shows Notes and Reminders, iOS 6 references
Looks like Apple's going to add more than just banner notifications to iCloud.com in the near future: a randomly available beta.icloud.com page has shown Notes and Reminders alongside familiar iCloud fixtures like email and Find My iPhone. If that wasn't enough, some skulking about in the HTML code of the beta page showed for a time that access to the new features requires signing in to the "iOS 6 beta," a fairly strong indicator that a web refresh will go hand-in-hand with a new mobile platform at this year's WWDC. What else is in store will likely have to wait until the developer event next month, but we at least know now that our iPhone's grocery lists will survive on the web. [Thanks, Tommy]
Facebook starts App Center beta, readies itself for paid web apps
Facebook is no stranger to letting members use real money in web apps, but only for in-app purchases. Its new App Center on the web and in mobile versions will let you buy web apps that have an up-front cost to use rather than shoehorning you into a freemium or subscription model. The portal will even have its own shopping portal, although it'll mostly be based around -- surprise -- recommendations coming from your social network profile. The addition should, in theory, lead to premium games and other apps that wouldn't fit into the Facebook Credit mould. Facebook is taking developer beta sign-ups now, although the apps themselves will have to wait.
Apple inadvertently teases iCloud.com banner notifications, pings your browser iOS 5-style
Apple already made clear that it was expanding iOS 5-like notifications to the desktop with OS X Mountain Lion, but it now looks as though that's extending to your web browser, too. Some visitors to iCloud.com have reported seeing notifications show at the top of the page that were both based on iOS' look and which were clearly not ready for prime time -- not unless Default Title for English is a new iCloud feature, at least. There's no indication of how advanced notifications might become in Apple's web portal, or if they'll transition from development cocoon to public butterfly at all. In the meantime, though, keep an eye on the top of your browser and let us know if you see anything leap out in the near future.
Financial Times to discontinue iPad, iPhone apps, move to HTML5
The Financial Times has announced that it is killing its iPad and iPhone apps. That doesn't mean that iOS users are going to be left out in the cold in terms of getting the latest financial news; it just means that the company is completing the move from an app-based edition to an HTML5 web app. The FT pulled its iOS app from the iTunes Store last year, but subscribers who had it installed could still use the app to grab and view content. The Financial Times is now going to make the app unusable, forcing the few remaining users to move to the HTML5 edition. It was reported that the user base for the web app actually overtook that of the iOS app within three months of being launched. The mobile site provides 12 percent of all new Financial Times subscriptions and contributes to 19 percent of all the FT.com web traffic.
Flickr outs new Uploadr feature for image uploads: HTML5-based, drag-and-drop UI
If you'll recall, it was only a few weeks ago when Flickr announced Aviary was replacing the vanished Picnik as the main photo-editing tool on the site. Now, continuing its ongoing makeover, the Yahoo-owned image hosting service is introducing yet another feature. Uploadr, as it's very cleverly dubbed, is an HTML5 web apparatus, which Flickr says will make for a "completely new uploading experience." There's a few major attributes Uploadr brings to the table, including improvements in the speed department, a drag-and-drop UI and bigger file size limits for paid and free users. Flickr notes that folks will now see a boost in uploading speeds of up to 30 percent, while "some" international users may see a spike of somewhere between 50-60 percent. As for file sizes, the limits have been bumped to 50MB for Pro hogs and 30MB for those enjoying the freebies. Uploadr's set to be rolling out over the "next couple of weeks," and is currently offering browser support for Chrome, Safari and Firefox.
Microsoft job ads hint at a browser-based version of Skype based on HTML5
There's something thrilling about using job postings to parse a company's strategy, especially when the advert is so gosh darn low on secrecy. Take Microsoft, for instance, which posted four openings for developers to work on its Skype for Browsers project. If that weren't self-explanatory enough, the various ads each explain that Microsoft is looking for code monkeys to help "bring [the] Skype experience on to the Web," a position that calls for HTML5 know-how, along with proficiency in C#, Java or C++. That's as official a heads up as any, though if you've been paying attention you know Skype already powers Facebook's web-based video chat service. So it shouldn't exactly be surprising, then, that a Skype-branded version is likely in the works as well. Armchair investigators can find the postings at the source links, where any brilliant, Europe-based developers can try their hand at one of the four openings.
Flickr adopting Aviary for photo edits, waves goodbye to Picnik
With Google set to close the Picnik shop on April 19th, it was obvious that Flickr had to go out and seek a fresh replacement. Today, the Yahoo-owned service is announcing Aviary (a Jeff Bezos-backed startup) as the new photo editing tool on its site. Along with promising to be simpler and speedier than its soon-to-be deceased predecessor, Aviary brings expected features like cropping, rotating, sharpening, red-eye reduction and cosmetic whitening, just to mention a few. Of note, Aviary is written in HTML5, opening the doors to become useful on a handful of slates and handsets. Flickr is set to commence the rollout later today, though it may take a few days until you can check out the changes.
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.
Givit video sharing service offers easy export of FlipShare clips
Clinging desperately to the last vestiges of your beloved Flip? Well, as the December 31st, 2013 deadline to rescue your vids approaches, you're running out of time to pick a successor to your FlipShare affections. Sharing service Givit hopes to be the platform that takes the reins to your video-sharing heart. In order to lure in new users, it's integrating (however briefly) with FlipShare to offer you one click exporting of your clips from the doomed Cisco property. Users who log into FlipShare will see a link offering them 25GB 2GB of free storage if they move their movies to Givit as well. All in all, not a bad deal. If you want to give it a test run before handing over the keys to your memories, hit up the source link.Update: Givit reached out to correct an error in the original release they sent us. New members will only get 2GB free, but those signing up from FlipShare will received double the normal amount of storage on premium accounts.
Tether for iPhone returns as an HTML5-powered subscription service (video)
We're still not sure how iTether temporarily snuck into the App Store the first time around, but the developers behind that software have returned with a new version that skirts Apple's guidelines entirely. While Tether.com has standard apps available for BlackBerry and Android users, the new approach on iOS relies on creating an ad-hoc network from a PC, and then visiting the appropriate webpage on the iPhone. Log in to the website, and the company's "patent-pending" software does the job of tying the two connections together wirelessly through the magic of HTML5, no jailbreaking or other hackery needed. The cost for the service is $30 a year, although it's currently available for the first year at $15 -- no free trials, and of course what happens to your data plan is between you and your carrier. Check out the video above for a demonstration or hit the company's website for more details.
Kashoo iPad app: Business accounting on the go
Kashoo began existence as an online business accounting service. With the addition of a new free iPad app, business owners now have a powerful accounting tool at their fingertips at all times. In this review, I'll take you through a quick look at Kashoo and describe how it's helped one small business owner -- me -- take control of the day-to-day transactions that keep a business going. I have to admit that accounting is not my strong suite. Back in the early 80s when I was getting my MBA, I struggled through the concepts of T-charts, debits and credits just long enough to pass the required course. Through the years, I tortured myself with various versions of QuickBooks, but when I had to move to QuickBooks Online because Intuit had once again fallen behind the curve on updates, I decided that any future companies I started would use a different accounting package. Kashoo immediately caught my attention as an online alternative. For $10 a month, you not only get full access with a lot of features (more on those later), but the company's support is incredibly good. Early on, my lack of accounting savvy had me questioning my sanity in terms of figuring out how to perform a certain task. I zapped a quick email off to Kashoo support, and within an hour or two I had a very clear answer. You can also call the support line for even faster response, and that support is free. When I initially started setting up the books for a business partnership, Kashoo's iPad app wasn't available so my work began on the web app. It's fast, and a special "setup" section made it a piece of cake to set up a profile for the business, add accounts, vendors, and more. The iPad app, however, has made life even easier. When the app is first launched, you're asked to log into your Kashoo account. If you don't already have an account, you can sign up for a free trial or paid account. For those who sign into an existing account from the app, Kashoo syncs with the server and then displays a three page "dashboard" that business owners can scroll through by swiping. The first page of the dashboard displays income by month, quarter or year in a colorful column chart format with revenue, expenses, and profit listed at the top (screenshot below). The next dashboard page shows one year's worth of income by customer in a pie chart with sections by customer. There's a slider at the bottom of the chart for constraining the income information to a shorter timeframe. The last page of the dashboard shows expenses by account (below). Once again, the slider makes it possible to look at expenses for a specific timeframe during the last year. For the last two dashboard pages, tapping on either the customer name (for income) or expense account takes you right into the transaction details for that account. Likewise, tapping a vendor name on the expense dashboard page shows you exactly who your money is going to. If you've set up more than one business in your Kashoo account, you can select between them from a "Select Business" button at the top of the app. It's even possible to set up a new business from the iPad app. The settings button for the Kashoo app is pretty minimal, allowing you to force a sync with the cloud, log out, upgrade to a premium account, or send feedback to the Kashoo team. Along the bottom of the app are seven buttons -- Dashboard, Banking, Invoices, Expenses, Accounts, Reports, and Business. I've just described the Dashboard, and Business is where you can either set up or edit information about a business. The Banking button displays bank and other accounts one at a time (below). For example, I have a savings and checking account set up for the business, a PayPal account, several cash expense accounts, a cash account, and two accounts for Visa debit cards. Tapping on any of the accounts listed takes me to a detailed transaction record showing both income going into the account and expenses being taken from that account. Tapping an individual transaction shows a detail of that transaction. The standard iPad share button can be used to preview an invoice for a transaction or to email the transaction to someone. Speaking of invoices, the Invoice button displays invoices that have already been entered into Kashoo and also allows you to create and email invoices. You can pick a customer to invoice, pick the date from a standard rolling date picker, and enter an invoice and order number, terms of payment, and a memo. There are fields for adding line items to the invoice, including quantities, unit prices, extended prices, taxes (if applicable), and a description of the line item. There's also a location on the bottom of the invoice page for adding payments that a customer has made to their account. When adding expenses to Kashoo by tapping the Expenses button, a list of vendors appears (below). You can also add new vendors -- a tap on a "plus sign" button lets you add the company contact information, payment terms, the default account to which those expenses will be charged, and other miscellaneous information. If you do business with international vendors, you can choose from a number of different currencies. The Accounts button lets you see all transactions in all accounts or just in specific accounts (below). As before, tapping on any transaction displays a detailed accounting of vendor and account information. Probably the most useful button is the Reports button, which generates a Profit & Loss Statement (below), a Balance Sheet, and Aged Receivables and Payables. While these reports can be emailed as PDFs, at this time they cannot be printed directly from the iPad. Likewise, invoices and checks can't be printed from the iPad app; you still need to use the web app to accomplish printing. If you happen to have an HP printer with its own email address, you can print the reports from your iPad by mailing the report to the printer's unique address. I've been pleased with both the web and iPad apps; they're fast, they don't crash, and I'm able to do my business account fairly easily. Since the Kashoo app is new, I expect that the development team will continue to add new features like printing as time goes by. As it is, I can now review and update the current financial status of the company from my iPad -- helpful if I'm talking to a banker or potential vendor as I don't need to print out a stack of reports prior to the meeting. If you use an accountant for tax purposes like I do, you'll be pleased to know that most of them simply want a copy of your General Ledger for the previous year. In this case, I was able to generate that GL from the web app and email it directly to the accountant. Many of the various reports created by Kashoo can be saved as .csv files for import into a spreadsheet package. Kashoo's development team continues to add functionality to the online system as well, including FreshBooks integration and Payroll (Canada only at this time), and recently adding automatic import of transactions from banks. If you're starting a new business or thinking about breaking from a traditional Mac or Windows small business accounting package, Kashoo's the first place you ought to look. And be sure to expense that new iPad to your business, OK?
Google+ web app adds two new features, iOS and Android soon to follow
Twitter recently revamped its web interface, and now Google has decided to do the same for the Google+ web app, bringing two new features that should be a boon for the Big G's thriving social network. You can now see who's been rolling out +1's to your latest Hello Kitty pics with a simple click of the +1 count near the button. There's also a "What's Hot" stream, a section focused on the most interesting shared content that's accessed by flicking your thumb right on the main Circles timeline. The only casualty from this update was the Incoming feed page, which was replaced due to lack of use according to its creator. The iOS and Android applications are expected to make the jump soon, but in the meantime, the web app should satisfy the need to indulge.
Grooveshark goes dark in Germany over 'unreasonably high' license fees
The masses of online music streamers in Germany have discovered that there's one less option for blasting Cee Lo Green. Grooveshark has pulled the plug on its services in the country due to the seemingly truckloads of cash it was shelling out to GEMA, the performance and reproduction rights organization. The US-based music streaming service is no stranger to licensing quarrels, though, as they've been in scuffles with Sony, Universal, Warner and EMI in the States.
Dropbox Automator triggers monotonous tasks with the uploading of a file
There are plenty of tools and apps out there that automate the essential computing tasks that face us every day. Some are time consuming others are simply monotonous -- but they must be done. Dropbox Automator combines time-saving task mastery with perhaps our favorite cloud storage solution. The service watches a designated folder for uploads, when a new file is added an action is triggered -- everything from converting documents, to resizing an image or tweeting a link. And that's just scratching the surface. There are already plenty of automation scripts in the fledgling service's repertoire and devs can add there own by creating a SOAP webservice. Hit up the source link to get started now.
SlingPlayer for Google TV is out of beta, still a web app
We don't know what the folks at Sling have in store for CES 2012 but they are finally checking items off of last years list, including announcing the launch of SlingPlayer for Google TV. Officially dubbed SlingPlayer for Logitech Revue (it works fine on the Sony hardware too) any Google TV owners can find a link to the web app under the "Spotlight" section of their menu, and only need to login to enjoy remote TV viewing. The connected device SlingPlayer experience here is similar to that of the one on the Boxee Box, however running as a web app has a few specific disadvantages. While it mapped some of the Google TV's remote functions (channel up/down, pause, FF, rew etc.) directly to the box being remotely viewed, doing a simple thing like hitting back takes you out of the webpage and app entirely without warning. One advantage over the standard Android app however is that this one's free to use, so if you have both kinds of boxes (Sling and Google) at your disposal, go ahead and try it out or check out a video preview embedded after the break. %Gallery-113341%
Google's Native Client focuses on apps and games, brings Bastion to the browser (video)
In case you missed it, Google's Native Client launched at the end of the summer, promising to ease cross-OS deployment by letting developers run x86 code natively in Chrome. Early adopters have had a few months to tinker with Google's new trick, and now the outfit is eager to show off their best work. Supergiant Games, for instance, has ported Bastion to the Native Client, opening up the Xbox Live hit to Mac, Linux and Chrome OS users. Google's Christian Stefansen says Native Client makes porting existing code bases written C, C++ or C# easy, citing Spacetime Studio's Star Legends -- an MMO with over half a million lines of code -- as an example of a large project that was ported in as little as two weeks. Google touts application middleware ports (such as Unity, Moai, Mono, fmod and more) and easy distribution to the Chrome Web Store as a major boon to developers, and encourages interested studios to check out its new Native Client site to help them get started. Interested? Hit up the links below, or simply skip past the break to hear Mr. Stefansen's spiel for yourself.
Try out Windows Phone 7.5 Mango with your iPhone
You love your iPhone with a passion that knows no bounds. But that's not to say that occasionally your head isn't turned by a good-looking feature on another smartphone platform. If you've been curious about some of the capabilities and user interface glitz of Windows Phone 7.5 (AKA Mango) you're in luck. Microsoft has figured out a way for you to try out those features on your iPhone, so you don't have to embarrass yourself going to a Microsoft Store or playing with a Windows Phone device at Best Buy. How do you sample a juicy Mango without actually catching cooties from touching a Windows Phone? It's easy -- just point your browser to http://aka.ms/wpdemo, and you are presented with a sparkly representation of the Windows Phone 7.5 Metro UI that you can touch and swipe. I'll admit it. I went and took a look at Windows Phone 7.5, and then I washed my hands with a sterilizing soap, and put in eyedrops in an attempt to get the UI out of my eyes. But it's well worth a look, just so you know what passes for a mobile operating system in Redmond, Washington.
Microsoft enables Android and iOS users to experience Windows Phone 7... via the web
Still tempted by the fruit of another? If you're looking Microsoft's way, but aren't quite ready to toss your adoration for iOS or Android aside, the coders in Redmond are giving you an alternative to quitting cold turkey. By visiting http://aka.ms/wpdemo on one's iOS or Android browser, you'll be immediately tunneled into a emulation of Windows Phone 7. We gave it a test run here at Engadget HQ, and it seems that every tile and swipe save for Apps runs properly. Can't say the fonts and such looked as smooth on our Galaxy S II as they do on the Radar, but it's a solid effort that'll definitely serve you well if you're considering the switch. Just don't try to flip the demo horizontally -- that's clearly a no-no. %Gallery-140524%
Mozilla seeks to infiltrate Android with Boot to Gecko, a new mobile OS for geekos
Remember those rumblings about Mozilla and its very own mobile OS known as Boot to Gecko? We now have further details to share, and unlike most operating systems -- which demand their own hardware -- this one is aiming to shack up with Android smartphones. Given the existing complexity of altering many of these devices, Mozilla's Boot to Gecko will likely find favor among geeks alone, but the project itself has much greater ambitions. First and foremost, the OS will be designed with web apps in mind, yet with functionality and device integration that's on par with native applications. The true boon here is the potential for other operating systems to integrate Mozilla's technologies into their own browsers, thus allowing true cross-platform application development and the possibility of bolstering platforms that struggle for developer interest. Right now, much of the project exists only in the minds of a few tenacious developers, but the group hopes to unveil a public demo early next year. As if this weren't wild enough, while Mozilla has no intention of creating its own Boot to Gecko device, the group has expressed a willingness to work with OEMs that share its dream of a web-based future. Go ahead and count us in.
