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Chrome gets Passbook support on iOS, bug fixes on Android
Google's unleashed new versions of Chrome for iOS and Android (both x86 and ARM-specific flavors) that each pack miscellaneous stability updates, but the iDevice-bound release has been graced with a few new features. With the newly-minted build, users will be able to save boarding passes and tickets with Passbook, open PDFs in other apps and have the option to automatically detect text encoding. To get your mitts on the fresh downloads, hit the neighboring source links.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Google Chrome for Android comes out of beta, hits Play today
Sick of hearing about Google yet? Perhaps you're not. The search giant has unleashed one final bit, quietly announcing that Chrome for Android has finally emerged from its beta stage as a stable release. Version 18.0.1025123 has officially arrived in Google Play and is available for download now for devices running Ice Cream Sandwich. Updates from the beta appear to be modest, and include some minor user interface tweaks, along with stability and performance fixes -- the big news here is the official nod from Mountain View. If you've been holding out for a final release, the time has come to hit up Play -- get where you need to go by clicking through to our source link below.
Native Firefox Android browser adds speed, Flash, HTML5 and a fresh look (hands-on)
After a brief stretch in beta followed by some vague teasing, Firefox's native Android app update is finally set to hit Google Play. While there are a raft of bells and whistles -- a new welcome page, curvy Australis tabs, Flash and HTML5 support, for starters -- it's the browser's newfound speed that is getting the MVP treatment. That rapidity is as good a place as any to start a quick hands-on, especially since the native browser lag on one of our older handsets, a Galaxy S, often makes us want to hurl it through a pane of glass. Mozilla claims it built Firefox to a new benchmark it developed called Eideticker, resulting in an overall browser experience twice as fast as the stock Android one. As advertised, initial loading is quasi-instant, and navigation, zooming and tab switching seemed smooth as well, even on the two-gen-old phone. Feature-wise, preferences and other desktop settings imported easily with Firefox Sync's shared password system, and the unfortunately named "Awesome Screen" is the new home page shown above, from which it's fairly simple to launch your preferred sites. Flash and HTML5 generally displayed correctly despite a few minor rendering bugs, and the curved tabs and other design touches make it one of the more elegant Android browsers we've played with. Unfortunately, many sites display in full because they don't yet detect Firefox as a mobile app, but the installation of the Phony 3.2 add-in lets it impersonate other smartphone browsers, and it seemed to work well. We also didn't like that tabbed browsing now requires two taps to get to another page, unlike the previous version, but we imagine that was needed for the increased speed. Overall, Firefox is a welcome addition to the Android ecosystem -- we bet you're just as eager to start browsing as we are, so stay tuned for the app to hit Google Play later today, or jump past the break for a quick speed demo from the kind folks at Mozilla. Update: The new version is now available at the source link below.
Opera 12 for the desktop goes live with camera support, browser themes
Version 12 of Opera's desktop browser has been in beta for some time, but today it's making the step up to a full release for Macs and PCs. Along with hardware acceleration, speed improvements and an overhauled security badge, the update includes new browser skins (some 100 themes are available). One of the biggest tweaks, however, is the addition of camera support -- Opera 12 lets your webcam work with web applications, including an Asteroids-style game called FaceKat and Photo Booth. Head to the source link for more info.
Firefox 13 final swings by with new home and tab pages, flaunts its SPDYness
It's been barely over a month since the Firefox 13 beta began, but the wait for a completed version has felt especially drawn out. Thankfully, Mozilla has just wrapped up its work and set loose the polished code. The new release makes its changes felt right away, as you'll see a new default home page with bookmarks and history. Opening a new tab page presents a list of most visited pages -- a feature that we can swear we've seen in a few browsers before. A slightly fresher addition switches on Google's SPDY protocol by default, which as its convenient acronym suggests should squeeze and streamline web traffic to load it faster. Mozilla won't completely open the floodgates until tomorrow, but you can download Mac and Windows editions today from the source links below.
Upcoming Mozilla Marketplace lacks Linux support; open-source fix in the works
Back in March, Mozilla outlined plans to further integrate web apps into Firefox to complement its upcoming Marketplace. And while the web store will launch with Windows and OS X compatibility, the browser has -- at least for the time being -- snubbed Linux. Given that Firefox is the default browser for most Linux distros, the community behind that OS is none too pleased. Though Mozilla execs have expressed their desire to add Linux support eventually, community contributors are already working on a patch to add compatibility for GNOME desktop. How's that for taking matters into your own hands?
Firefox native version hits Android in beta, new UI and speedups tag along
Those who've liked Firefox for Android but have been clamoring for a native version can rest easy, as there's now a truly optimized version waiting for you in Google Play. Mozilla's new Firefox 14.0 beta now looks like, and importantly runs like, a full member of the Android family. Making the leap also affords it Flash support, a new starting page with top sites, secure Google searches and a slew of load time and responsiveness upgrades over the creakier, XUL-based version. Beta status should still trigger a moment of pause if you're not ready to accept a few bugs, but if you've got Android 2.2 or later, you're welcome to give Firefox a shot.
Google Chrome 19 Stable arrives, shares live tabs across your computers and phones (video)
Google first teased live tab syncing in Chrome 19 beta, and it's now available for all of us who tread the safer path of Stable releases. If you weren't living on the bleeding edge for long enough to try the syncing early, you'll be glad to know that it lets you see and quickly sync all the tabs that are open on any device signed into your Google account. That includes your phone or tablet, if you've got Android 4.0 and the Chrome for Android beta loaded up. Like with the beta, though, you'll have to cool your jets if you were hoping to get live syncing right away: Chrome 19 Stable is pushing automatically over the next few days, but tab syncing will take weeks to be ready for everybody.
Opera 12 opens its beta doors: improves performance and stability, adds new themes
Similar to that other, foxy browser, Opera reached numerical version 12 (although in beta form), promising to be as fast and smooth as it's ever been. Included in the new revision are a slew of under-the-hood enhancements, along with a few cosmetic alterations. For starters, Opera 12 now offers complete 64-bit compatibility for both Mac and Windows, while "experimental" hardware acceleration and WebGL support are also in tow. Furthermore, the browser added a "smarter" tab-loading sequence, speed improvements for faster page uploads and a way to customize the look with a bundle of new themes -- of course, you can create your own as well. As for the backend tweaks, Opera announced it's abandoning its Unite and Widgets features in favor of an extension-driven model. Those of you eager to take it for a spin can hit the Opera link below to get started. [Thanks, Yousef]
Google Chrome 19 beta brings live tab synching to the fold
You know the score. You've stepped away from your desktop, and then you think to yourself, "Damn. If only I could remember that website I'd just visited." Now, users of Google Chrome's latest beta will no longer have that worry. The latest incarnation of Google's web browser gives users immediate access to all of their tabs, across all devices, which can be found within the new tab window. Here, users will discover an "Other devices" menu that gives quick and easy access to all those sites you just visited -- yet for the life of you, can't seem to remember. According to Google, beta users will see this feature gradually roll out over the coming week. Not a moment too soon, either.
Opera Mini 7 comes to Google Play, treads lightly on your data plan
As any Opera loving Android user will tell you, good things come to those who wait -- and folks waiting for the latest version of Opera Mini to hit their devices can now relax. It's here. Like its predecessors, Opera Mini 7 promises to slash your device's data usage and speed up its browsing by compressing data on a proxy server, pushing a lightweight, reformatted page to your device. Mini 7 continues this tradition, of course, but also lets users add more favorites to their Opera home screen, upping the max from nine to "as many Speed Dial buttons as you'll ever want." Read on for the app's official press release, or hit up the source link below for its Google Play page.
Mozilla to overhaul Firefox's default home and tab pages
Despite Mozilla kicking its release schedule into overdrive, not all parts of Firefox have gotten the tender love and care they truly deserve. Take for example, the browser's default homepage, which hasn't evolved much since its humble beginnings nearly a decade ago. That'll change soon in a two pronged effort, with Mozilla first adding a function bar to version 12 (seen after the break), followed by a later and more extensive revamp (up-top) which incorporates apps, top sites and chat functionality. Also planned is a Chrome and Safari-esque Top Sites "New Tab" view and savvy URL autocompletion in the address bar. A more in-depth preview awaits at the source, or we suppose, you could live dangerously and hop aboard Mozilla's nightly release train. You decide.
Firefox 9 now available, boasts speedier JavaScript handling, Lion optimizations
Internet feeling a bit sluggish recently? Yeah, we get that -- but before you sail the malware-laden sea of software that promises to "speed up" your computer, you may want to check out Firefox 9. Mozilla's latest browser update features a tweak in its Javascript engine that boosts its benchmark performance by over 30 percent -- meaning that the new Firefox ought to give script heavy websites a run for their money. In addition to the new Javascript trick, which is called Type Inference, Firefox 9 improves theme integration and swipe navigation for Mac OS X users. Have a need for (javascript) speed? Hit the source links below to get your fix, or simply wait for your browser to auto-update.
WebKit turns 10, celebrates a decade of speedy, standards-compliant browsing
It's hard to believe but WebKit, the rendering engine inside Safari and Chrome, is now ten years old. The forked child of KDE's KHTML received its first commit of code from Apple back on August 24th of 2001. It would be well over a year before the debut of Safari in 2003, and another two years before it was fully open sourced. Since then it's begun to replace Gecko (Mozilla) as the rendering engine du jour and even spawned a sequel in Webkit2. So, happy birthday to Apple's greatest contribution to the open source community.
Google's Chrome 13 brings 'Instant Pages' to the masses, saves precious seconds of your life
Google just wouldn't be Google if it wasn't wringing out every last iota of performance from its products. The latest Chrome release is no different, ushering Instant Pages out of the dev channel and into the hands of the proletariat. The headline feature uses an algorithm to "guess" where you'll click next, pre-fetching and pre-rendering the result if it's confident enough. Mountain View says it's the only "high-profile" site to support the tech, but interested web masters can can partake of the instantaneous Google goodies by peeping the more coverage link below. Tweaks to the Omnibox -- which now returns URL and title history results based on partial queries -- and the addition of print previews for Windows and Linux round out the 13th version of the popular browser. Video of the über-swift search in action's below.
Opera browser headed to Sony TVs and Blu-ray players
Opera has officially announced its much-loved web browser will be appearing on Sony TVs and Blu-ray players. There's no specific details, but it given its low-key presence at CES a few weeks ago (Sony Insider grabbed a video of it in action on the show floor -- embedded after the break -- unfortunately hampered by slow connection speeds) it will spread at least across the company's 22 new connected HDTVs. Since the browser is based off of the Opera devices SDK backbone, it's also not a stretch to imagine that Opera-enabled web applications, widgets, or other content using standards like HTML5 (no Flash, at least not yet) could piggy back onto Sony gear at some point. The real elephant in the room though is how this move relates to the Japanese tech giant's Internet TV initiative that's powered by Google TV. While we can't imagine it signals Mountain View's solution is destined for a dumping, between this and a similar move by Samsung including a browser in its own Smart TV platform, a little bit of jealousy could be just the kick Google needs to fix some glaring issues -- which we're all for, especially if it spawns a new round of potato based cajoling.
