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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.
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.
Pew report: The Future of Apps and the Web
Pew Internet surveyed 1,021 technology stakeholders and critics and asked them about the future of apps and the web. Unlike many surveys, this latest one from Pew doesn't have a single, unifying answer. Instead, the survey highlights the diverse opinions that exist about how we will use native apps and web apps in the future. Rob Scott, the chief technology officer for Nokia, believes the web will dominate and argues, "Once HTML5 browsers and fully capable Web runtimes are in place on the common Kindle through iPhone, the Web app will begin replacing native apps." Technology author and consultant Fred Hapgood, however, sees the benefit of native apps. He claims that apps are convenient and notes that the "ease of use always wins." A third camp believes apps and the web will continue to co-exist. As Tony Smith of the Open Source Developers Club in Melbourne, Australia points out, "both will continue to grow in ways that are impossible for most to imagine." So where do you stand? Are native apps are our future, will the web continue to dominate or will we find a happy medium somewhere in between?
Google Docs presentations slides out of preview, adds import and comment options (video)
The slide-making masses have spoken and Google's dutifully listened. After launching presentations for Docs as a preview last October, the search giant's making that editor ready for prime time with a few user-suggested tweaks in tow. In addition to the recently introduced slew of transitions, themes, tables and collaborative options, Mountain View's now tossing in the ability to make, edit and resolve comments, send email notifications, as well as control read / write privileges for outside users. And don't worry about your old documents getting lost in the shuffle; a new import setting will enable those visual gems to benefit from this new facelift. Check out the source below for a fuller walk-through or catch the instructional vid after the break.
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.
Geekend steps its game up with a 24-hour Hackathon, promises boost to nerd cred
For the past two years, all sorts of gadget, social media and design geeks have descended upon Savannah, GA. The goal is clear: to spend the weekend hearing from the nerds they look up to, including our pal Major Nelson, who spoke back in 2009. This year was no different -- and to make things even more interesting -- event organizers invited attendees to participate in the first ever Geekend Hackathon. Teams of up to four members, fueled by a copious supply of Mountain Dew and pizza, were given 24 hours to come up with the most innovative desktop, mobile or web application they could. There was just one catch: teams had to incorporate at least three out of five key words that were randomly assigned to them. The only other stipulation was that if the code used to create each app wasn't already available online, they had to place the open source that they developed in a web repository before the event. We were there to catch the results, which showcased a mixed bag of entertaining (and useful) applications. Projects ranging from an app tracking vegetable eating habits to one that uses image recognition to bring your favorite comics to a mobile device showed just what could be done in a day -- given enough caffeine, of course. Another allowed you to feed your urge to hug every cat, while a neighborhood advocacy community enabled concerned citizens to vote on issues in their area. Rounding out the field was a field trip database for teachers to share ideas on sites to take their students for the best experience. Two winners -- judge's choice and people's choice -- received a super geeky trophy (pictured above) and a major boost to their street...er online cred. If you're yearning to find out more about this year's happenings, hit the coverage link below and start booking your trip for next year. [Gallery credit: Geekend] %Gallery-139340%
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.
Google Docs presentation gets redone, wants to power your next keynote
Curiously absent from last year's Google Docs overhaul was any news on the presentation front. That changes today, with Mountain View flipping live a preview of its next-gen slide making tool. After enabling it in settings, you too can experience over 50 new features, including updated collaboration, the ability to animate slides with transitions and a bevy of fresh new themes. And just like Mountain View's other properties, the latest release now comes dressed the company's newfound design ethos. Made it this far? Well, you might as-well hop on over to the source for more details, but before you do, promise us you'll drop us a line if you make a 450-slide whopper, cool?
Offline Google Mail hands-on
One of the things that made Google apps the web-based productivity suite to beat was the ability to access your information offline using Gears. When that experiment was killed, many of us let loose a single tear as we contemplated returning to our desktop apps. Well, as promised, HTML5 is finally returning Gmail to its former offline glory. Docs and Calendar will follow in the coming days, but anyone can get access to their Gmail accounts offline now by installing the Offline Google Mail app for Chrome. Before we had even finished spreading the wonderful news we already had it installed and fired up. So, how's it work? Well, you'll just have to keep reading after the break to find out. %Gallery-132197%
Gmail, Google Docs and Calendar finally regain offline access
Since the death of Gears we've been, rather impatiently, awaiting the return of offline access to our Google apps. Well that day has finally come -- provided you're a Chrome fan. The fine folks in Mountain View just unveiled a new app for their browser (which means it also works on Chome OS) called Offline Google Mail that will keep you connected to your all-important messages even when you can't get a connection. You'll notice the app looks a heck of a lot like the web app for tablets, and that's because that's basically what it is. There are some differences -- keyboard shortcuts work -- but at it's heart it's the same HTML5 browser app mobile users have been enjoying for some time. To install the offline version you'll have to uninstall the standard Gmail Chrome app, which is a little odd, but there's nothing stopping you from typing Gmail.com in the address bar. Docs and Calendar are also going offline. Starting today the feature will be rolled out to users over the next week. To activate it just look under settings for an offline tick box. At the moment Docs is view only when disconnected, but Google promises offline editing is coming soon. Hit up the more coverage link to install Offline Gmail now. Update: Google reached out to us and it turns out both can run side by side just fine. We were experiencing a bug that shouldn't effect most users since we hadn't let the Gmail app update recently.
appMobi XDK delivers free cross-platform dev environment to Chrome Web Store
The Chrome Web Store welcomed a new arrival today, and it goes by the name of appMobi XDK. While the addition is targeted squarely at developers, it's entirely free and packs quite a doozy -- cross-platform HTML5 software development from within the web browser. As you might expect, the tool is perfect for making applications to run within Google Chrome, but get this... it's also capable of creating native apps for submission to Apple's App Store and the Android Market. Like any competent development environment, it features a full set of debugging tools, along with the ability to test your apps via on-screen emulation and directly from your target device. Hardware integration is accomplished with JavaScript hardware abstraction, which enables access to the camera, GPS, accelerometer and the like. Further, the platform boasts full compatibility with PhoneGap, which means you can easily transition if you've got a project in the works. If you're already hooked, be sure to check out the PR after the break, which describes such goodies as in-app purchasing and secure user authentication, which are made possible with appMobi's cloud services.
iCloud.com developer beta opens, includes full-featured web interface
Remember when I told you there would still be iCloud web apps once the service took over MobileMe, despite what some other sites were saying at the time? Not to brag or anything, but I was right. Today, Apple launched the iCloud.com beta for developers. Web apps on the service include Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Find my iPhone, and iWork. The interface looks to be heavily overhauled from its earlier MobileMe incarnation, and iCloud.com's design seems to have taken many design cues from the iPad's iOS interface. Of note, if you're not a fan of the "real object" design of iCal and Address Book on the iPad or in OS X Lion, you're not going to like the web app design either, because it's essentially the same. Since many of us are under NDA at TUAW, we're not providing screenshots; 9to5 Mac published a few, which you can check out here. The iCloud.com beta does require installing the OS X Lion 10.7.2 developer beta before you can use iCloud for OS X Lion beta 5, so if you're not a developer and were hoping to check this service out for yourself, you're out of luck for now. iCloud.com should launch to the public this fall, alongside iCloud itself and iOS 5. Apple has also released pricing data for iCloud storage upgrades. All free iCloud accounts come with a standard 5 GB of online storage, but Apple will be offering three upgrade options: 10 GB for US$20/year (15 GB total) 20 GB for $40/year (25 GB total) 50 GB for $100/year (55 GB total) Before it became free to all, MobileMe was $99/year and included 20 GB of iDisk storage, so these new pricing tiers for storage are a much better deal than MobileMe was.
Facebook to launch in-browser video chat powered by Skype?
Microsoft's $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype hasn't closed yet, but it looks like Redmond is already working behind the scenes to make the service even more ubiquitous. According to an anonymous source interviewed by TechCrunch, Facebook is going to introduce video chat next week, and that service will be powered by none other than Skype. And while the service will be browser-based, it's also said to include a desktop component. We'd say none of that sounds too fantastical -- video calls would be a logical extension of Facebook chat, and let's not forget about the $240 million Microsoft invested in the site back in 2007. What's more, Facebook sent out invites for an event next week, where Mark Zuckerberg was clear the outfit would unveil a new product from its Seattle team. That's in Microsoft's backyard, of course, the invites themselves have chat icons on 'em, and, most tellingly, that Seattle office has been snapping up engineers specializing in desktop software. All told, that adds up to a likely true story to us, but we won't know for sure until the long, beachy weekend is through.
Office 365 ditches the beta tag, ready to take on Google Apps
We know what you're thinking -- you like the idea of Google Apps, but the Mountain View crew kind of creeps you out. Well, don't worry, Microsoft has your back. After making its beta debut last year, Office 365 is officially ready to spread its wings and offer its productivity web app wares to the business-minded masses. For $6 per-user, per-month small businesses get access to Microsoft Office Web Apps, Exchange, SharePoint and Lync video conferencing and can take advantage of the suite's integration with WP7 once Mango lands. Larger, enterprise plans start at $10 per user while adding support for desktop Office products and Lync VoIP solutions as you climb the pricing ladder. Really there's not much more to say except, check out the full PR after the break.
MOVL's PokerFun.tv game shown off on Google TV
We won't see any new Android apps on the Google TV platform until later this summer, but there are still developers cranking away on web apps like this PokerFun.tv game by MOVL. MOVL scored a win in Samsung's Free the TV Apps competition for its WeDraw Pictionary-style game (which also runs on Google TV) and this is the followup. They showed it off at Google I/O and it allows users with most any smartphone to connect to the same poker game and control play live on the TV. Founder Alan Queen has a post on the Google TV blog remarking how much he likes the platform for its ability to link other devices and use a full web browser to build its games on which is a good sign, but we'll wait to hear more reports now that the Fishtank is out to find out how things are going.
Apple confirms iCloud web apps, impending death of iWeb and iDisk
MobileMe's complete disappearance is still a good ways off, but it's safe to say that the transition to iCloud is well underway at Cupertino (and Maiden, North Carolina, for that matter). A brief FAQ has emerged today over at Apple's site, detailing answers to a few burning questions about the future of MobileMe. As stated before, all MobileMe users who had an account prior to June 6, 2011 will see their service extended through June 30, 2012 at no extra cost, but what's new here is the amount of functionality that'll also be available from a website. Starting at an undisclosed time "this fall," icloud.com will allow users to access Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Bookmarks, Find My iPhone and Back to my Mac, relieving fears that iCloud was severing ties with the browser altogether. Unfortunately, iWeb, Gallery and iDisk aren't making the cut, and while it seems that previously stored files will still be accessible, we wouldn't count on being able to add anything new a year from now. Hit the source for the rest of the nitty-gritty.
Google working on video chat for Chrome, Skype cowers in fear
Watch out Skype, Google Chrome is comin' for ya. Not long after releasing WebRTC audio and video chat software as open-source, Google has started to integrate these capabilities into its prized browser. Looking to move past the played out features of Gmail and Google Voice, the company is planning for WebRTC to be a frontrunner for video conferencing and online chatting. The software was introduced as royalty-free, too, even promising to work with other browsers devs (namely Mozilla and Opera) to flesh out the project. This means that anyone building a site can make use of the new tech, and in theory, construct their own personal Skype battering ram. With the company being pro-web apps on all fronts, this is another step forward in its quest to bring the aforementioned technology up to par with native apps. Is this one of many dominoes to fall in the web-based app takeover, at least in terms of Chrome OS? It very well could be, especially if companies would rather see the traffic in-browser vs. within a native app. Now, if only Instagram could make use of that dusty webcam...
Google makes Chrome Web Store available worldwide, adds in-app purchases and flat five percent fee
Google has just announced that it's making the Chrome Web Store available to the "entire userbase of Chrome" -- all 160 million, according to the company's latest numbers -- and in 41 different languages no less, although those outside the current markets will apparently only have access to free apps initially. What's more, it's also now added in-app purchases to the mix -- which it notes developers can add to their apps with "literally one line of code" -- and it's announced that it plans to "keep it simple" by simply charging developers a flat five percent fee instead of opting for some of the more complicated fee structures out there. As for how the Web Store has been doing so far, Google revealed that there has been 17 million app installs to date, although it provided few details beyond that. %Gallery-123363%
Flow now available, keeps your tasks beautifully in sync
Flow, the long-awaited task management system by Metalab, is finally slipping out of beta today and opening its doors to the public. First and foremost, Flow is a web app that many will find very similar to MobileMe in aesthetics. Through this interface, one can add and manage tasks through projects or even delegate tasks to other Flow users (a handy feature for teams). The real killer feature we're seeing with Flow, however, is the cloud-based architecture. Combined with Metalabs' new Flow app for iPhone and its Mac companion app, it's a pretty great way to keep things in sync. Flow has a 14-day free trial, which I highly recommend trying out. Beyond this time frame, Flow has a monthly cost of US$9.99. Metalab is also offering a yearly subscription for the very MobileMe-esque price of $99.
