For those unfamiliar, Snapchat allows users to send each other images, which are supposed to disappear forever. It was this principle that inspired Andy and Kris Minkstein, two brothers who co-founded Lamplighter Games, which is operated out of New York. According to Kris, the two “love” Snapchat, and wanted to bring it to browsers. “We figured since you’re in front of your computer all day at work that you’re going to end up sending a lot of these photos to probably the guys sitting next to you at your cubicle.”

You can check out OTR in action in the demo video above. Downloading and installing it is as simple as adding the relevant plugin to your browser, of which Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer are supported, as well as the Yammer App available from the Yammer App Store. Once installed, clicking on it the first time will pull up a registration window.

You’ll need to create a sign-in account, or you can sign in with Yammer if you already have an account. Unlike some apps, the only information you have to provide is your email address. Once you’ve got your account, the interface has three buttons, one for inviting contacts, one for sending a picture, and one for sending a message. Contacts can be discovered by both username and email address.

From there, you simply start sending messages. Anything you receive will be available until you click on it, at which point a timer counts down, then the message disappears into nothingness. Of course, nothing is guaranteed, and as has been demonstrated with Snapchat multiple times, even self-destructing messages can be kept. It is worth noting, however, that the app monitors for any signs of taking a screenshot, and upon detecting the action, immediately deletes the message.

SOURCE: Business Week

As outlined in bits back during the Google I/O 2013 main keynote, this mobile experience will be expanding to work with expanded abilities in the webGL department and more Google Wallet features than you can shake a finger at. For now though, the upgrade begins with autocomplete action.

In addition to the autocompletion of forms run by Chrome’s cross-device abilities to remember what you’ve saved, you’ll now have client-side certificate support. When a site requires you to use a certificate, Chrome for your Android device will now be able to assist you – and install, too.

This upgrade will allow Tab history on tablets – just a long-press on your browser back button will pull it up. You’ll also have a bunch of fixes on the back end you’ll never see – performance and stability updates, for the most part.

Chrome 27 bring with it Fullscreen on phones – this is the first time you’ll have been able to pull up and allow the internet – not your tab bar – taking up your entire display. Unfortunately it does appear that your notifications menu – set by Android itself – will have to stay.

Finally you’ll be working with simpler searching. If you type a term into the box that Google calls its “Omnibox”, also known as the URL bar, you’ll find your search query to remain there as you’re searching. While some platforms require that you type your term over completely each time you want to search, this allows you to make minor corrections in spelling or spacing, if need be.

This update to Chrome is available right this minute through Google Play for Android devices. If you don’t yet have Chrome on your Android device, picking it up at any point is a totally free affair as well.

That’s not the only improvement, however. The system also supports semantics across repeated searches; so, for instance, if you ask a follow-up question, Google will automatically understand that the two queries are related.

If you ask “When was Ford founded?” for instance, Google will now read out the answer. You can then ask a follow-up like “Where is its headquarters?” and, even though you did not specify you were still asking about Ford, Google will still understand that it’s the topic of inquiry.

At the heart of this contextual awareness is Google’s Knowledge Graph technology, revealed last year, and integrated with natural language processing. That way, search knows that some queries will be about people – perhaps referred to as “he” or “she” in follow-up questions – while others will be about objects or companies.

More impressive are the compound assumptions that search can now make. Ask Chrome if it will rain tomorrow, and it will tell you the forecast (as well as display it on-screen): automatically figuring out where you are, and that you may want a full forecast.

Still absent is so-called “hotword search” as on Google Glass, which allows you to wake the system with a spoken command – “OK Glass” in the case of the wearable – and then begin asking queries. That seems likely to arrive sometime soon, though, especially given Microsoft has built something similar into Xbox One.

Overall, the technology is further evidence of Google’s greater confidence in its own results, and in showing users what it believes they’re looking for rather than just a list of possibilities. That’s something Matias Duarte, director of Android user experience, described to us as a key part of Google Now back at MWC, an endeavor which has applications across Google’s range: desktop, Chromebook, Android, and Glass.

You’ll need to be running the latest version of Chrome in order to get access to the new voice search functionality, and you may have to be patient, too. Google appears to be suffering some teething problems scaling out the system, and we’re getting a lot of “No internet connection” error messages right now.

VIA Engadget; Search Engine Land

Google’s developer conference is home to more than just developers, of course: press, analysts, students, and Google lovers from all angles are invited, but this year the company had a more focused approach in mind. While the conference retained its three-day allotment of breakout sessions and fireside chats with Google’s own for developers of all types, the company’s initial keynote was limited to one day instead of two.

This single keynote was also toned down – significantly – especially compared to last year’s explosion of content: new devices, a new version of Android, and a skydive drop live with what was then called Project Glass. Larry Page stepped on stage to make an address to the developers and the public, taking part in an extended question-and-answer session as well, showing some extreme boldness answering whatever random queries attendees might have.

Because of these elements in the keynote – the most public and direct bit of the convention from Google, to be sure, the entire set of events was given what we suggested to Hugo Barra had given it all a more “human” vibe to I/O. This, he said was “exactly what we were aiming for.”

Google’s top guns stepped into the fray as well, with Googlers like Barra and Sergey Brin appearing for drinks and a chat with the press late on Day 1. There it was abundantly clear that this event was not simply made for developer training, but for person-to-person connectivity: another pillar the event was originally built on.

Our own Chris Davies lent some insight on this subject, his column “Google I/O and the year of the Context Ecosystem” speaking volumes about Google’s aim here in 2013.

“All of Google’s services are gradually interweaving. Google I/O 2013 is an ecosystem play, and it’s one of the biggest – and arguably ambitious – we’ve ever seen. It’ll drag Google+ with it along the way, and it might even kickstart the “internet of things” when we start to see some legitimate advantages of having every device a web-connected node.

Google didn’t give us a new phone for our pocket or a new tablet for our coffee table; instead, it gave us so much more.” – Chris Davies

What did you think of Google I/O 2013 from a consumer perspective? If you don’t consider yourself a consumer in this case – how did you take it all from whatever position you’re in?

This system was developed by Instrument to track user input and motion tracking with a custom C++ app built with openNI as well as an ASUS Xtion Pro 3D motion tracking sensor camera. As the motion tracker sees and understands the angle of the human playing the game’s torso and location of each arm, so too will their avatar on the display array move as they fall.

The 3D game content is rendered with WebGL using THREE.js, the WebGL layer being rendered with a totally transparent background. This setup allows the map layer underneath to show through, this map layer being generated by Google Maps.

What the user sees below – the earth they’re plummeting toward – is a completely live HTML Google Map instance. It’s accurate – meaning you could potentially be diving toward your house, a national landmark, or perhaps somewhere that’d be useful for real-world training.

In addition to this setup being live and ready to roll here at Google I/O 2013 as a playable demo, Instrument has created a Dive editor. With this Dive editor, an editor is able to build directly into the control node administrative console, each of these changes reflected instantly – live in the scene.

The editor user interface exists as a Google Map, the person editing it able to use draggable markers that act as game objects. With this interface, developers and savvy users will be able to utilize geocoding to center the map view on locations of their choice – anywhere Google Maps can see. Think of the possibilities!

With this new version of Google Maps on the web, users will be able to tap on lit-up locations across the map. This system allows you to search for a restaurant in your area, find that place, and where the experience would end with that in the past, you’ll just have started. Users have cards to the left, similar to Google Now with cards that bring information on the location’s address, hours, webpage, phone number, and reviews through Zagat.

This system also gives the one-button click ability to access directions from the location you’re sitting in (or wherever you’d like to start from) as well as save the location as a favorite. This system also works with five-star ratings for locations be they a place of business, a public park, or anything in-between.

Below the map you’ll find a collection of images that come from users who have contributed photos and photo spheres from their cameras or android smartphones and tablets. These results appear courtesy of Google+ where users have recently also been given the ability to post photo spheres and embed them in webpages across the web.

Multiple modes of transport will be available to users as they’d be available in Navigation, public transport, flights, automobiles, and biking included. This system also learns with the user the same way Google Now does, changing and adjusting based on past searches and your Google Now preferences.

We’ll be working with this new Google Maps system through the immediate future and answering any and all questions you, the reader, have between now and the final roll-out for the public. This system is one you can access with an invite request starting today, and users will be seeing upgrades with invites in the near future.

NOTE: We’ll be continuing our journey with Google Earth integration soon. It’s here that Google will be pushing the boundaries between the 3D and the 2D visions they’ve had separate until now: Google Maps and Google Earth will soon become one!

Android OS Updates

As it was last year, so it was expected to be again here in 2013. Google didn’t make an update to Android itself in any grand way, instead issuing updates to services like Google Play for developers on its back end, and updates to Apps for Android, Chrome, and even iOS. While Android 4.3 may still be on the horizon, (coming up quick, you can bet), it’s not been mentioned here on the first day of I/O.

This speaks volumes about Google’s approach with the conference, letting the world know that they’re not about to be pigeon-holed as a company that relies on updates to its operating systems and devices as major announcement fodder while they’ve got perfectly good app releases and service updates to shout about. As Apple’s new operating system update is rumored to be right around the corner, it’s possible that Android is simply fulfilling the suggestions made by Larry Page at the end this one-off keynote:

“Every story I read about Google is about us vs some other company, or something else, and I really don’t find that interesting. We should be building great things that don’t exist. Being negative is not how we make progress.” – Larry Page

Smartphones and Tablets for Developers

In 2012, Google gave away a Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone, a Google Nexus 7 tablet, and a Chromebox. The year before, they gave away a mobile hotspot from Verizon as well as a Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet – and a voucher for one of the first model Chromebooks too. This year developers are being given a Chromebook Pixel, the highest-end device on the market running this operating system. Google was expected to give away an LG-made Nexus 4, a Nexus 10 tablet, and other goodies, but they’ve sent one, single, crystal clear message instead.

Google’s message is that the most important services they’ve got to offer are on Android devices so abundant in the market that they’re inevitably already in developers’ hands OR are on Chrome OS. With the finest delivery vehicle for this operating system in the world thus far, Google is encouraging developers – pushing them, basically – to get Chrome on their radar, and to keep it there.

Google Glass Development

There’ve been no shortages of appearances by Google Glass this week at the Moscone Center, each of these happening with devices made available to developers at Google I/O 2012, shipped in the weeks coming up to this 2013 edition of the event user by user. Though there is a massive showing for Glass on one of two levels of developer-aimed presentations here at I/O 2013, there was no mention of development for Glass in the keynote.

Glass was mentioned by Larry Page in his question and answer session at the end of the keynote, but it certainly wasn’t in any way that was planned beforehand. Glass is not, it seems, at a place where it makes sense for Google to make a big deal of it to developers the same way new services announcements are being pushed. It wouldn’t make a lot of sense to continue to update the public on Glass at this moment either since final market-ready units are still a far way off.

Results

The re-adjustment of the aim of this developer conference is clear. It’s here that Google re-humanizes the way they approach public relations, at least through the developers that make this ecosystem so healthy. While in years past it may have seemed that Google was aiming over the heads of developers, exciting the public with massive consumer-based keynotes to encourage these creators of software and services by default, Google is returning to a more solid spot here in 2013.

What do you think? Did you expect to see anything that didn’t end up appearing in the first and only keynote session of the week? It’s without a doubt a turning point – however subtle – for the company, and it’s exciting – among other things – to see the company’s ability to keep their aims diverse.

Google Search expands with several different elements this week, including Knowledge Graph working with statistics, anticipation of comparisons to other elements available in the system, and more. Knowledge Graph works with interesting events and locations in cities, is able to find photos from specific locations, and is able to tie these items together both in mobile mode and on a desktop through a Chrome web browser.

If a user has Google open and asks for information about a location, they’ll get that information along with related bits and pieces – photos, restaurants, etcetera. With Google’s newest update, the user is also able to say something as simple as “how far is it?” Google understands what you’ve been talking about and gives you a map.

This is all part of a system that follows three mainstays:

• Answer
• Converse
• Anticipate

As Google Search hears you, it understands and responds in kind, and also anticipates what you might want to know next. This system also works with Google Now on Android to give you information on your flights, your favorite sports teams, weather information, and the like. This system is bringing many Google Glass commands to Google Now as well.

A user will be able to make the following commands: “Ok Google, send an email to my friend George, I’ll be late today and we’ll have to meet up at 4 PM.” This message is understood by Google and a card appears which the user will then be able to tap to send – or – “OK send” will work as well.

This system will be available to Google Search beta experience users today and will be rolling out to users across the spectrum in users in the near future – stay tuned to our Google I/O tag portal all week long as the announcements and information continue to flow.

The initial Google I/O 2013 keynote was split essentially down the middle for Chrome and Android news, with an announcement of a Samsung GALAXY S 4 coming with a Nexus-style build of Android coming aside this Chromebook’s re-introduction. The Pixel has not had a hardware update since its inception – this system will be the same as it was when it was first introduced.

This system was introduced alongside a program called Google Play for Education. This system allows classrooms to gain access to a series of apps that are curated by Google for use by an education-centric group. This system is child friendly and works for both Android and inside web browsers, and will be rolling out soon.

It was made clear that the Chromebook Pixel will be a major part of Google’s initiatives with Chrome, especially here now with the web browser and the operating system crossing-over more than ever. Google made it clear that the web browser would be getting the same abilities regardless of its mobile or desktop iteration, and the Chromebook Pixel will bring that to developers this week at Google I/O 2013.

Your information saved in Chrome in your desktop browser will be able to sync with your mobile web browser on Android. This means you’ll fill out a form, for example, with your name, address, payment information, all the good stuff, you’ll be able to save it (as you have been able for quite some time). The big deal here is that this information will be able to be accessed instantly from your mobile Chrome web browser at a tap.

The mobile web browser Chrome for Android allows you to sign-in with your Google account to sync with whichever iteration of Chrome you’ve already signed-in with. A change on one will be able to be brought up on another, history is the same, tabs can be accessed cross-device, and now forms will be able to be filled automatically.

This system will be rolling out for Android in the very near future – at the moment we’re waiting to see how close it is to iOS. Every other update to Chrome mentioned today has been instant and/or cross-device as well as cross-platform. Chrome is being pushed here at Google I/O 2013 as a single system more now than ever before.

The company demoed a web app running on a Chromebook Pixel, which is an interactive app for the upcoming movie The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The app shows an overhead view of the world, which is pinchable, so you can zoom in and out to explore the various areas on the map. Google eventually showed off the same web app on a Nexus 10 running the Chrome mobile browser.

The web app shows an all-3D environment, but unfortunately, it ran a little poorly during the on-stage demo, with really low framerates and a lot of stutters. We’re not sure if the Chromebook Pixel can’t keep up or if the internet isn’t doing its job. The web app is based on webGL, and since it’s a web app, you can access it through mobile and have the same experience on both desktop and mobile devices.

It’s certainly an interesting concept, and it seems Google is adamant about decreasing the separation between the desktop experience and the mobile experience, making both as equal as possible. Browsing the web on a tablet isn’t the same as browsing the web on a desktop or laptop, but Google is looking to change that with Chrome, and they’re planning to come out with some relevant features for Chrome later this year.

Furthermore, Google announced some improvements to the Chrome mobile web browser that will bring it up to par with the desktop version, including a new Checkout button that makes shopping easier on mobile devices. It’s essentially a one-click process that saves you time from having to enter in multiple fields by typing on the small keyboard. It’s essentially Google’s first step to creating a simpler web browser. Stay tuned for more Google I/O news coming up!

The Moscone Center once again plays host to Google I/O with an experience on the first of three floors that’s quite similar to 2012. This year attendees are given their official badges and T-shirts in a center console where Google employees are charged with scanning QR-codes and making sure everyone is who they say they are.

A massive Google I/O sign rests against the main wall of the center with a color-changing I and O, cycling through blues and pinks in a comforting haze. We’re wondering where these massive 3D letters go once the week is over – perhaps a special giveaway on a letter-by-letter basis?

The ground level also holds a pop-up Google Store where attendees can purchase various Google-branded oddities. Bags, clothing, cases, and toys are in effect. This store encourages – as it did in 2012 – users to utilize their Google Wallet to purchase the goods.

On the second floor (or first floor, if you’re German), you’ll find a massive Google+ presence where users are encouraged to sign-in with the social network. A deck with Office Hours is set up for developers to learn how they might integrate Google+ into their own software. This area has a series of live hang-out portals which we’re sure will be popping up this week.

This level is dedicated to several Google services and Google partners, each of them set up to present to any developer – or press member, or anyone else in attendance – that wishes to learn more.

BONUS FIND: here you’ll see an unopened box of special-edition Android collectable figures from Dead Zebra. We promise we didn’t peek!

Google Glass has its own section on level 2, users able to have a peek at the current iteration of the device as well as participate in talks on the future of the device. We’re expecting more information on the future of the headset in the main keynote address in the morning as well as in more than one chat later in the week.

You’ll find Glass being set aside in a massive section all its own on this level, mind you, while items like Google Maps are part of a series of towers up the center of the room. The amount of space Glass gets here says a lot about how important the device is to the company.

Up on the top level of the center, Google has made a massive show of both Android and Chrome. To one side, attendees are greeted by flying Androids and their floor-bound kin in a display not unlike what we saw at Mobile World Congress 2012 and 2011. It seems that this location has become the heart of the Android press event presentation – and perhaps rightfully so.

Turn around 360 degrees and you’ll find a fabulous display – not yet turned on, as it were – of Chrome. One setup shows the highest-end Chrome OS hardware to date in an array that’ll certainly be a sight to behold once it’s turned on.

Three large semi-transparent displays show Chrome in an impressive display that’ll certainly play host to some shows of power for both the web browser and the operating system.

Androids large and small – but mostly large – litter the top level in both complete and nearly complete states. A massive pair of black-framed glasses remain wet with paint less than a day before the main event is set to begin. An eye-bursting array of pink and blue squares blasts in a checkerboard grid above the fray. It’s here that the fun will begin soon – and very soon.

Have a peek at SlashGear’s Google I/O tag portal for more information on this array of Google action taking place Wednesday the 15th of May, 2013, till Friday. If you’re pumped up about any specific session or event, send us a note – we’d be glad to have a peek at it and report back to you, our valued readers!

Pay close attention starting tomorrow morning at 8AM PST in-particular – the big keynote event will be covered piece-by-piece right here on SlashGear!

BONUS: We’re on-site with and through Glass as well. Have a peek at a couple videos filmed by Vincent Nguyen with Google’s headset here and let us know what you think of the method and the quality.

Above you’ll find a general layout look at the first level of Google I/O 2013 and below you’ll hear a bit of information from the BBC’s own Rory Cellan-Jones. He’ll let you know exactly what he thinks about the gadget world and how important Glass is to it – stay tuned – #throughglass!

Although chatter of Android and Chrome being brought closer together has been circulating for some time now, rumors of a merge were accelerated when Rubin made his surprise announcement that he was seeking other challenges within Google. Given Pichai’s existing role as the head of the Chrome browser and the Chrome OS platform, it seemingly telegraphed Google’s intentions loud and clear when he was named Rubin’s replacement.

Google had already been clear that Android and Chrome will stay separate for the meantime, with chairman Eric Schmidt insisting that no current plans had been drawn up for a merge. That’s a point of view Pichai shares, saying that even as the new head of Android, he doesn’t feel the urge to instantly enmesh his fiefdoms.

“I don’t think my views have changed much,” Pichai argues, suggesting that each has its own strengths and its own success in the market. “Android and Chrome are both large, open platforms, growing very fast. I think that they will play a strong role, not merely exist.”

Nonetheless, just as Matias Duarte told us back at Mobile World Congress, there are undeniably areas of overlap between the platforms. Different screens may have different priorities and demand different compromises and form-factors, but there will be places where Google can streamline to the benefit of users, developers, and device manufacturers, Pichai suggests:

“At Google we ask how to bring together something seamless and beautiful and intuitive across all these screens. The picture may look different a year or two from from now, but in the short term, we have Android and we have Chrome, and we are not changing course … We want to do the right things at each stage, for users and developers. We are trying to find commonalities. On the browser layer, we share a lot of stuff. We will increasingly do more things like that. And maybe there’s a more synergistic answer down the line” Sundar Pichai, senior VP, Google

That evolved attitude toward a more holistic software ecosystem – blending where appropriate; keeping separate where not – will be showcased at Google I/O this week, Pichai hints. “It’s going to be different. It’s not a time when we have much in the way of launches of new products or a new operating system” he explains. “Both on Android and Chrome, we’re going to focus this I/O on all of the kinds of things we’re doing for developers, so that they can write better things.”

Hardware or software or both, SlashGear will be bringing back all the news from Google I/O, which kicks off on Wednesday, May 15 and runs to the end of the week.

IMAGE: Reuters

There aren’t any new features in the update, but it does bring some fixes that frequent users will find pleasant – perhaps essential, depending on how frustating you consider the link redirect bug to be. If you’re not familiar with the problem, just fire up an app and open a link from it with Chrome Beta – you’ll probably discover it doesn’t load, forcing you to refresh, at which point it may then load correctly.

That problem has finally been fixed with this update, to the relief of many if online complaints are anything to go by. Another issue fixed with this update is fullscreen mode, specifically with the “tab cropped in the tab switcher.” It’s a very minor change, so you’re not likely to notice too much either way with this one, but it is worth mentioning. Also worth mentioning is a bux fix that concerned NBCnews.

Back on April 11, Chrome Beta for Android was updated so that it would automatically switch into fullscreen mode upon scrolling. In addition, a change was made to how Omnibox works, improving searches by eliminating the need to completely retype a query, a problem that was beyond frustrating and time consuming at times. With that update, searches can now be edited in the search bar.

[via Android Community]

With the Chrome app, Google Keep opens in its own window, allowing you to experience the app in full web browser mode. It also supports offline mode, so if you’re not around a WiFi connection, you can still jot down notes, and the app will save them locally until your computer is back online, where it will then sync changes to your Android device.

Google was released as an Android-only app back in March, and it’s basically Google’s answer to Evernote and other note-taking apps out there on the market. Keep aims to be a central place to jot down notes and record things that you want to come back to later, including photos, websites, lists, etc. All your notes are stored in Google Drive and synced across all your devices.

You can read our review of Google Keep to learn more about it, but essentially, it’s not an Evernote competitor just yet. However, we really like the design of Google Keep and it’s quickness with navigating around the app. It definitely has potential, and we’re sure that we’ll see more features for it in the future.

Chrome Office Viewer (Beta) is an extension for Chrome Beta users on Windows and Mac that solves the aforementioned problem, allowing users to view Microsoft Office files within the browser rather than downloading the files and opening them with the relevant application. This feature has already been available to Chromebook users, and will hopefully be available to all Chrome users soon.

There’s another benefit to using this in-beta extension in addition to speeding up the process of viewing Microsoft Office files – malware protection. When you click a direct link and the file is downloaded to your computer, you’re potentially downloading a compromised file that could leave your data or system at risk. The extension helps guard against this via a sandbox.

If you find yourself opening your fair share of Microsoft Office links and are tired of the clutter and slowdown that results from how they are handled, you can give the new extension a try by downloading Chrome Beta. Once you have Chrome Beta, you can then download the Chrome Office Viewer (Beta) extension and use it to view the files. Google advises users to keep in mind that it is a beta extension that could have bugs, and is welcoming feedback.

[via Chrome Blogspot]

This safeguard was just implemented into Chrome browser, and involves additional measures that keep an eye on extensions that don’t follow the path-laid-before-it mechanisms Google has deemed the proper route to extension installation. If a piece of software doesn’t follow these measures, Chrome will assume it is malware and will flag it as such.

The malware designation will be applied because such methods are typically used to circumvent the silent installation blockers that Google has in place for the purpose of fixing something in place that doesn’t belong. The way it does this results in installation by default, and as such the user will not be able to disable it or uninstall it like an ordinary extension. Other varieties of malicious software that use other methods to get around the system are also detected and flagged.

Users will be made known of this attempted installation via a Safe Browsing warning that will appear stating that a malicious download is present. The warnings won’t start appearing for another week or so, however. The result will not only be better protection, but also performance improvements and a better experience, says Google.

[via Google]

Users have been waiting quite a while for such the fullscreen feature added into Chrome, with it now automatically switching into the browsing mode when the user begins scrolling, causing the upper navigation bar to disappear from sight. By touching the screen, the navigation bar will reappear, making it all-around unobtrusive and convenient.

Swiping upwards will make the toolbar reappear with the URL field and navigation options, such as the back and refresh buttons. Fullscreen feature aside, the latest update also brings with it simpler searching than before by altering the way Omnibox search works. While the current version requires searches to be retyped in their entirety, after updating users will be able to edit queries via the search bar without hassle.

There are a few other more minor things, such as holding the back button to reveal search history and added client-side certificate support. There are also some known bugs, including a “noticeable lag” when typing in certain text fields, duplicate items in the history tab, slow tab opening on occasion, and possible flickering pages.

[via Android Community]

As for the full-screen browsing capability, there’s not much to it, although it does get rid of the address bar when you scroll down a webpage, allowing users to take advantage of the whole display when web surfing. So, instead of the address bar remaining static, it moves along with the scroll, meaning it’ll get out of your way when you scroll down a page, which probably didn’t take too much coding effort, but it’s a very convenient feature to have nonetheless.

As for printing webpages, you can do so either via Google’s CloudPrint or Apple’s AirPrint, which is also a convenient feature to have handy when web surfing, although printing usage has gone down for casual purposes, since the use of Evernote allows users to save a website for later. Plus the new PDF saving feature to Google Drive is a nifty way to save websites as well.

It’s not every day when you see the option to save a website as a PDF file. Normally, you can only save it as an HTML file, along with the assets that go with the website. Saving for PDF gives you a simplified version of that, and then you can easily print out a copy if need be from your computer or mobile device. Google Chrome is a free download and the update is available now in the iTunes App Store.

Basically, Google says that it’s too easy to accidentally break things with WebKit and its Blink rendering engine will isolate the developer from the inner workings of content. The developers over at WebKit apparently didn’t appreciate Google’s take on their platform and are currently discussing how they could remove Chrome-specific code from the project. Removal of code that wasn’t Chrome-specific is one of the other reasons Google cited for leaving WebKit.

According to Google, there are about 4.5 million lines of code in WebKit that are there for other browsers that Chrome doesn’t use and Google wants to eliminate that code. Apple’s Geoffrey Garen, stated on the WebKit development mailing list, a suggestion to remove Chrome-specific code in an effort to make development easier and more coherent.

Code that developers at WebKit plan to axe includes code that specifically designed to integrate with the Google V8 JavaScript engine, any code having to do with the Google Skia graphics library, and support for the Google-URL library. Code having to do with page rendering and layout tests specifically for Chrome are also expected to be removed. However, Google Chrome isn’t the only browser that uses some of this code. Reports indicate that BlackBerry also uses Skia and Samsung uses V8 so removal of that code could affect those devices as well.

[via The Register]

The obvious feature most users will notice is the speed improvements, which are said to increase the rate of content loading by 5-percent. This is due to behind the scenes changes to the browser’s resource scheduler, decreasing pre-loaded resources and using an idle connection more often. In addition, webpagetest.org Speed Index values are now included in the metrics used to assess page load speed improvements.

Other changes and additions are specific to developers, and include HTML5 date and time forms, which are featured in the image above. There’s also now live audio input to Web Audio API for the Windows and Mac versions of Chrome, as well as Sync FileSystem API for Chrome Packaged Apps. Improvements have been rolled out for the network panel, bringing customizable columns and the ability to “Copy as cURL” a resource by right-clicking on it.

There are a variety of other features for devs, which those who are interested can check out in full here. In case you didn’t hear, Google announced yesterday that it will be forking a new rendering engine called Blink from WebKit, promising to bring with it speed and to eventually spur innovation. You can read more about those plans, as well as what one Chrome dev has to say, here.

[via Chromium]

“Blink gives developers much more assurance that when they change something, it’s only affecting the things they think it’s affecting” he explains, thanks to the engine’s Content API boundary. That’s the part of Blink which – though for the large part following the WebKit API design – differs in that it isolates Chrome developers “from inner workings of content.”

For Russell, though – and presumably Google as a whole, given its web/cloud-centric focus – the speed potential for jumping ship to Blink is what really makes the fragmentation worthwhile. The Chromium team has enjoyed such streamlining in Google’s own “Chromey” parts, he points out, and now will get the same in the underlying engine. That, the reasoning goes, means a browser that is improved faster and keeps better pace with the demands of users and developers.

“Directness of action matters, and when you’re swimming through build files for dozens of platforms you don’t work on, that’s a step away from directness. When you’re working to fix or prevent regressions you can’t test against, that’s a step away. When compiles and checkouts take too long, that’s a step away. When landing a patch in both WebKit and Chromium stretches into a multi-day dance of flags, stub implementations, and dep-rolls, that’s many steps away. And each step hurts by a more-than-constant factor” Alex Russell, Chrome team, Google

The losses from adopting Blink are the obvious ones, Russell says: divorcing development from “a community of hugely talented people” working on WebKit, for instance. Some old faces are likely to be present, however; Opera has confirmed, TNW reports, that it too will be using Blink having already committed to switching to Chromium back in February.

“When we announced the move away from Presto, we announced that we are going with the Chromium package, and the forking and name change have little practical influence on the Opera browsers” Opera spokesperson

Who will follow next remains to be seen, though given Google’s footprint in smartphones and tablets with Android, not to mention its push to move users onto the web in Chrome OS, developers certainly won’t be able to avoid Blink moving forward.

As pointed out by Chromium software engineer Adam Barth, Chromium utilizes a multi-process architecture that differs from that of other WebKit browsers, with the multi-architecture support leading to a slurry of ever-increasing complexity that serves as a sort of ball-and-chain on the ankle of innovation. Blink, which will be open source, aims to solve this issue and provide, by proxy, a boost in innovation.

Aside from that, optimistic attitudes tout the upcoming rendering engine as a possible boost to the “open web ecosystem” as a whole, although it is acknowledged that introducing a new rendering system has the potential to significantly impact the Internet, and developers could eventually have more work on the coding end of things.

According to Barth, the initial work will concentrate on getting rid of digital clutter, including the removal of about 7,000 files and 7 build systems, which will total in excess of 4.5 million lines of code. This will result in vast internal architectural improvements, but won’t bring much change to web developers. Guidelines have already been posted regarding interoperability, standards, and other such related items.

[via Chromium]

This password and autofill data sync is a Godsend for many users. We all know how dreadful it can be filling out form data while registering for services, or even typing out our passwords, especially if they’re complicated. You can imagine how much worse those tasks are when you’re typing them out on a mobile device. This new update helps give Android users a much welcomed shortcut through these mundane tasks.

Of course, in order for the sync to work, you will have to be signed into both your Google Chrome desktop app and your Google Chrome Android app. If your data isn’t syncing, don’t worry. Google says that this is normal as it’s still rolling out the features to users. You may have to wait at most a few days before you can take advantage of these features.

Alongside the addition of the new sync feature, the Chrome for Android update brings many other bonuses as well. Scrolling performance should be much smoother, pinch-to-zoom should be more responsive, interactive pages should be much faster, there is more support for HTML5 features, and audio will continue to play even if Chrome is in the background. You can go ahead and grab the update from Google Play now.

[via Android Community]

The improved spell checking is quite a bump up from traditional spell checking that we’ve known. Google Chrome’s spell checker checks for grammar this time around, as well as proper nouns, homonyms, and context-sensitive spell checking. All you have to do is enable the “Ask Google for suggestions” spell check feature in settings.

Of course, Google Search and Google Docs have had the new spell checking feature for quite some time, but now it’s coming universally in Google Chrome on any website, which is pretty cool. The update will be rolling out in the next couple of weeks, so don’t worry if you’re not seeing the update right away, as it’s still being released.

As for the desktop shortcuts feature for multiple users, Google Chrome users who share a computer can now create shortcuts on their desktop of Google Chrome for each specific user in the family. This eliminates the need to open up Chrome and manually switch accounts — a great feature if you have multiple people in your household using one computer.

Though a real straight-up pull-quote has yet to be found, it’s been said by the Guardian that Schmidt’s desires lie in the keyboard of the BlackBerry he continues to use to this day. Of course there are many Android alternatives for those addicted to BlackBerry who cannot get off the idea that they need a physical keyboard, but it’s apparent that Schmidt will not be deterred.

It’s assumed that Schmidt means the physical keyboard when he says “the keyboard”, since the next-generation on-screen keyboard in BlackBerry 10 being choice for Schmidt over Android’s plethora of keyboard options, well, that’d just be too much to swallow. As it stands, BlackBerry 10 as an OS and as a smartphone lineup has yet to hit the United States – it’s on the way soon and very soon.

With Schmidt also talking about the way we must consider the privacy of others and how China is laying low its society’s ability to use the web, we must also note that one of the main reasons the Google Executive Chairman had this particular interview was because he’d just left North Korea. There he’d been speaking as evangelist for a more open internet in the top half of the Korean land mass, attempting to knock some sense into the government – and whoever else would listen – with chat about how their economy would flourish if given the chance.

Have a peek at the timeline below for more wild and wacky adventures of Eric Schmidt and don’t you dare leave without letting us know if you’re thinking about tossing your Android smartphone out the window the moment BlackBerry 10 hits your local mobile carrier!

The game builds the 3D mazes dynamically using the HTML elements of the website, and players use their Android smartphones as a controller for the game, which is played on their computer in the Google Chrome web browser. You simply sync the two devices through Chrome using a unique code, then you can fire up the game and go at it.

Players either tilt their mobile devices or use the on-screen controls to guide the steel ball around, and just the Wii U’s gamepad, your Android smartphone’s display can mirror what’s on the computer screen. The video above shows what the game is all about and provides a quick demo so that you can see it in action. It’s in Japanese, but most of the important stuff is all visual anyway.

You’ll need a fairly decent computer to run the game, even if it is purely browser-based. World Wide Maze works uses the WebGL standard, and it requires at least 1GB of RAM and a 256MB graphics card for hardware acceleration. However, most computers nowadays will be able to handle it. While this may not be a game that you’ll spend hours playing, it’s certainly a cool thing to try out, and it could very well be the future of a new type of gaming.

[via Ars Technica]

The trojan is detected as “Trojan.Yontoo.1” and it was discovered by Russian security firm Doctor Web. Of course, you have to an install a plugin or other piece of software in order for the trojan to activate, but hackers are making it easy for unsuspecting users to take the bait. They’re prompting users to install a plugin before they can watch a mobile trailer, for example.

Of course, we’ve all come across this scenario before, where we don’t have a certain plugin installed in order to view something, so we’re forced to download and install it before continuing. However, it looks like criminals are taking advantage of that tradition by implementing the same kind of system in order to get users to install the trojan.

It’s said that a Windows version of the trojan also exists, but it doesn’t affect Windows 8 users currently. Cross-platform malware isn’t rare most of the time, but this particular one uses its own code to target each specific operating system, as opposed to targeting a universal piece of software like Java, which we’ve heard plenty about recently.

[via The Next Web]

Rubin wrote a heartfelt letter to all of Android’s partners. He jumps back through the successes of Google’s Android since its inception. He comments on how the Open Handset Alliance, which started with only 34 members, now has over 85 members. The team had worked day and night to develop Android and help it reach its milestones at an incredible pace. He emphasized how even with a small team, they were ambitious and able to release Jelly Bean last year, an update that brought significant improvements to Android’s user experience.

Dear friends,

In November of 2007 we announced the Open Handset Alliance with 34 founding members. Today, I’m grateful to the over 85 OHA members who have helped us build Android and drive innovation at such an incredible pace. The Android ecosystem has seen tremendous growth since the launch of the very first Android device in October 2008. The volume and variety of Android devices exceeds even my most optimistic expectations — over 750 million compatible devices and counting!

At its core, Android has always been about openness — the idea that a thousand brains are better than one. Just as the ecosystem has grown, so has our team at Google. I am incredibly proud of the phenomenal group of people that spend their days (and nights) building the Android platform and services. Just look at last year…a lean yet incredibly ambitious team released Jellybean with Google Now, launched Google Play in many languages and countries and collaborated with several partners to build three new Nexus devices to help drive innovation in the ecosystem.

Today, the success of Android combined with the strength of our management team, gives me the confidence to step away from Android and hand over the reins. Going forward, Sundar Pichai will lead Android, in addition to his existing work with Chrome and Apps. Hiroshi Lockheimer — who many of you already know well — plus the rest of the Android leadership team will work closely with all of our partners to advance Android and prepare the platform for new products and services yet to be imagined.

As for me, I am an entrepreneur at heart and now is the right time for me to start a new chapter within Google. I am amazed by what we have accomplished from those early days (not so long ago!), and remain passionate about the power of a simple idea and a shared goal — an open source platform freely available to everyone — to transform computing for people everywhere.

Thank you for your support,

- andy

Rubin will be succeeded by Sundar Pichai, the Senior VP of Google’s Chrome and Apps division. Pichai went forward with Chrome despite all of the doubts he received for creating yet “another browser”, but now it’s one of the most popular web browsers available. Pichai has big shoes to fill, but if anyone in Google could do it, it’d most likely be him. Rubin is off to work on his next big project at Google, and has not stated what it’s going to be yet.

[via The Wall Street Journal]

That rumor has been circulating for some time, and while Google has never said never, it’s also been cautious to level expectations as to when it could happen. Speaking to us at Mobile World Congress last month, Android design chief Matias Duarte warned that, though it could happen, we shouldn’t expect it soon.

What, exactly, Andy Rubin will do now is unclear. The exec joined Google in 2005 as senior vice president, bringing with him the work on the open-source Android operating system that he co-founded in 2003. Before that, Rubin co-founded Danger, the company responsible for the proto-smartphone Sidekick.

“Sundar has a talent for creating products that are technically excellent yet easy to use” Page writes, “and he loves a big bet.” The executive “will do a tremendous job doubling down on Android as we work to push the ecosystem forward” Page predicts.

With Google I/O 2013 fast approaching, the stage is being set for a significant shake-up in Android as well as Google’s product range as a whole. We’ll be there to bring you back all the news as it’s announced!

At the moment, the latest Chromium build has an entry for enabling Google Now testing. However, it requires manual input of the relevant server address, since Google Now does most of its processing in the cloud; without that URL, none of the Now cards will be generated.

Exactly when Google will make Now functionality public is unclear, but the fact that it’s in testing suggests it could be sooner rather than later. That would certainly fit in with the ambitions of Android user experience chief Matias Duarte, who we talked to about Google Now back at Mobile World Congress; he sees the system as the next gateway to smart devices, leveraging context as part of a new, more confident Google that allows prediction to take a stronger role.

Google Now is already likely to feature strongly in Glass, Google’s head-mounted wearable computer, which uses the system to respond to voice commands. As we exclusively previewed last month, the pared-back Glass interface is very close to what we’ve seen of Now already.

[via The Verge; via Francois Beaufort]

Stitcher now has browser plug-ins customized for the Google Chrome web browser and Firefox. Stitcher says that fans can now listen to the streaming service any time on any browser thanks to the two new browser plug-ins. Using the new Chrome or Firefox plug-ins, users can stream their favorite programs along with over 15,000 shows using easy toolbar access providing full playback control.

Stitcher says that the web app will sync with your mobile application and grab all of the custom stations you have set up allowing you to resume listening on your computer where you left off on your mobile device. The web experience includes Smart Discovery allowing you to discover new shows you’ll probably like based on your listening activity. Users can also fine tune chosen shows for more personalized recommendations.

The browser plug-ins also support on-demand listening without the need to download content or synchronize. Users can also login using the browser plug-ins and create custom stations. The new plug-ins support Facebook sharing and allowing you to share your favorite shows on Facebook and discover what your friends are listening to as well. Both the Chrome and Firefox plug-ins are available to download now.

[via Stitcher]

According to Jay Freeman (a.k.a. Saurik, who operates the Cydia jailbreak store), the latest Chrome update for iOS adds “untested jailbreak-specific code,” and the only way to fix the crashing issue is to enable “send crash reports” in Settings. However, that’s not exactly possible when the app keeps crashing on its users.

Then again, you can change the setting by digging deep into your iOS device’s file system by navigating to Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Local State and changing the “reporting_enabled” option to “true.” Jailbreakers can use iFile or any other file explorer jailbreak app to get access to this setting. However, you do so at your own risk.

Google says they’ll be releasing an incremental update to fix this issue, but there’s currently no timeline as to when it will be released. Google also says that if you’re not comfortable with digging into the file system, you can uninstall and reinstall Chrome and then enable crash reporting, but there’s the chance you may lose data if you don’t use sync. However, some SlashGear readers have mentioned that reinstalling didn’t work for them, so your mileage may vary.

The Windows and Linux versions of Chrome are receiving mere security updates and bug fixes — nothing that you’ll probably get overly excited about. However, the Android version has optimized scrolling with an updated Javascript engine — perfect for smaller screens, according to Google, which mostly applies to older devices.

As for iOS, there are a couple of nifty new features that users will get a kick out of. Holding down on the back button will bring up the history tab, and will allow you to quickly access any page that’s stored in your history. Furthermore, you can also quickly share web pages through Messages on iOS.

Sadly, the iOS update of Chrome resulted in the app crashing every time I would start it up, so if you’re still on iOS 5.1.1, let this be a word of warning if you’re thinking about upgrading. Hopefully Google will soon release a smaller, incremental update to fix the bugs present in this big update, but for now I’m stuck with an unusable Chrome app.

The 500px app can be found by way of the Chrome Web Store. The app is free to download, free to use and thankfully, it brings the features that one could expect. Of course, some may remember the 500px app from the Chromebook Pixel announcement as the app was briefly shown using the touchscreen display on the Pixel. In fact, they are touting this app as being touch-enabled and as being built for the Chromebook Pixel laptop.

Another feature of the 500px app includes being able to browse images by category including Popular, Editors’ Choice, Upcoming and Fresh. The app will also allow users to create a personalized photo stream using Flow, click (or in the case of the Pixel, tap) images to view them full-screen and read descriptions and photographer’s information. Additionally, social sharing also comes in with Google+ as well as Facebook and Twitter.

Otherwise, it was pointed out that the 500px app is more than just a Chrome extension, it is actually an app. That is to say the app launches outside the browser and works offline by default. 500px for Chrome aside, the company has also said they are working to release an update to their Android app in the near future. The Android app update is expected to bring it “up to iOS parity and beyond.”

[via TNW]

A tablet or a smartphone can be used, with a smartphone arguably being easier to use than a larger tablet. Syncing is achieved by using Chrome for Mobile/iPhone, so users will need to download and install it in order to play. Once installed, syncing the controller with the game is simple and straight forward. Up to four players can sync their devices and compete with each other.

Gamers need to go to chrome.com/supersyncsports on their laptop or desktop to pull up the game. After doing that, select a game, then turn on your mobile device. From Chrome for Mobile, visit g.co/super and enter the code that appears on the computer screen. By doing this, the mobile device will sync with the browser game and begin to function as a controller.

After syncing, the gamers can then select an athlete to play as from the mobile device, then control the character via gestures on the touchscreen. Super Sync Sports works with Chrome version 15 and higher, Android 4 and higher, and iOS 4.3 and later. The game utilized HTML5, CSS3, and Canvas.

[via Google Blog]

Google’s Chromebook Pixel was certainly needed, with all their previous devices being extremely budget-oriented laptops, but is Google and their OS ready? We’ll have to spend more time with it and let you know in our full review. Chrome OS aside, this device is stunning on all sides. From the display, design, build quality, and even the integrated speakers. Lets dig in!

The Chromebook Pixel is finally a Chromebook with specs to match some of the competition, which also surpasses them on many levels. The Pixel features a 12.85-inch ‘Pixel’ display with a 2560 x 1700 resolution at 239 PPI and 4.3 million pixels – and it absolutely looks amazing. It’s rocking a Gorilla Glass 2 protected multi-touch panel and offers excellent viewing angles, but out of the gate we’ll let you know the screen glare is pretty awful. Under the hood you’ll be working with a 1.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 32GB SSD for storage. As well as a 64GB 4G LTE option coming later. That isn’t all either. With your purchase users get 1TB (1000GB) of free Google Drive cloud storage. Essentially putting anything and everything on the cloud. Then you’ll get two USB 2.0 ports, Displayport, and a full SD slot among other things.

It’s pretty safe to say our initial impressions on the screen are good. It is certainly on the same level as a MacBook Retina. The colors are amazing, but the viewing angles weren’t quite as good as we expected, and Apple has a leg up here. Using the touchscreen for our limited time with it we don’t have too many thoughts. The video below you’ll see how smooth the touchscreen operation is, but we’re not sure how useful real world usage will be. The actual device is blazing fast and the most smooth and fluid Chrome OS we’ve seen or used to date. That’s all thanks to the Core i5 processor and 4GB of RAM of course. For now we’ll just let you enjoy the video:

Everything about this Chromebook screams “premium high end product.” The all aluminum design is solid and extremely sturdy, the Gorilla Glass protected display is sturdy and creak free, and the keyboard is a joy to use. Typing on this thing has been a wonderful experience so far. The backlit LED keyboard is nice, and the speakers are safely integrated under the keyboard to keep things sleek. We do want to make one thing clear, the speakers are exceptional for a laptop. It’s loud, clear, and extremely crisp. I was blown away at the first video I watched.

For those that missed the announcement the all new Chromebook Pixel is up now on the Google Play Store for $1,299 which gets you the 32GB model, and $1,449 coming soon with 64GB and 4G LTE from Verizon. Yeah.. it’s certainly not cheap. Not one bit. Google needed a premium device, but this is really premium.

We’ll obviously need a few days to enjoy the Chromebook Pixel. Find some of its strong points, and the quirks, and we’ll report back shortly with a full review. Can this premium laptop be your daily device, or is Chrome OS too much in its infancy? Does Google tempt the daring with the Pixel – we’re not sure. Stay tuned for our full review to see if this is a Ferrari with a 4-cylinder, or if it can be the real deal.

Google is once again attempting to release a product in the Chromebook Pixel that’s representative of their Nexus state of mind. With the Nexus line of Android products, Google works with a manufacturer to create a smartphone or tablet (or other devices, in some cases) that presents a Google-only iteration of their software. With the Chrome operating system, Google already offers this experience on every single Chromebook that’s been released – so the job is already done.

So why release the Chromebook Pixel?

Google has already been working on Chrome (the web browser) for a touchscreen-friendly universe – they’ve even gone so far as to suggest dominance on Windows 8. It’s in that touch environment that we’ve already seen Chrome working… generally ok.

The internet is not ready for touch. The web was built – and continues to be built – with work in mind. Work and play, but play through a work-friendly interface. Chrome is attempting to change the way the internet is used by creating a home screen with a collection of icons that are large enough to easily be tapped by a human finger. There are touch-friendly web apps out there, but there’s a step between easy and confusing that still exists between the user and a fully touch-friendly Chrome OS.

If you’ll look back to October 20th, 2010, also known as the reveal date for Apple’s OS X 10.7 Lion, you’ll find that “Mac Meets the iPad” was without a doubt a theme of the day. The photo you see here of a real-deal touchscreen MacBook was seen once – and never heard from again.

There’s a reason for that.

With the Chromebook Pixel, Google has stepped out ahead of itself. Chrome has not yet proven itself as an operating system that’s ready to take a foothold in the modern work-oriented world, yet a $1,299 container for it seemed reasonable somehow or another. Google must have a special order ready for these machines or they’ve got something to prove to someone about their manufacturing finesse, because this is a machine I’d definitely not mind using with Ubuntu.

I’d recommend checking the Chromebook Pixel out at Best Buy, giggling, and thinking twice.

The Chromebook Pixel works with 2,560 x 1,700 pixels – 239 pixels per inch across a 12.85-inch display. You’ve got a 3:2 aspect ratio “designed for the web” and it’s all covered with a 0.55mm layer of touch-friendly Gorilla Glass for full touchscreen action. This machine will be sold as a wifi-only edition if you like, but you’re also welcome to jump on board with 4G LTE with Verizon too – mobile speed!

You’ll be working with a glass touchpad, a backlit keyboard, and an integrated 720p HD camera as well – all the Google+ Hangout action you can handle. This Chromebook weighs in at 3.35 lbs / 1.52 kg and is 297.7 x 224.6 x 16.2 mm, made up of mostly anodized aluminum with “active cooling” and no immediately visible vents – we’ll see how that works out when we get our hands on a full review sooner than later.

Inside you’ve got 4GB of DDR3 RAM, an Intel Core i5 dual-core 1.8Ghz processor, and integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000. You’ll find 2x USB 2.0 ports, a mini display port, and a combo SD/MMC card reader around the edges and a 32GB SSD on the inside. If you pick up the LTE model, you’ll be getting 64GB SSD instead – large!

With each purchase you get one free terabyte of Google Drive cloud storage for three years, 12 free sessions of GoGo Inflight Internet, and – if you’re working with the 4G LTE Verizon model – 100MB of data a month for 2 years of mobile broadband connectivity. Pricing starts at $1,299 U.S. and £1,049 U.K. for the wifi-only version and the LTE version will cost you $1,449 – with shipping in April. The wifi version begins shipping next week, while Best Buy and Currys PC World will begin showing the device off within a week from today.

This specific Chromebook looks to take on Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup, instead of just being an affordable option like past Chromebooks from HP, Acer, Dell, Samsung, etc. The Chromebook Pixel sports a 12.85-inch display with a staggering resolution of 2560×1700, making it a higher resolution than the Retina MacBook. Although, it has a 3:2 ratio, which is fairly odd in this day and age.

The Pixel comes with an Intel Core i5 dual-core 1.8GHz processor, 4GB of RAM, and two SSD options: 32GB or 64GB. Of course, that’s not a lot of storage for all those media files you have, so Google is throwing in 1TB of Google Drive storage with a purchase of a Pixel, which will be free for three years.

You can pre-order the Pixel right this second on the Google Play store, and it’ll cost you a crazy $1,299, which is right on par for what you’ll pay for a MacBook Pro, but we’re certainly not used to seeing this kind of price for a Chromebook, since most of them have been price in the $200-$300 recently.