SlashGear » Chrome

Blump’it browser plugin turns any tablet into a JooJoo [Video]

Chris Davies — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:34:42 +0000

If you’ve been intrigued by the JooJoo’s UI and wish you could get something similarly web-centric and finger-friendly for an existing touchscreen device, Blump’it might be your saviour. A Firefox plugin – and perhaps soon a Chrome Extension too – Blump’it gives the browser a more intuitive touchscreen interface. Confused? TechVideoBlog lined up a video demo of the system in action.

Video demo after the cut

Described as looking like “a big iPhone” Blump’it adds an on-screen QWERTY keyboard and various applications, and the company have an app store for downloading more titles. Since it runs as part of the browser, it doesn’t matter what sort of processor or hardware you’re using – Windows, Linux or Mac, x86 or ARM – just as long as you can load up Firefox with plugin support.

Blump’it also seem to be pushing development of their own tablet, though there’s no indication of when that might be arriving on the market nor for how much. We’re more interested by the potential for making existing touchscreen tablets and devices more finger-friendly; you can register and get access to the free alpha Firefox plugin now.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Google Chrome beta for Mac and Linux arrives plus new browser Extensions

Chris Davies — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:49:50 +0000

Google have released the long-anticipated official beta version of their Chrome browser for Mac and Linux. The Mac version supports the OS X Keychain and has Mac-style animations; more details here. Meanwhile, over on the Windows version (and the Linux app) there are now new Chrome Extensions which can be used to add functionality to the browser.

There are currently over 300 extensions for Chrome, and details on the Chromium blog as to how developers can create their own. Google promise extensions for Mac soon, though they’ll be released through the developer channel and may not be as stable as their Windows and Linux counterparts. You can download Google Chrome for Mac here.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Google Chrome OS gets detailed [Video]

Chris Davies — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:27:11 +0000

As expected, Google have released launch details about the Google Chrome OS platform, though there is no beta release today nor any netbooks actually running the OS to announce. The company intend Chrome OS to boot almost instantaneously, similar to a TV experience, and in fact it currently loads in just seven seconds; system stability and security is also paramount, with an encrypted user-data section, self-healing OS and complete cloud storage for files. While there’s no beta available today, Google is making the source code available for developers to download, compile and install.

Video overviews after the cut

There will be no local applications, only web apps using HTML5, but Google are working on giving them access to the sort of system resources – such as GPUs for hardware Flash acceleration – that local software currently have. There’ll also be more extensions for the Chrome browser itself. Google will be able to better manage the spread of malware, since everything is installed remotely rather than locally (in fact Chrome OS can’t actually change files on your netbook’s hard-drive, since the boot partition is read-only), and users should be able to log into another Chrome OS system and instantly have their regular work environment. Similarly all the tabs from the previous session are maintained. Google use a “verified boot” system whereby Chrome OS’ cryptographic signature keys are checked to make sure no malware has infected the system; should something still get through, however, there’s an automatic recovery procedure to fix it. The entire OS will automatically update as improvements are developed.

The UI is still subject to change, but will consist of tabs and various app menu panes, together with so-called persistent windows for things like Google Talk. Rather than being able to drag windows pixel-by-pixel, they will either snap against the edges of the screen or each other, be shown in split-screen mode, or in full-screen. Across the top of the display are five pinned application tabs, which currently link to things like Gmail, Facebook and the like. In the top left-hand corner is the primary apps menu, with a search box, the ability to create new tabs, windows and bookmarks, together with the sign in/out functionality. While at present it is a pull down menu, there’s talk of switching it to a full-screen tab or partial-screen overlay.

Plugging in peripherals, meanwhile, such as USB drives, webcams or cameras, opens up a new tab with the contents or functionality of that peripheral. Google are still optimizing the code for even faster boot times (the shipping netbooks using Chrome OS will use solid-state storage for speed gains), as well as producing more webapps; currently there’s Hulu, PicasaWeb, YouTube, a Google music app, Notepad and more. As for the platform itself, Google Chrome OS is expected to come out fully in around a year’s time, with machines from the top OEMs on the market before the 2010 holiday period. As for the hardware itself, it will only use SSD for storage, and in fact Google have produced a reference design for manufacturers, with specific WiFi cards and other components supported. Netbooks will be the first wave, either x86 or ARM based, but Google are not counting out Google Chrome OS powered notebooks and desktops at some point in the future.

Google Chrome OS overview:

Google Chrome OS fast-boot:

Google Chrome OS security:

Google Chrome OS & Open Source:

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Google Chrome OS & Android “may merge closer”; CEO Schmidt opposed development

Chris Davies — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:45:09 +0000

Google’s CEO and the search giant’s co-founders took to the stage this week to discuss Chrome OS, the future of Android and other open-source issues, revealing that the two headline-grabbing platforms – one ostensibly for smartphones, the other for netbooks – have “a great deal of commonality” and “may merge even closer.” CEO Eric Schmidt also made clear that Google do not envisage Chrome OS as a direct Windows competitor; in fact, he said, “Microsoft is welcome to put Internet Explorer on our operating system.”

“Microsoft is welcome to put Internet Explorer on our operating system, [though] it’s highly unlikely they would do it. They would have to port it and the port is not trivial…the ball is in their court. All of it is open. Even if we had an evil moment [and tried to block Microsoft], we would be unsuccessful.” Eric Schmidt, CEO, Google

Echoing recent discussion about whether a browser-based work environment is a realistic proposal, Schmidt also revealed that he was resistant to the idea of both the Chrome browser and the Chrome OS when co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page first suggested it six years ago. “I wanted the operating system to kind of be out of the way,” Page explained, “if you live your life in the browser maybe you don’t want all the stuff that came from Eric’s generation.”

The trio also touched on Twitter and Facebook, neither of which they now perceive as a threat – or at least not publicly, anyway – and which they have no intention of going into competition with; “we have a rule of not doing what everybody else does” said Schmidt. As for revenue streams, they believe display advertising “is likely to be the next billion-dollar business at Google.”

[via Android Community]

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Google Chrome OS leaked screenshots: is this Microsoft’s newest rival?

Chris Davies — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:12:54 +0000

The first purported screenshots of Google’s Chrome OS have leaked, courtesy of a snap-happy Acer parts supplier and a momentarily careless Google demo rep. Apparently taken at the end of a demonstration of Chrome OS for Acer, installing the software in just 10 minutes on a formerly Vista Acer Extensa 4620Z laptop, even this early build of the platform showed its speed credentials: a desktop to desktop reboot in around 25 seconds.

UPDATE: The screenshots are fake, as we suspected might be the case. Just a video designer hoping to drum up business. 7/9/2009

More Google Chrome OS feedback after the cut

Only one restart was required to complete the install, and only the Google Talk app was loaded as standard. The so-called “Chrome Bar” at the bottom of the display has a blue “Start menu” button and clock, and auto-hides; the Windows key and space bring it back up, but on proper Chrome OS netbooks there’ll be a dedicated key. There’s also the possibility of adding a search box to the bar.

Two forms of navigation are present, “Exploration” and “Browser”; the former is a simple Explorer-type folder navigation, while the latter uses local search in the Chrome browser. It will also show “most visited” files. Icons can be resized, and there will be wizards – such as the internet wizard, which is described as “very quick” – to setup different features.

Of course, it would be very easy to fake screenshots like these, and only Google (and their hardware partners) can say whether they’re authentic or not. It’s probably too early to judge the visual side of the OS, as the Google rep apparently kept reiterating that it was a very early beta, but it looks as though simplicity is the order of the day.

[via Engadget]

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Google working with Acer, ASUS, HP and more on Chrome OS netbooks

Chris Davies — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:42:44 +0000

Google have revealed the hardware partners that they are currently working with on their freshly-announced Chrome OS. The search giant has named Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, HP, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Toshiba as all helping to design and build devices that will run the new platform, which has been described as the Chrome browser with a new windowing system, on top of a Linux kernel.

Conspicuously absent from the list of collaborators is Samsung, who are already working with Google as part of the Android-helming Open Handset Alliance, and who have a range of well-received netbooks on the market. Dell and Sony are also missing from the list, though given the pattern of membership from the OHA – where a second round of sign-ups significantly boosted the ranks just a few months later – we wouldn’t be surprised to see one or more big names hop on board shortly.

Google also reiterated that Chrome OS will be a free, open-source project, although it is yet to specify when exactly in the second half of this year it will release the source code. The first devices running Google Chrome OS are expected to arrive in the second half of 2010.

[via Android Community]

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Google Chrome OS announced: on netbooks by 2H10

Chris Davies — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:40:19 +0000

If you thought Google’s OS ambitions would end with Android, think again. The search giant has announced Google Chrome OS, an “open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks”, and which promises a start-up to internet-ready delay of just seconds.

Google Chrome OS is the Chrome browser running within a new windowing system with an underlying Linux kernel; while we’re yet to see screenshots, the UI is said to be minimal, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. Google will be leveraging their fresh-out-of-beta Google Apps, while developers will be able to code web-based applications that run not only on Chrome OS but any standards-based browser.

By depending so much on the web for its functionality, Google say Chrome OS won’t suffer the same virus, malware and security update issues traditional platforms experience. As for overlap with Android, they suggest “choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google.” Google are already in talks with manufacturers, and the first netbooks running Google Chrome OS are expected in the second half of 2010. Later on in 2009 they’ll open-source its code.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

SlashGear Week in Review – Week 21 2009

Chris Davies — Sun, 24 May 2009 19:50:52 +0000

The SlashGear team have been surprisingly mobile this week, with part one of our Lincoln MKS road-test, and toting Sprint’s version of the MiFi 2200 portable EVDO hotspot around. We still found enough time to get frantically excited about the Palm Pre, though, which we now know will launch on June 6th for $199.99.

That excitement is tempered with the ongoing rumors that stocks may be severely curtailed on launch day. Not only have Best Buy and RadioShack insiders been talking of minimal handset numbers come June 6th, Sprint’s own CEO is warning that the Pre will likely be in short supply for the first couple of months. The concern is that all of Palm’s momentum since CES back in January could fizzle out, as Apple are expected to announce a third-generation iPhone two days after the Pre’s launch.

Elsewhere in the Apple ecosystem, notorious analyst Gene Munster pooh-pooh’d talk of an Apple Media Pad anytime before 2010. That leaves the stage free for some less impressive, but undoubtedly less expensive alternatives, and the best are coming from little-known names in the Far East. SmartQ’s 7 MID has a bargain $189 sticker and we saw the first unit unboxed earlier this week, while Korean firm mintpass are talking about their second-gen mintpad. Slightly closer to launch, Archos are expected to announce their Android 3G PMP/MID on June 11th.

If something larger, with a full hardware keyboard, is your preference, then we’ve seen a few interesting netbooks this week. Dell’s Latitude 2100 has a serious education bent to it, but could still find favor with mainstream buyers, while ASUS did their best to swell Eee PC ranks with the 1005HA and 1000HV, the latter toting a discrete ATI Radeon graphics chipset.

Finally, Pentax’s K-7 DSLR finished lurking about in the shadows and instead got all official, while Google pushed out v2 of their Chrome browser. Plus we unboxed and brought you a video demo of the BenQ Joybee GP1 pocket-projector; slightly bigger than a pico-projector, but promising higher quality along with the extra size. We’ll tell you whether it lives up to the promise in the full review this week.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Google Chrome v2 released: faster, more stable, new features

Chris Davies — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:28:23 +0000

Google have released the latest version of their Chrome browser, v2, including stable builds of the new features added in March’s beta. Among the most obvious changes are a full-screen mode – triggered by hitting F11 - and a form autofill tool, which remembers common details such as name, address and phone number and automatically populates those fields in online shopping sites and registration forms.

Video overview of Google Chrome v2 after the cut

There’s also extra control over which thumbnails appear on the Chrome tab page, giving users the ability to delete sites from that display if they’d rather not have record of them. Meanwhile, under the hood there’s increased stability – apparently in excess of 300 bugs have been vanquished since Chrome’s launch – and increased speed.

That speed boost comes courtesy of a new version of WebKit and an update to the JavaScript engine, V8. The latter ensures that Chrome still moves speedily even with multiple JavaScript pages open. Chrome v2 is a free download from google.com/chrome; existing users will be automatically upgraded.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

New Google Chrome beta: up to 35% faster

Chris Davies — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:52:23 +0000

Google’s Chrome browser turned a lot of heads when it first launched back in September 2008, and the search giant surprised even more people by dropping the beta tag from the browser only a few months later. Now there’s news of a new version of Chrome, still free and back with beta status, but reportedly between 25- and 35-percent faster than previously, depending on benchmarking. There are also new features like side-by-side tab views and autoscrolling.

Side-by-side tab viewing – as shown in the short video below – involves dragging a tab off the edge of the browser window, whereupon a new pane shuffles into view so you can compare the two. Other fresh features include form auto-filling, full-page zooming and of course the new speed boost: it’s actually twice the speed of the original Chrome beta, and that was never accused of being slow.

Chrome is a free download, but is currently only available for PC users, not Mac OS X. Such users will probably be too busy playing with Apple Safari 4, which launched last month, and boasts such things as 30x faster JavaScript than IE7.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Google Chrome browser announced: integrated search, improved JavaScript

Chris Davies — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:02:49 +0000

Google have announced plans to take on Microsoft and Firefox with their own open-source browser, codenamed Chrome, by releasing a specially drawn comic by Scott McCloud explaining the app. Based on the existing Webkit rendering engine, Chrome will integrate not only tab-based browsing but Google Gears and a newly integrated search and address system called Omnibox.

Omnibox will replace the individual address and search boxes and offer search suggestions, popular pages and history pages. It will also automatically replicate a webpage’s own search box, allowing site and query strings to be entered simultaneously. An Amazon search, for instance, could be triggered by entering “amazon”, pressing tab and then the search term.

Chrome will also include some of the more popular features from existing rivals. It will have a homepage of nine instant-access shortcut thumbnails, as found in Opera 9, with a sidebar of recent searches and tabs. The tabs themselves will be switched to above the window, not below it as on Firefox, and there’ll be a privacy option similar to Internet Explorer’s recently announced InPrivate mode, in which no record of sites or searches will be stored. A malware and phishing protection system will be integrated and constantly updated, with Chrome automatically downloading a list of dangerous sites in the background.

A special team in Denmark have been working on an updated JavaScript Virtual Machine, called V8, will also be an integral part of Chrome. It promises to speed up JavaScript and reduce memory bloat, which will make a significant difference in webapps, together with highlighting any core offenders, whether webpages or plug-ins, that use up more memory than they should. Chrome will allow webapps to create their own, address and toolbar free windows, better replicating traditional desktop apps and continuing Google’s attempts to blur the difference between what’s online and what’s local.

Intended for release as an open-source project, the Google Chrome browser has no specific release date attached to it. The project webpage is http://www.google.com/chrome but it’s not active at time of writing. You can see Philipp Lenssen’s scans of the Chrome comic here.

[Google Blog via Blogoscoped]

Relevant Entries on SlashGear