Hasta La Gadget!

There are some universally annoying things the average Web surfer will encounter from time-to-time, and while the list is mostly made up of pop-up advertisements that bypass your ad-blocker, one of them is direct-file links to things like PowerPoint and Word files. Clicking one of these files results in it being downloaded and opened by the application, a potentially slow and usually unwanted action. Google aims to solve this problem with the launch of Chrome Office Viewer (Beta).

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]

Google rolls out Chrome Office Viewer Beta, enables in-browser file viewing is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
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One of the benefits of buying a Windows Phone 8 handset with a Nokia stamp is the exclusive apps, and today we can add another to that list with the beta release of Nokia Chat for WP8. The software started life on Symbian and Series 40 devices before falling out of favor with Nokia, but this WP8 refresh enables cross-platform chatter between those older phones, the newer Lumia range and, as Yahoo Messenger contacts are supported, anything running that IM client, too. In addition to standard messaging, you can share your location with others, and send details about a specific place — a restaurant, for example — that’ll link with Nokia Maps on Lumias for more info. (That sounds an awful lot like Nokia’s other beta messaging app Pulse, doesn’t it?) Other Lumia-only features in Nokia Chat include Live Tile and lock screen push notifications, Live Tile message previews, voice commands and text-to-speech composition. Nokia Chat beta is only available in a handful of countries right now, including the US, Canada and the UK, with more being added “in the near future.” Head over to the Nokia Beta Labs source link to try it out.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Nokia

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Via: WMPoweruser

Source: Nokia Beta Labs (1), (2)

When it comes to gaming, there is one name that would definitely resonate with gamers – whether they are casual or hardcore, it does not matter. Razer is a name that has rolled out its fair share of hardware, be they mice, mouse pads, or keyboards (and even tablets recently), not to mention marrying such high-tech hardware to software apps that get the job done. Well, Razer’s latest effort would come in the form of the Razer Comms that is currently in Beta format, where it will help to connect gamers around the world. Let us learn more about Razer Comms in the extended story.

In a nutshell, Razer Comms is an all-in-one communications solution for gamers. After taking in feedback that were gleaned from a community-based closed beta program, Razer Comms will now see the incorporation of VoIP client, instant messaging and IRC-chat features, where it will enable gamers all over the world to hook up to a single service, all without having to fork out an additional cent. After all, times are hard, and this is another example that there is a free lunch after all. Not only that, Razer Comms also boasts of an in-game overlay that will seamlessly integrate with PC games, delivering uninterrupted gameplay while at the same time typing or talking with friends.

Razer Comms will rely on the implementation of complex audio algorithms as well as an ultra-fast server infrastructure in order to deliver precise, crisp and clear communication without any danger of timeouts or lag spikes. Not only that, it also features advanced noise reduction and echo cancellation, which will definitely be a boon to the millions of PC gamers around the world.

The history of Razer Comms is a rather interesting one, where it came about as an internal project that was built on the spare “10 percent passion time” of a couple of engineers (sounds a bit like Google, no?). After taking in their fair share of fan requests to make it widely available, Razer Comms is now a fully supported project with a specially designated team working on it. Let’s hope that when Razer Comms is no longer in beta, it would be a game changer, pun not intended.

Press Release
[ Razer Comms Beta connects gamers around the world copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Remember when the internet was hailed as the “information superhighway” and then we all realized it was just some pot hole-filled, five-lane freeway overrun with humanity’s virtual flotsam and jetsam? Well, now there’s a virtual institution to gather the best cultural bits that float to the top, make ’em freely accessible and archive it all for the perpetuity of the digital age. Beginning today, the Digital Public Library of America, a two-year-old non-profit organization, is going live to the public in a beta launch. Featuring historical works culled from six state libraries and various cultural outposts (including the likes of the New York Public Library, the Smithsonian, the National Archives and Records Administration, as well as Harvard University), the site will primarily offer users the ability to search its vast archives (about 2.4 million resources at present) and browse virtual exhibitions, but will also host any dedicated third-party apps built using its open data set. So, there you have it, folks — a highbrow antidote to the rampant disinformation made possible by Google search.

Filed under: Internet

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Source: DPLA

Yo ho yo ho, a pirate’s life for me. And for you! And for everyone! Because downloading BitTorrent files just got a lot easier. BitTorrent is finally pushing its torrenting browser plug-in, BitTorrent Surf, to beta for you to try. That means you don’t have to deal with pesky desktop clients, your browser (Chrome or Firefox) effectively becomes the only BitTorrent client you need. More »