Mar 06
EU competition police have handed Microsoft an enormous $730m fine, after the software giant admitted that a “technical error” saw new Windows machines arriving without the option to choose a default web browser. More »
Mar 05
Yesterday, Google released an update to its Chrome web browser for most of the major platforms, including Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. However, it appears that a lot of users have been experiencing crashing issues with the new update on iOS, including many of our readers, as well as myself. It turns out that the update doesn’t quite work well on jailbroken iDevices.
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.
PSA: Chrome for iOS update crashes on jailbroken devices is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Mar 05
During Mobile World Congress earlier this month, Opera showed off its all new browser, which it had announced last month. This browser, which is the full deal, has been built from the ground up and utilizes the WebKit rendering engine, the same used by Chrome. The browser is in beta mode, and is now available to Android users via the Google Play Store.
While there are some visual components you’ll recognize, such as the Speed Dial landing page, the user interface has been reconstructed from the ground up. To make things ideal for mobile users, the browser’s new design focuses heavily on gestures, reducing tapping and speeding up the rate at which users can flip through tasks. Opera states that the redesign offers a “superior user experience.”
There’s Off-Road Mode that users of Mini will recognize, utilizing server caching in order to provide fast browsing outside of high-speed mobile data zones. Users can toggle Off-Road Mode on and off via the Settings > Content menu. A personal news feed of sorts is offered via Discover, which makes it easy to stay updated on one’s personal news preferences.
There’s the features every user prefers in a web browser – pop-up blocking and an integrated download manager among them. The download manager can be used to save, rename, start, stop, and resume downloads. The browser’s compatibility is currently listed as “varies with device.” Have you downloaded it yet? Tell us what you think in the comments!
[via Android Police]
Opera Browser beta for Android now available via the Play Store is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Mar 05
Opera browser made a seismic shift when it dropped its long-in-the-tooth Presto engine in favor of WebKit, and now you can see the changes for yourself. It’s up for grabs in beta on Google Play, packing the same rendering engine as its Chrome and Safari counterparts along with a handful of extra features. Those include an updated speed dial page for easier launching of favorite sites, off-road mode to conserve data, a discover tab and HTML5 support. We haven’t seen it yet on iOS and there’s no date for a final release, so keep in mind you’ll be test-piloting the still-beta app — check the source to grab it.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Via: Android Police
Source: Google Play
Mar 04
Today is a big day for Google’s Chrome web browser. It received an update on four major platforms, including Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. While Windows and Linux users aren’t getting huge updates for their versions of Chrome, both iOS and Android are getting their own new features that they’ll definitely enjoy.
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.
Google Chrome updated on Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Mar 04
A fast smartphone will only go so far toward improving browser load times if the connection isn’t there to back it up. If a discovery within a recent build of Chrome for Android is any hint, Google may have its own solution to that bottleneck. New code flags reference Google-run proxy servers that would squeeze pages using SPDY, improving performance at least slightly for the bandwidth-deprived. While there’s not much more to go on, the finding is enough to suggest that roughly equivalent boosters like Amazon Silk and Opera Turbo could have a real fight on their hands. We’d advise caution when the flags are only accessible by running an ADB command — they’re clearly not ready for prime time. Should Google flick the switch on compression for Chrome’s main release track, though, Android users may not need a third-party browser to sip the web through a thin straw.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software, Mobile, Google
Via: François Beaufort (Google+)
Source: Chromium.org
Mar 01
Microsoft faces a potentially huge fine from the European Union over its PC browser choice goof last year, with insiders claiming the penalty will be imposed before the end of March. “The Commission is planning to fine Microsoft before the Easter break” a source familiar with the investigation told Reuters; though the exact amount Microsoft faces in penalties is unknown, there are whispers that it will be considerable since this will be the second time the company has not complied with the EU.
Microsoft fell foul of “a technical error” which meant that some Windows PCs failed to show the browser selection screen the company had agreed to install on new computers, after complaints that preloading Internet Explorer as the default app amounted to anti-competitive behavior. All went well, until a glitch in the system meant 28m PCs failed to show the screen, a problem which went unnoticed for more than a year.
The EU warned Microsoft it would be taking action back in October 2012, and at the time the maximum fine that could be levied was totaled up as in the region of $7.4bn. That’s not necessarily going to be the final amount, but the number could easily dwarf the not-inconsiderable $2.1bn Microsoft has already paid in various antitrustpenalties.
An EU spokesperson declined to comment on the rumors. Microsoft is also yet to comment on the possibility of a March punishment, though the company did give a statement late last year regarding the gaffe.
“We take this matter very seriously and moved quickly to address this problem as soon as we became aware of it. Although this was the result of a technical error, we take responsibility for what happened, and we are strengthening our internal procedures to help ensure something like this cannot happen again. We sincerely apologize for this mistake and will continue to cooperate fully with the Commission” Microsoft
Microsoft’s board has already spanked Steve Ballmer, metaphorically speaking, with a bonus cut last year, justified in part by the antitrust issue. Whether the company’s executives will face further censure will likely depend on the amount of the new fine.
Microsoft facing EU browser fine by end of March claim insiders is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Feb 21
Good news, everyone: a safer and more robust version of Google Chrome has just been tipped for the masses. Like we’ve previously seen in the beta release, the stable version of Chrome 25 brings support for the Web Speech API. With this update, you’ll find the ability to create dictations and issue voice commands within any web app that taps into the feature. Also of significance, silent extension installs are now a thing of the past for Windows users in Chrome 25. While you’ll now need to consent to each add-on before it’s installed, we’re sure you’ll agree that the added security is worth the extra trouble. As you’ve come to expect, the update to Google Chrome will be rolled out to users via the browser’s auto-update feature, which means it won’t be long before you have a shiny new version number.
Filed under: Google
Source: Google Chrome Blog
Feb 19
Web denizens who regularly run Chrome or Safari are used to seeing PDFs in-browser, but their Firefox-using counterparts have had to settle for either a download or a third-party plugin. With the just-launched Firefox 19, they’re on an even playing field: Mozilla’s browser now has a built-in PDF viewer to save the hassle. Other updates on the desktop involve more incremental CSS and startup speed tweaks, although Android users do receive theme support, Chinese localizations and lowered minimum hardware requirements. Both Firefox versions and their release notes await at the download links.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile
Source: Mozilla, Google Play, Mozilla Blog
Feb 18
Opera confirms downsizing of developer team as it readies for newly adopted WebKit era
Posted in: Today's Chili 
Opera’s been making quite a few notable changes lately, and now we’re finding out it won’t be without any repercussions to some of its staff. Earlier today, Opera CEO Lars Boilsen’s confirmed to our friends over at TechCrunch that the browser’s developer team is indeed downsizing, confirming previous reports about the company having to make changes as part of its recently announced WebKit adoption. Just how many Core positions will be lost in the process is still unclear, however, with Mr. Boilsen only going as far as telling TechCrunch the number of developers working on the overall project is now at “around 600.” What’s more, Opera’s CEO says it’s all part of a belief that “WebKit’s good enough, to switch, and by doing that we free up a lot of resources,” adding that Opera “will still have a Core team but it will be less people going forward.”
Filed under: Internet, Software
Source: TechCrunch
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