Hasta La Gadget!

Google’s answer to the heaps of note-taking apps out there is now available in the Chrome Web Store. Google Keep has come to the desktop after being released on Android back in March, allowing users to take notes on their computer and have them synced up to their Android devices for on-the-go use.

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.

Google Keep arrives in Chrome Web Store for cross-platform notes is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

While Google opened the door to packaged Chrome apps back in February, it’s been a largely one-way affair ever since — developers could upload the native-style apps, but they couldn’t find anything without a direct link. As of a dev channel update, the relationship is a little more two-directional. Both Chrome OS and Windows-based Chrome testers can at last search for packaged apps in the Chrome Web Store alongside the usual releases. Google is mostly holding back on wider access to give developers more time to polish their work. Us non-coders will have to be patient, then, but truly offline-friendly apps just came one step closer.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Google

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Via: Chromium Blog

Source: Chromium Projects

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.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

ZTE might be a wee bit late to the party, but you know what they say – better late than never. Most of the other Android smartphone manufacturers and vendors have already signed up with Microsoft’s patent program, and now, ZTE of China has also jumped aboard the ship as ZTE and Microsoft both inked an agreement for the former’s Android and Chrome patent licensing program. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Apple’s WWDC Starts On June 10 With Focus On iOS 7, OS X, FedEx Now Accepts Signatures For Deliveries Through Mobile App Update,

Google is mighty proud of Chrome‘s security, something it has taken a proactive stance on. Back in December, the Internet giant put the kibosh on silent extensions, which are the sleeper-cell kind that slip in unnoticed and unwanted, installing by default. This move has been expanded on, with the company announcing earlier today a new safeguard that ensures malicious extensions stay out of your browser.

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]

Google to roll out new Chrome safeguard against malicious extensions is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.