You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
It was not too long ago – just a couple of days ago, in fact, when we brought you word on Firefox 20 alongside its slew of improvements made to those who like the private browsing feature. Well, here we are with additional detail on Firefox Beta, where there have been changes made to the Do Not Track options, so read on if you are particular interested to know what are the amendments that have been thrown into the mix.
Basically, the latest Firefox Beta for Windows, Mac and Linux is ready for download and testing, and Do Not Track will now sport a trio of different options, namely “Do Track,” “Do Not Track” and “no preference”, where these are made available to the end user in order to better represent the user’s choice to opt-in or opt-out of online tracking. For those who want to gain access to the Do Not Track options, just indicate your preference by clicking on “preferences” followed by “privacy.”
You are also able to restore thumbnails on new tab page, which is a rather nifty feature as there are times when one can accidentally close thumbnails. Should that happen, there is the handy “undo” option that will restore said thumbnail.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Intel Starts Shipping Haswell Chips to PC Manufacturers, Human Brain Can Now Control Rat’s Tail, 
The Firefox folks have been talking up the latest additions to the browser’s beta streams for Android and desktop users. If you’ve signed up for the former, then you’ll soon see open-source fonts Charis and Open Sans replacing the default lettering in the OS, for a more “visually appealing and clear reading experience” — as well as some HTML5 compatibility tweaks. On the desktop side, users will find more granular “do not track” options as well as letting you now re-open tab thumbnails that you’d previously closed. As for us? We’re still waiting for the G-Fox version of the beta, where we navigate the internet through the power of cuddling.
Mozilla has just updated its Firefox browser to provide users with several new features that they have been asking for. The new Firefox 20 improves private browsing, integrates your download window with your toolbar, brings getUserMedia to developers, and offers an overall better user experience. Firefox has also simultaneously updated its Firefox Browser for Android app with similar features.
Before the update, you would have to choose between regular browsing or private browsing with Firefox. You couldn’t have both. Now, Firefox has taken a page of out Google Chrome’s book and is now allowing you to simultaneously do both. This is great if you have multiple email accounts and do not feel like signing out of one just to access another. It’s also great for “other” things as well. This new feature is included in Firefox Browser for Android.
Also with this update, Firefox’s Download Manager is now integrated into your toolbar, so you can easily monitor your downloads without opening another window. You will be able to view and minimize your downloads with one simple click. And finally, Mozilla has integrated getUserMedia with its browsers, which allows developers to create web apps that can utilize the user’s camera and microphone. You can download the latest Firefox browser here.
Firefox Browser for Android now allows you to add shortcuts to your homescreen for your favorite sites, similar to Google Chrome’s Android app. Mozilla has also provided support for ARMv6 devices, so now many more lower-end Android phones will be able to take advantage of Firefox Browser for Android. Mozilla states that by supporting ARMv6 devices, it is able to bring its service to over 50 million more phones. In similar news, Mozilla is also gearing to launch its FireFox OS phones later on this year to over 18 operators. It’s an impressive OS looking to break into the mobile market.
[via Mozilla]
Firefox 20 improves private browsing and user experience is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
With the introduction of Google’s Chrome and stepped-up games from the likes of Internet Explorer and Safari, Firefox is arguably not quite the darling of the browser wars it was when it first hit the scene in 2003. And while Mozilla has certainly made progress on that front, the organization understands that diversifying is an important factor in the future success of the company, first through Thunderbird and more recently through the Firefox OS, a mobile operating system targeted toward users in developing nations. G-Fox, meanwhile, marks a decidedly different direction for the foundation, which has made its name in the world of software. It’s an adorable attempt, perhaps, to take the world’s bedrooms and playrooms by storm.
The plush is the real-world port of G-Fox, Mozilla Online China’s large-headed, big-eyed take on the American mascot, Kit. The fox was first spotted in the wild at last year’s Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai. Mozilla Online wasn’t talking it up too much at the event, but naturally, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on an early build. And for a first-generation product in a new space, we have to say, in the whole time we’ve been playing around with G-Fox, we’ve yet to encounter a single crash or slowdown in spite of extensive squeezing, head patting and tossing up in the air, adorably.
Building on its recent advancements in JavaScript optimization, Mozilla has announced a partnership with Epic Games that will bring the Unreal Engine 3 to Firefox. Unlike the ill-fated InstantAction, this gives developers the opportunity to port high-end titles to the web without the use of plugins. Hardly content with enhancing desktop browser-based games, Mozilla is aiming to bring this experience to mobile devices — but it’s stopping short of providing any details beyond that. The company notes that it’s currently working with major developers such as EA, ZeptoLab and Disney to bring optimizations to their existing titles. Mum’s the word on when 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand will get the chance to soak browsers everywhere, but you can catch a video preview of something slightly less spectacular just after the break.
Source: Mozilla
Mozilla is planning on jumpstarting development for its Firefox OS marketplace. It is hosting three app workshops in the next few months. The first app workshop will take place in Madrid, Spain on April 20th. The second will take place in Bogota, Colombia on May 18th, and the final workshop will take place in Warsaw, Poland on June 1st. There will be more workshops announced at a later date.
Mozilla is looking for app developers who are experienced in developing with HTML5 and JavaScript. While applying for the event, you will need to show some references to your experience with building web apps. They are mainly seeking applicants who have successfully built apps on Chrome, WebOS, or Blackberry WebWorks, or any “open web app” for mobile devices and PCs. They are also looking for developers who are able to develop apps in Spanish, Polish, or Portuguese.
Mozilla will provide the food and drinks at these workshops, as well as some Firefox goodies. Developers will also be able to get their hands on Mozilla’s Firefox OS Developer Preview phones. There will also be Firefox OS developers there to help you along the way. At these workshops, you are able to develop a new app for the Firefox OS, or port any of your existing apps to the mobile operating system.
The Firefox OS devices are set to launch this summer to over 18 operators all around the world. Several phone manufacturers, including LG, ZTE, Huawei, Sony, and Alcatel, are already in support for the upcoming operating system. Mozilla already has a good selection of popular apps available for the OS, including Facebook, Twitter, Pulse News, and more. With these workshops, it hopes to be able to launch with a decent selection of apps in order to appeal to the masses.
[via Mozilla]
Mozilla announces Firefox OS app workshops is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Today, Firefox‘s Nightly channel received a pick me up in the form of its asm.js optimizer known as OdinMonkey. Baked into June’s stable release of Firefox 22, this subset of Mozilla’s rendering engine lets developers compile C or C++ to JavaScript by using Emscripten. This gives the code the potential to run within 2x its native performance. For those of you who’ve now gone cross-eyed, simply put this should give Firefox a hefty performance boost and open the door to more sophisticated browser-based games as well as faster web apps. For its inaugural offering, OdinMonkey is only available to Windows and Linux users, but the company says that OSX and ARM version are near completion.
Filed under: Internet, Software
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Luke Wagner (blog)
Viruses, trojans, and other malicious pieces of software are nothing new on OS X. While the mainstream consensus is that Apple‘s desktop platform is impervious to such malware, that’s actually not the case. In fact, a new piece of adware is making the rounds that injects advertisements into web browsers after installing a disguised plugin.
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]
New Mac trojan injects ads into web browsers using plugin is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Facebook is going rampant with its changes. It has brought on a new targeted ad interface for marketers, a new and improved timeline, support for hashtags, and now a new Chief Technology Officer. Mike Schroepfer, previously the Senior Vice President of Engineering, has become the new CTO of Facebook, replacing interim CTOs Cory Ondrejka and Mike Vernal. It’s still uncertain what Facebook will do with Ondrejka and Vernal.
Schroepfer was perviously the Vice President of Engineering for Mozilla, as well as the Chief Technology Officer of Sun Microsystems’ data center automation division. Facebook believes that with Schroepfer’s impressive experience and expertise, he will be able to improve upon many important aspects of the company’s main money makers. Schroepfer will be improving the company’s mobile division, as well as develop more ways to mine user data for better advertisements.
Along with promoting Schroepfer to CTO, Facebook has also announced that it will be supporting hashtags. These moves make it appear as though the top social network is trying to copy Twitter. Just a couple of days prior to Facebook’s promotion of Schroepfer, Twitter also promoted one of their own to CTO. Twitter’s CTO spot, which was vacant since 2011, was filled up by Adam Messinger, previously the Vice President of Application Development. And the hashtags feature, as well all know, was popularized by Twitter.
This could all be a coincidence, but it wouldn’t be too surprising if Facebook really is looking at other social networks to see how it can improve its own user experience. With Schroepfer working on improving Facebook’s data mining and mobile experience, Facebook’s support for hashtags, and all of the other changes the company has planned in the past few weeks, Facebook is hoping to dramatically increase its advertising revenue.
[via Wired]
Facebook promotes ex-Mozilla engineer to CTO is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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