Mar 08

Chrome gets a performance boost, simplified settings interface

Posted in: Chrome, Google, Today's Chili, video, web browser, WebBrowser
It was just a month ago that Google brought Chrome up to version 9 with various performance upgrades and other improvements, but it’s now already back with version 10, which is fresh out of beta today. That boasts yet more upgrades in speed — include a 66 percent improvement in JavaScript performance on the V8 benchmark suite — along with a completely revamped settings interface that replaces the usual window with a tab in the browser. You can also now synchronize your saved passwords across different computers, and Google has extended its sandboxing technology to the integrated Flash player in Chrome, which promises to better guard against malicious websites. As usual, Google has also explained all of the improvements in some handy videos — check those out after the break.

Continue reading Chrome gets a performance boost, simplified settings interface

Chrome gets a performance boost, simplified settings interface originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGoogle Chrome Blog  | Email this | Comments

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Mar 04

Microsoft kicks off effort to rid the world of Internet Explorer 6

Posted in: Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Today's Chili, web browser, WebBrowser
“Friends don’t let friends use Internet Explorer 6.” A quote from any random web developer over the past ten years? Nope, that’s from Microsoft itself, and it’s featured on the Internet Explorer 6 Countdown site that the company just launched today. As you can see above, the site also includes statistics on IE6 use around the world (China is apparently the biggest offender by a wide margin), as well as information about how you can “join the cause” and educate others about the perils of using such a horrible, outdated web browser.

Microsoft kicks off effort to rid the world of Internet Explorer 6 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink ZDNet  |  sourceIE6 Countdown  | Email this | Comments

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Feb 14

Google rolls out Chrome extension that lets you block sites from search results

Posted in: Chrome, Google, search, Today's Chili, web browser, WebBrowser

Tired of waiting for Google and its algorithms to filter content farms and other shady sites out of your search results? Then you can now finally take things into your own hands thanks to an “experimental” extension that Google has just made available for its Chrome web browser. That works about as straightforwardly as you’d expect — once installed, you’ll simply see a link to block a site along with each search result, and you’ll also be able to unblock sites at any time if you go a bit overboard. What’s most interesting, however, is that Google says it’s going to study the feedback it gets from extension and that it will consider using it as a potential ranking signal for its search results.

Google rolls out Chrome extension that lets you block sites from search results originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 21:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceOfficial Google Blog  | Email this | Comments

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Feb 12

iPad gets the Opera Mini treatment, we wonder what took so long

Posted in: Apple, ipad, mwc, mwc 2011, Mwc2011, Opera, slate, tablet, Today's Chili, web browser, WebBrowser

Opera’s been working its Norwegian charms on the iPhone since last Spring, and it’s been flirting with tablets since CES, but up until now the browsers yet to put the moves on the iPad. Considering how much it gets around, we’re surprised it didn’t happen sooner, but Opera announced yesterday that it would show off a new version of Opera Mini on a number of platforms at MWC this year, including Android, iPhone, J2ME, BlackBerry, Symbian, and yes — the iPad. There’s no word on what the iPad version will bring — or when, for that matter — but we’re guessing it will probably sport the same smooth zoom and multiple-page grid we saw previewed on Opera for tablets. For more on the world’s most promiscuous browser, check out the full PR after the jump.

Continue reading iPad gets the Opera Mini treatment, we wonder what took so long

iPad gets the Opera Mini treatment, we wonder what took so long originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 10:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Reuters  |  sourceOpera  | Email this | Comments

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Feb 10

Internet Explorer 9 RC now available to download, tracking protection in tow (update)

Posted in: download, free, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, now available, NowAvailable, privacy, Today's Chili, web, web browser, WebBrowser

The Internet Explorer 9 beta pleasantly surprised us with Microsoft’s renewed competitiveness in the web browser wars, and the pinnable, hardware-accelerated experience is getting even better today — you can download the IE9 release candidate right now, which streamlines and beautifies the tabbed browsing layout considerably, adds those previously promised, fully customizable tracking protection lists for privacy and freely toggled ActiveX filters, as well as an updated Javascript engine, geolocation support via HTML5, the ability to pin web apps to the taskbar, and a host of assorted speed and functionality improvements. Find the files you need at our source link below, and let us know if the Beauty of the Web captivates you this time around.

Update: We spoke to Microsoft IE9 privacy guru Andy Ziegler, and learned to our dismay that tracking protection lists won’t actually be included in the browser per se; rather, the company’s created a feature where you can generate your own lists or download ready-made one from providers like TRUSTe. The thing is, IE9 won’t suggest one for you, or even curate a group of them when you install — you’ll need to put on your power user hat and do the legwork there yourself.

Internet Explorer 9 RC now available to download, tracking protection in tow (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Download Squad  |  sourceMicrosoft  | Email this | Comments

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Feb 02

Microsoft releases H.264 plug-in for Google Chrome, vows to support WebM video in IE9

Posted in: Chrome, Google, Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Software, Today's Chili, web, web browser, WebBrowser, Windows

Hard to believe that the infamous “fragmentation” term is now being bandied about in the web browser world, but sure enough, it’s Microsoft using the term today to describe the brave new realm we’re living in. If you’ll recall, Google defended its decision to not include H.264 support natively in Chrome, but maintained that WebM plug-ins were coming to Safari and Internet Explorer 9. Today, Microsoft’s kinda-sorta returning the favor. Following the outfit’s release of a Firefox add-on to bring full H.264 support to Windows machines, the outfit is releasing a plug-in for Chrome (only the Windows version for now) that provides support for H.264. Furthermore, it’s committed to supporting third-party WebM video plug-ins; to quote, users “will be able to play WebM video in IE9.” It’s fairly obvious that Microsoft’s taking this golden opportunity to push its browser as one that supports everything (rather than just its own preferred format), but regardless of the motives, we’re just happy to see differences put aside and compatibility finding priority.

Microsoft releases H.264 plug-in for Google Chrome, vows to support WebM video in IE9 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Slashgear  |  sourceMSDN  | Email this | Comments

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Jan 20

Opera browser headed to Sony TVs and Blu-ray players

Posted in: GoogleTv, Opera, sdk, sony, Today's Chili, video, web browser, WebBrowser

Opera has officially announced its much-loved web browser will be appearing on Sony TVs and Blu-ray players. There’s no specific details, but it given its low-key presence at CES a few weeks ago (Sony Insider grabbed a video of it in action on the show floor — embedded after the break — unfortunately hampered by slow connection speeds) it will spread at least across the company’s 22 new connected HDTVs. Since the browser is based off of the Opera devices SDK backbone, it’s also not a stretch to imagine that Opera-enabled web applications, widgets, or other content using standards like HTML5 (no Flash, at least not yet) could piggy back onto Sony gear at some point. The real elephant in the room though is how this move relates to the Japanese tech giant’s Internet TV initiative that’s powered by Google TV. While we can’t imagine it signals Mountain View’s solution is destined for a dumping, between this and a similar move by Samsung including a browser in its own Smart TV platform, a little bit of jealousy could be just the kick Google needs to fix some glaring issues — which we’re all for, especially if it spawns a new round of potato based cajoling.

Continue reading Opera browser headed to Sony TVs and Blu-ray players

Opera browser headed to Sony TVs and Blu-ray players originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Review Horizon  |  sourceOpera  | Email this | Comments

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Jan 03

Chrome closes out the year with ten percent browser share, gains at expense of IE

Posted in: Chrome, Google, Internet Explorer, market share, marketshare, Opera, Today's Chili, web browser, WebBrowser
It may not exactly look like a huge shift in the chart above, but 2010 did represent something of a milestone year for Google’s Chrome web browser. It started out 2010 with a market share of just over five percent, and managed to double that over the course of the year to close things out at a nice, even ten percent, according to stats from Net Applications. Those gains, as you might expect, came largely at the expense of Internet Explorer, which is continuing its slow, slow decline, but still hangs onto a commanding 57 percent market share. As for the rest of the major players, both Firefox and Opera slipped ever so slightly over the course of the year, while Apple’s Safari gained just over one percent to end the year at 5.9 percent.

Chrome closes out the year with ten percent browser share, gains at expense of IE originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 19:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink CNET  |  sourceNet Applications  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 29

SurfCube gives Windows Phone 7 the 3D browser it needed so desperately

Posted in: app, Today's Chili, video, web browser, WebBrowser, windows phone, windows phone 7, WindowsPhone, WindowsPhone7

If there’s one thing the 90s taught us, it’s that these silly 2D interfaces are only a passing fancy, and soon everything will be VRML-based mirror worlds of our physical space. SurfCube is a small, tentative step in that direction, turning the browser into a fake 3D experience of sorts, with favorites on “top,” and history and settings on the “sides,” while the front face of the cube is, naturally, the browser part. You can get around with swipes and flashy tilt gestures, and for $1.99 on the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace it’s hard to go wrong. Just remember our VRML warning, and start investing in MicroVideoGoggles Inc. stock with your carphone once you get home from the record store.

SurfCube gives Windows Phone 7 the 3D browser it needed so desperately originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceWMPoweruser.com  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 22

Chrome for a Cause results tabulated: good will all around (but mostly for vaccinations)

Posted in: Chrome, tab, Today's Chili, web browser, WebBrowser

Did you join in Chrome for a Cause? The $1 million tab-heavy campaign has come and gone (with a 250 tab per day maximum, much to our click-frenzied dismay), and Google’s tallied up the final scores. Of the nearly 60.6 million tabs “donated”, 16.2m went for vaccinations, 14.8m tabs for trees, 14.1m for water… 8.6m for books and 6.8m for shelter. Bit of an interesting disparity, there. Were those two not as well presented in the contribution menu? Did the return (0.4 square feet per day at most) not seem as great as the number of trees you could plant? Google eBooks? It’s all still a good chunk of change for each of the five partnering charities. Full breakdown at the Chrome blog — and don’t deactivate that extension if you want to maximize your Reddit addiction for the next charitable go-around.

Chrome for a Cause results tabulated: good will all around (but mostly for vaccinations) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGoogle Chrome blog  | Email this | Comments

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