Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Firefox is going to beat Microsoft's IE9 at its own game]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/25/firefox-is-going-to-beat-microsofts-ie9-at-its-own-game/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/25/firefox-is-going-to-beat-microsofts-ie9-at-its-own-game/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/25/firefox-is-going-to-beat-microsofts-ie9-at-its-own-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Credit to Bas Schouten. Grabbed from the CNET article in the via.
Hot on the heels of the announcement that IE9 would use Direct2D to improve its rendering performance, Firefox have stated their intent to do the same -- and sooner! In a a tweet, Chris Blizzard, an employee of Mozilla, said that Firefox would include Direct2D support -- and he bet it would be shipped sooner than IE9!

Direct2D is a technology included in Microsoft's DirectX multimedia tools. Usually you would only experience the power of DirectX in playing games, but it seems we're finally going to see extensive use of DirectX in office and home use -- the next few months and years will see significant speed-ups to your general computer use and Internet browsing.

Whether this is simply a reaction to the announcement of IE9, or if Firefox had been intending to include D2D support all along, I guess we'll never know. One thing's for certain though, the fast-moving nature of Firefox and Chrome development has played a large part in nibbling away at Internet Explorer's market share.

[via CNET]

Firefox is going to beat Microsoft's IE9 at its own game originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserd2ddirectxfirefoxie9microsoftmozillarenderingWed, 25 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Locationbar² adds breadcrumbs, domain emphasis to your Firefox address bar]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/24/locationbar-adds-breadcrumbs-domain-emphasis-to-your-firefox-a/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/24/locationbar-adds-breadcrumbs-domain-emphasis-to-your-firefox-a/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/24/locationbar-adds-breadcrumbs-domain-emphasis-to-your-firefox-a/#commentsFiled under: ,

Firefox's Awesome Bar is definitely a more powerful tool than it used to be. It's still got room for improvement and tweaking, though - and fortunately there are plenty of nifty add-ons available to do just that.

One worth checking out is Locationbar&sup2;. You can see one of the add-on's features in my screenshot. Hold down your control, shift, or alt key and directories in the URL become clickable. While it's not useful everywhere, it does come in handy when browsing many download and shopping sites (especially those with poorly-designed navigation).

Locationbar&sup2; also adds emphasis to the current domain name. It's a good way to make sure you're not being spoofed by a deceptive link - to a fake Facebook or Hotmail login page, for example.

Head to the options screen to customize the color used and set the text to bold if you choose. While there, you can also optionally hide protocol prefixes (like http://. https://, ftp://. and file://), tweak the linkification settings, and more.

Locationbar² adds breadcrumbs, domain emphasis to your Firefox address bar originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-onsaddress barAddressBarawesome barAwesomeBarbreadcrumbsdomainfacebookfirefoxhotmailnavigationprotocolTue, 24 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Is Firefox causing laptops to overheat through CPU overuse?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/24/is-firefox-causing-laptops-to-overheat-through-cpu-overuse/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/24/is-firefox-causing-laptops-to-overheat-through-cpu-overuse/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/24/is-firefox-causing-laptops-to-overheat-through-cpu-overuse/#commentsFiled under: ,

Those of you that are fortunate enough to primarily surf the web on a desktop machine, you probably won't notice just how much of a resource hog web browsers can be. But if you use a laptop -- or any kind of portable really -- you have probably experienced the full 100%-CPU-ow-ow-my-thighs-are-burning-and-my-fingertips-are-sweating experience. It turns out that the issue is so pronounced in some cases -- generally ultra-lights/netbooks with less heat dissipation -- that laptops are overheating and shutting down!

For whatever reason, web browsers and portable computers just don't go well together. Whether it's the constant hard-disk swapping or the heavy use of Flash, something causes laptop CPU usage to spike -- a lot.

Fortunately, there's a neat support page on the Mozilla site that details a few ways to reduce CPU usage, if you're one of the few that has an overheating laptop.

Over on CNET they're suggesting that Firefox suffers more than other browsers. Whether that's true or not might be anecdotal, but a support bod at Mozilla did say that 'Safari is possibly better at optmizing Flash-based sites compared to Firefox.'

And I'll pipe in and say that I get CPU spikes using every browser on my laptop. But I'd love to know if Firefox actually munches up more resources than other browsers, or if it's simply a matter of configuring your browser correctly. Perhaps we can expect to see a 'performance version' of Firefox that looks uncomfortably like Safari...?

Is Firefox causing laptops to overheat through CPU overuse? originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>laptopnetbookoverheatingportableTue, 24 Nov 2009 03:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Chrome Extensions gallery taking shape, landing page now invites devs]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/chrome-extensions-gallery-taking-shape-landing-page-now-invites/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/chrome-extensions-gallery-taking-shape-landing-page-now-invites/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/chrome-extensions-gallery-taking-shape-landing-page-now-invites/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you're trying to get an extension gallery for your web browser off the ground, it's important reach out to developers. After all, they're the ones who will be creating the snazzy addons you plan to showcase.

So it's not surprising to see the change which took place in the Chromium nightly build recently. When you visit your extensions page and click the link to browse the gallery, you won't see the "coming soon" puzzle piece anymore.

Instead, you'll be asked to sign in with your Google account and then whisked over to the developer dashboard. Google offers the following explanation to clarify what you're looking at:
The Google Chrome Extensions gallery is currently in limited beta release to allow developers to upload their extensions. If you are a developer, you can upload your extension here. If you are looking to find and install extensions, please check back here soon!
Are you a developer? If so, the add button will allow you to upload your project. The developer agreement offers a few words about the gallery itself:
The Gallery is a publicly available site on which Developers can publish Products for distribution and use in connection with Google Chrome. In order to publish Products on the Gallery, you must acquire and maintain a valid Google account.
Most of the agreement is pretty standard redistribution/liability/takedown-related policy, though it does reveal that Chrome users will be allowed to rate extensions on the Gallery site. I think we expected that, since you can do it on the Firefox add-ons site.

The full gallery policies are available on this page in case you plan on submitting an extension.

It's apparent that the push is on - it's just a matter of time before the Chrome Extensions Gallery opens its doors to the public.

Chrome Extensions gallery taking shape, landing page now invites devs originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chromiumextensions galleryExtensionsGallerygoogle chromeGoogleChromeMon, 23 Nov 2009 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Opera 10.10 with Unite and Turbo now available]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/opera-10-10-with-unite-and-turbo-now-available/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/opera-10-10-with-unite-and-turbo-now-available/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/opera-10-10-with-unite-and-turbo-now-available/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Opera have released version 10 of their browser, now with Opera Unite and Opera Turbo included.

Opera Unite gives your web browser the ability to deliver content as well as consume it. The standard download includes a number of Unite applications, with more available for download from the application directory. The bundled applications include a file sharing server that allows you to make files available to the world (as well as allowing the world to upload content to your machine), a virtual fridge door for you to share notes with friends and family (pictured), a media player that allows you to play content from your Unite equipped machine remotely, an instant messaging server, a photo sharing application and a web server for serving your own web content.

The inclusion of Opera Turbo in the new browser marks the migration to the desktop of a technology that has long been a key feature of Opera's Mini product. Opera Turbo speeds up your browsing session by compressing content at Opera proxy servers before delivering it to your machine - particularly useful for those on low bandwidth connections.

Opera 10.10 is available free from www.opera.com for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

We're intrigued to hear what you, our lovely readers, think about Opera's advancements. They have an excellent, solid browser base and some truly unique additional features... are you tempted to make the switch?

Opera 10.10 with Unite and Turbo now available originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10linuxmacOperaTurboUniteupdatewindowsMon, 23 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefox Army clashes with IE in Central Europe, wins browser share crown]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/firefox-army-clashes-with-ie-in-central-europe-wins-browser-sha/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/firefox-army-clashes-with-ie-in-central-europe-wins-browser-sha/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/firefox-army-clashes-with-ie-in-central-europe-wins-browser-sha/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Firefox army is hundreds of millions of soldiers strong. After successfully taking the southernmost continent on the globe, the Mozilla Militia continues to run full speed ahead across Europe. Today's battlefront: the central region.

As you can see in the header image, Firefox and IE recently crossed paths. The chart shows data gathered from nine countries - Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine - from January 1, 2007 to the present. Internet Explorer continues its downward slide, Firefox has now claimed almost 50% of the browser share in Central Europe.

So go ahead, EU, complain all you want about Microsoft unfairly using their influence to ensure everyone's PC is running IE. It's obviously not hurting Firefox (or Opera, for that matter).

Maybe users really are smart enough to find and install their own browser? Who'da thunk it.

[via Mozilla]

Firefox Army clashes with IE in Central Europe, wins browser share crown originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>firefoxmarket shareMarketShareweb browserWebBrowserFri, 20 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Proper web browsing on a console: Firefox coming to the Sony PS3?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/proper-web-browsing-on-a-console-firefox-coming-to-the-sony-ps3/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/proper-web-browsing-on-a-console-firefox-coming-to-the-sony-ps3/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/20/proper-web-browsing-on-a-console-firefox-coming-to-the-sony-ps3/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Firefox/PS3 mash-up. Stolen from CNET, who stole it from Gizmodo.It seems the age of humdrum, crippled browsers on consoles might finally be coming to an end! Though the details are very slim, with the only source being an unnamed insider very close to Sony, it is exciting news indeed if it turns out to true.

Games consoles have always had feeble browser offerings, with PS3's default browser generally considered one of the worst and most unreliable. Porting Firefox to the PS3 would make a lot of sense, especially if Sony intend to inroads against the competing XBox Live service. Or perhaps they need a proper web browser for their newly-announced iTunes-killer...?

Obviously this is very much a rumour, but it would make a lot of sense -- and it will probably appear quite soon, considering how hard Sony are pushing for a larger slice of the console market at the moment.

I wonder if Flash and the ability to stream videos from sites like YouPo YouTube will be included....

[via CNET]

Proper web browsing on a console: Firefox coming to the Sony PS3? originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consolefirefoxps3sonyFri, 20 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[IE9 unveiled. Faster, more standards-compliant -- DirectX accelerated!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/ie9-unveiled-faster-more-standards-compliant-directx-accele/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/ie9-unveiled-faster-more-standards-compliant-directx-accele/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/ie9-unveiled-faster-more-standards-compliant-directx-accele/#commentsFiled under: , ,



It's only three weeks into its development, but Internet Explorer 9 has officially been unveiled today at the Professional Developers Conference (PDC). In fact, as I write this now, they're still talking about IE9 and other tech advances over on the Microsoft PDC09 website.

Their goals with IE9 seem pretty obvious from the graphs shown in their presentation: faster, more standards-compliant website rendering. If you look at the slide above, lower is faster. And that's just three weeks into their development of a new browser and web rendering engine!

They're also including 'hardware accelerated' rendering using your graphics card using the DirectX D2D technology. Whether you're trying to perform funky stuff with CSS3, Javascript or DHTML, IE9 should render things a lot faster.

There's a big video (that requires Silverlight!) after the break. It explains and impressively-demonstrates the new DirectX D2D speed-up.

[via GeekSmack]

Continue reading IE9 unveiled. Faster, more standards-compliant -- DirectX accelerated!

IE9 unveiled. Faster, more standards-compliant -- DirectX accelerated! originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserdirectxie9internet explorerInternetExplorerWed, 18 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows 7 taskbar previews to be disabled by default in Firefox 3.6]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/windows-7-taskbar-previews-to-be-disabled-by-default-in-firefox/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/windows-7-taskbar-previews-to-be-disabled-by-default-in-firefox/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/windows-7-taskbar-previews-to-be-disabled-by-default-in-firefox/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Those of you running Firefox on Windows 7 who were excited when taskbar previews landed, get ready for a little disappointment. It looks as though getting Aero features ready in time for the release of Firefox 3.6 is no longer part of the game plan.

It was already known that jump list support won't be arriving until later on. After a lengthy discussion on Bugzilla, the decision was made to disable Firefox 3.6's other Windows 7 integration feature.

The code is still there in 3.6b3pre, so you can still enable thumbnail previews in your about:config. The general feeling is that too many users were still seeing the spinning up circles and not actual thumbnails.

The general perception is that Windows 7 enthusiasts would be OK with simply flipping the switch themselves.

Ultimately, this move is about Firefox devs addressing more critical issues now so that 3.6 can be released. They'll have plenty of time to perfect the feature in future minor updates to 3.6. For now, the priority needs to be on getting 3.6 final out the door.

Windows 7 taskbar previews to be disabled by default in Firefox 3.6 originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aerofirefoxtasbkar thumbnailsTasbkarThumbnailswindows 7Windows7Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chrome Extensions gallery draws nearer, coming tomorrow?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/chrome-extensions-gallery-draws-nearer-coming-tomorrow/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/chrome-extensions-gallery-draws-nearer-coming-tomorrow/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/chrome-extensions-gallery-draws-nearer-coming-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's no secret that Google is hosting a highly-anticipated Chrome OS preview event tomorrow. You're probably also well aware of the fact that an official, Google-powered Chrome extensions gallery is in the works. This morning, a small but noteworthy change took place at https://chrome.google.com/extensions.

What used to be a redirect go the good ol' index at google.com (or your regional version) has now been replaced with a "coming soon..." tease and puzzle piece image which matches the one added to Chromium's new tab page on Sunday.

Coming soon, eh? Why not announce it at the big event on Thursday?

While news of the official extension gallery opening would no doubt be dwarfed by anything remotely Chrome OS-related tomorrow, it certainly seems like a good time to open the doors. It would help build more buzz for the browser and keep Google fans charged for the upcoming preview release of Chrome OS.

Not that they need help on that front. Chrome OS has somehow already built a rabid fanbase and no one who isn't involved has even seen it yet.

Chrome Extensions gallery draws nearer, coming tomorrow? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chrome osChromeOsextensionsgoogle chromeGoogleChromeWed, 18 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Opera 10 Beta for Windows Mobile released]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/opera-10-beta-for-windows-mobile-released/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/opera-10-beta-for-windows-mobile-released/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/opera-10-beta-for-windows-mobile-released/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Over the past few years, Opera Mobile has become the browser of choice for the majority of Windows Mobile users. Shipped as the default browser on many devices and available as download for others, Opera Mobile addresses the many failings of the preinstalled IE browser with better performance, variable zoom and text reflowing as well as a polished and intuitive UI.

Pushing the mobile browser closer to a desktop grade experience is the promise of Opera's latest release, Opera 10 Beta for Windows Mobile.

The Opera Mobile 10 Beta overhauls the look and feel of it's predecessors and is similar in design to the Opera 10 desktop browser as well as the Java based Opera Mini 5 beta. The UI overhaul brings Opera's offering across all of it's platforms in line, as well as providing a great range of features from the desktop platform including Speed Dial, tabbed browsing, a password manager and Opera's server side compression technology, 'Opera Turbo'.

I've had a try of the new browser and it does indeed feel more consistent in style with Opera's Java based offering, no bad thing as Opera Mini has always made excellent use of the available screen real estate. Performance seems great and the UI seems intuitive. Some features found in previous releases don't seem to have made it into version 10 yet - we spotted a lack of device rotate support and no support for multitouch zoom on the HTC HD2, but Opera does look set to maintain it's class leading position on the Windows Mobile platform.

The Opera Mobile 10 Beta is available for free download now from the Opera website.

Continue reading Opera 10 Beta for Windows Mobile released

Opera 10 Beta for Windows Mobile released originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BrowserOperaOpera MobileOperaMobileWindows MobileWindowsMobileWed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mozilla's Weave browser sync add-on for Firefox hits beta]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/16/mozillas-weave-browser-sync-add-on-for-firefox-hits-beta/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/16/mozillas-weave-browser-sync-add-on-for-firefox-hits-beta/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/16/mozillas-weave-browser-sync-add-on-for-firefox-hits-beta/#commentsFiled under: , ,


I've been using Mozilla Weave to keep my Firefox profiles synched across different machines and platforms for quite some time. Today, Mozilla Labs has announced that the add-on is finally ready for official beta testing.

Version 1.0b1 is out now and available for installation. Version 0.8 is still listed in the Firefox add-ons directory, but it should install the newest release. If you're already running Weave, just head to your Firefox add-ons and check for updates.

What's new in the latest version? More speed, a simplified interface, and smarter syncing in the background. Weave's settings screen is nicely integrated into the Firefox options menu, so there's every chance we'll see it integrated in a future version of Firefox - like its Labs cousin Personas.

Mozilla's Weave browser sync add-on for Firefox hits beta originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-onsaddonsextensionsfirefoxmozillasyncsynchronizeweaveMon, 16 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Google preparing to launch Chrome Extensions gallery?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/15/google-preparing-to-launch-chrome-extensions-gallery/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/15/google-preparing-to-launch-chrome-extensions-gallery/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/15/google-preparing-to-launch-chrome-extensions-gallery/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A few months back, the new tab page in Chrome tipped us off to the impending launch of Google's theme gallery. Tonight, there's a new change that could very well mean that Google is getting ready to open the doors to a similar gallery - for Chrome extensions.


Up until now, the corner of the page featured a small graphic which linked to the Themes Gallery. Today, that image was replaced with the puzzle pieces you see above which links to https://chrome.google.com/extensions. Don't get too excited, though. As with the themes gallery thumbnail in July, the link doesn't go where it's supposed to yet. You'll be redirected to Google's search page.

According to a recent posting on Google Groups by Chrome team member Neil Baum, extensions are set to hit Chrome's beta channel in early December. The plan may well be to launch both the updated beta and extension gallery at the same time.

With extensions one step closer to landing on the stable version, it will be important to provide a centralized location where willing testers can find and install them.

While you wait for the doors to open, you can always check out our list of 15+ great Chrome extensions and Chromeextensions.org's massive collection.

Google preparing to launch Chrome Extensions gallery? originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google chromeGoogleChromeSun, 15 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chromium bookmark sync now cross-platform, lands on Linux]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/15/chromium-bookmark-sync-now-cross-platform-lands-on-linux/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/15/chromium-bookmark-sync-now-cross-platform-lands-on-linux/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/15/chromium-bookmark-sync-now-cross-platform-lands-on-linux/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Jay posted yesterday about the arrival of bookmark sync on Chromium for Mac, and it appears as though Linux users have been invited to the dance as well.

After finishing the updates on my Ubuntu 9.10 dual-boot, I gave the --enable-sync command line switch a go on my 64-bit Chromium install. Sure enough, sync is now working on Linux. Head to the wrench menu and press "Synchronize my bookmarks," enter your credentials, and within a few seconds your bookmarks appear.

The change is certainly making my work day a heck of a lot easier. With the LastPass extension already handling my logins and passwords and Chromium now providing cross-platform access to my bookmarks, jumping back and forth between Linux and Windows is a much smoother process.

Chromium (and Chrome) on Linux is shaping up rather nicely. I'm in agreement with the devs on this thread - it feels speedier than its Windows counterpart. With about 80% of my computing time spent in a web browser, Linux is becoming a more compelling option for me - thanks to the Chromium project.

Chromium bookmark sync now cross-platform, lands on Linux originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookmark syncBookmarkSyncchromiumgoogle chromeGoogleChromeSun, 15 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bookmark sync arrives on Chromium for Mac - here's how to make it work]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/13/bookmark-sync-lands-on-chromium-for-mac-heres-how-to-make-it/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/13/bookmark-sync-lands-on-chromium-for-mac-heres-how-to-make-it/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/13/bookmark-sync-lands-on-chromium-for-mac-heres-how-to-make-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We've told you before about Google Chrome's slick new bookmark syncing feature, available in the Windows beta version of Chrome 4. It automatically keeps your bookmarks synced across multiple Chrome installations, using your Google Account. Well, this feature has landed in recent builds of Chromium for Mac (that's the open-source project Chrome is based on). To enable it, you'll first need to grab the latest version of Chromium.

Bookmark sync isn't on by default. To use it, you'll have to pop open your Terminal and do a little command-line magic. You'll want to right-click Chromium, show package contents, and then find Chromium inside the MacOS folder. Drag that to the Terminal, and then add the argument --enable-sync. Chromium should open, and you should see bookmarking syncing in your preferences.

Sign in with your Google account, and your bookmarks will be synced automatically to any other Chromium/Chrome browsers that you sign into. If you want to see where they're stored on the web, check a slightly strange location: a Chrome folder in your Google Docs account.

I know it seems like a lot of trouble to go through for bookmark syncing, but such is the peril of being on the bleeding edge of browser development. Bookmark syncing will very likely pop up officially in the Chrome Mac beta scheduled for early December.

Bookmark sync arrives on Chromium for Mac - here's how to make it work originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookmarksbrowserchromechromiumgooglesyncFri, 13 Nov 2009 21:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Chrome for Mac will hit beta by December]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/google-chrome-for-mac-might-be-ready-by-december/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/google-chrome-for-mac-might-be-ready-by-december/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/google-chrome-for-mac-might-be-ready-by-december/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

OS X browser geeks, start salivating ... Reports from around the web are saying that Google's Chrome browser might get a finished Mac version in about month. Stephen Shankland at CNET has been vigilantly monitoring the Chrome development mailing lists, and some talk about Chrome's new extensions UI reveals that the Mac launch is scheduled for early December.

Chrome 4 for Windows is in Beta already, while Mac and Linux only recently got their first developer previews. Since the highest-profile new feature in the Chrome 4 Beta is browser actions (Chrome's equivalent of Firefox's add-ons), developers are getting their extensions ready for launch. Apparently, a product manager for Chrome posted a message advising developers to switch to the new browser actions system so they'd have more time to get their code in shape for a beta launch in "early December."

Google Chrome for Mac will hit beta by December originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabrowserchromegooglemacThu, 12 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Add URL tooltips to Firefox with a handy add-on]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/add-url-tooltips-to-firefox-with-a-handy-add-on/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/add-url-tooltips-to-firefox-with-a-handy-add-on/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/add-url-tooltips-to-firefox-with-a-handy-add-on/#commentsFiled under: ,

I'm not a big fan of status bars in browsers. Most of the time, they're just wasting 20 or so pixels of vertical display space.

That doesn't mean I want to miss out on the functions the status bar provides - like displaying the destination of links I hover over.

The URL Tooltip addon offers a simple remedy for that. Once installed, you'll see a tooltip balloon whenever you park your pointer on a link. And never mind the status bar - it's nice to see the link appear in the spot you're already looking at.

For those of you running a netbook, this is a great little add-on to make part of your add-on arsenal.

And no, I did not just buy a Maximus keyboard - just in case you were wondering...

[via Mozilla Links]

Add URL tooltips to Firefox with a handy add-on originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balloonhoverlinktooltipurlThu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kiosk mode added in Chromium nightly build]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/kiosk-mode-added-in-chromium-nightly-build/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/kiosk-mode-added-in-chromium-nightly-build/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/kiosk-mode-added-in-chromium-nightly-build/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Developers have a number of features they still want implemented in Google Chrome. In a recent nightly build of Chromium, one that I've seen requested numerous times on the official mailing lists has finally landed.

Kiosk mode has arrived in Chromium, though it's an awful lot like full screen mode. In fact, Mohamed Mansour says as much in his note on the source: "Kiosk mode will just hide the status bar and initially set it as full screen. "

You're left to your new tab page and bookmarks bar to navigate. As in full screen mode, control-L doesn't bring up an address bar, nor does hovering near the top edge of the browser. That's something I'd like to see addressed in future builds.

If you've been waiting to see what kiosk mode in Chrome would look like, grab a current build from the Chromium server and append the --kiosk command line switch.

Kiosk mode added in Chromium nightly build originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chromiumgoogle chromeGoogleChromekiosk modeKioskModeThu, 12 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mozilla launches Jetpack Gallery, restart-free pseudo add-ons now available]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/mozilla-launches-jetpack-gallery-restart-free-pseudo-add-ons-no/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/mozilla-launches-jetpack-gallery-restart-free-pseudo-add-ons-no/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/mozilla-launches-jetpack-gallery-restart-free-pseudo-add-ons-no/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Jetpack is certainly an interesting project, and the fact that it brings no-restart add-on-like functionality to Firefox is awesome.

Today, Mozilla announced the launch of the Jetpack Gallery. It is to jetpacks what the Firefox add-ons site is to traditional add-ons. Up until now, Jetpack users had pretty limited options for finding packs - a single page of descriptions and links maintained by Mozilla and a community-powered assortment at Userscripts.org.

At the Jetpack Gallery, you can search for jetpacks and browse by tag. The assortment is still quite limited, though submissions will likely begin flowing in now that the doors have officially opened.

Continue reading Mozilla launches Jetpack Gallery, restart-free pseudo add-ons now available

Mozilla launches Jetpack Gallery, restart-free pseudo add-ons now available originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>firefoxjetpack galleryJetpackGallerymozilla labsMozillaLabsThu, 12 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Chrome OS browser saddles up and mounts your drives]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/chrome-os-browser-saddles-up-and-mounts-your-drives/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/chrome-os-browser-saddles-up-and-mounts-your-drives/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/chrome-os-browser-saddles-up-and-mounts-your-drives/#commentsFiled under: ,

Not only does Google's Chrome browser allow for file navigation (type 'C:\' into Chrome!), it makes sense that the browser in Chrome OS will act as a system navigation tool, much like Windows Explorer or 'My Computer'.

Recent changes to the code base reveal a 'mount library' that monitors newly-inserted devices such as USB memory sticks -- something an operating system usually does -- not the kind of thing a browser would usually worry about. We suspect that when you open a new tab in Chrome you'll have the option of a 'My Computer' view that will update in real time as you plug in new devices or insert CDs. Or perhaps when you insert a USB device an Explorer-like new tab page will simply pop into existence.

Currently the changes only appear in the Chrome OS branch of the source code, but it doesn't take a wild stretch of the imagination to believe that Google has larger, all-encompassing plans for the Mac and Windows platforms. This might just be the next step for the Google Desktop.

Watch out...Google is coming.

Chrome OS browser saddles up and mounts your drives originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chromechrome osChromeOssource codeSourceCodeThu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST