The Download Blog - CNET

More hardware acceleration in Chrome beta, dev gets latest JS

Seth Rosenblatt — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:42:55 PST

The newly-minted Chrome 18 beta expands the scope of hardware acceleration in the browser to older computers, but it's still not available to all. Meanwhile, Chrome 19 dev goes bleeding edge with JavaScript.

Released today, Google Chrome 18 beta for Windows, Mac, and Chrome Frame improves 2D Canvas support and introduces a software rasterizer. The new features are not yet available on Chrome 18 beta for Linux.

Basically, this means that games and animations based in the HTML5 Canvas tag ought to run faster and appear smoother. Google noted in its blog post announcing the changes that this was hard for them to implement because of the "numerous hardware and operating system configurations" that people use.

It's complicated enough that to display 3D content on older computers or those running Windows XP, Google went out and licensed a software rasterizer called ... [Read more]

Firefox finally enriches New Tab page

Seth Rosenblatt — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:07:39 PST

Better late than never, Firefox finally gets a personalized New Tab page.

(Credit: Mozilla)

Chrome's got it. Internet Explorer's got it. Safari's got it. And Opera was the first to debut it. Finally, and currently available in the developer's Aurora build, Firefox users will be able to get a personalized New Tab experience.

Much like the competition, Firefox's version bases the sites shown to you in the New Tab page by the most commonly visited sites in your location bar. Previously, Firefox could only show a visual representation of favorite or recently visited sites in a New Tab through third-party add-ons.

You must be running Firefox 12 Aurora (download for Windows | Mac | Linux) to test out the new New Tab page. Mozilla plans to turn it off on February 16 for testing purposes, but it won't be hard to use beyond that. You can simply type "about:config" into the location bar, and set the browser.newtab.url to "about:newtab" and browser.newtabpage.enabled to "true".

Realizing that the feature is still in development, it's nevertheless a fair b... [Read more]

New tool cracks Apple iWork passwords

Topher Kessler — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:14:30 PST

Apple offers a number of options for securing your data on a Mac, including enabling FileVault for whole disk encryption in Lion (or home folder encryption in prior versions of OS X), and encrypted disk images for securing collections of documents.

In addition, as with other software developers, Apple has included options to secure individual documents for some of its programs, such as those in its iWork productivity suite.

To do this in iWork, create or open a document in Pages, Numbers, or Keynote, and then open the inspector window by clicking its icon in the toolbar or by pressing Option-Command-I. Then select the "Document" section in the inspector and check the option to require a password to view the document. After supplying a your password and confirming it, the document will now require you supply this password whenever it is opened.

You can use the iWork inspector panel to enable a password for the current document.

(Credit: Screenshot by Topher Kessler)

While Apple uses 128-bit AES encryption in its password-protected documents, unless you use a good password, then it is quite feasible that the password can be cracked. Recently, Russian forensics cryptology company ElcomSoft issued a press release claiming i... [Read more]

New 'Star Wars' app: These are the Droids you're looking for

Rick Broida — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:17:51 PST

Star Wars Pit Droids.

(Credit: Screenshot by Rick Broida)

At first blush, Star Wars Pit Droids might seem like a hasty attempt to cash in on the theatrical re-release of "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace."

Instead, it's merely the appropriately timed app version of a Windows game that debuted almost 13 years ago. And you know what? It's as terrific now as it was then.

The droids in Pit Droids are the saucer-headed ones you saw clanking around Tatooine before the Pod Race. Owing to some shoddy programming, all they can do is march single-file in one direction. Watto (remember him?) assigns you to deploy directional arrows to get the droids to their proper destination.

Simple premise, challenging execution. Each level consists of a tiled grid, and to earn the maximum number of stars, you have to create the shortest route from A to B, using the fewest number of tiles.

It's easygoing for the first couple levels, but before long you're having to direct different-color droids to different destinations using specialized arrows, all while avoiding obstacles and preventing collisions.

The... [Read more]

Advanced task managers on iOS

Jason Parker — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 PST

(Credit: CNET)

There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of to-do-list management apps in the iTunes App Store, but which one should you choose?

I found a couple of new task management apps recently that add something extra to the category. But using them made me realize that an old favorite of mine still stood up to the test of time and remains a great choice for lists and tasks.

It's no secret that many people like to use lists to get through daily projects, but when you have a task manager on your iPhone, you get handy additions like alerts, notifications, and editable tasks when your goals change. Whether you're just making a grocery list or planning a big business project, a good task management app can focus your efforts and keep you on point for success.

This week's iOS apps are all to-do-list managers that go the extra mile to simplify your projects. The first is an old favorite of mine that separates tasks into color-coded tabs and lets you store notes and ideas. The second turns your task list into a role-playing game with experience, leveling, and loot to reward your hard work. The third relies on simplicity and excellent design to make task management easy.

Color-coded categories make it easy to get the lists you want immediately.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)

... [Read more]

Stop applications from updating automatically in Windows

Nicole Cozma — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:04:40 PST

Make no mistake, software updates are important.

Updates can occur for many reasons: new features being added, fixing bugs, or, most importantly, patching security flaws.

Sometimes it's irritating getting notified of updates to programs when you're working or playing a game, and it isn't uncommon for automatic updating to lack a disable button. If you find yourself annoyed with update notifications that you can't disable, there's a way to get around that.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 1: Open the Windows Start Menu and enter Task Scheduler in the search box. Run the Task Scheduler program from the list that appears.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 2: Expand the Task Scheduler Library list by clicking on the small triangle next to it.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 3: Select the program author from the list.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 4: In the middle pane, select the program that you want to stop from being scheduled.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Windows 7 (Professional) Step 5: Click on the Disable option from the list of options that appears in the right pane.

If you can't disable ... [Read more]

Unsubscribe from junk mail with PaperKarma

Jason Cipriani — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:27:04 PST

According to PaperKarma, the average U.S. household receives 850 pieces of junk mail each year. That's a ton of wasted paper.

PaperKarma, a multiplatform mobile app, allows you to snap a picture of the junk mail sitting on your counter, upload it, and never worry about receiving anything from that company again. It couldn't be easier.

You will need to create an account with PaperKarma, handing over some personal information such as a phone number and the address you're receiving junk mail at. After the initial setup, the process to submit a request is all of two steps.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)

Take a picture of the offending mail. You don't need to include any of your personal information in the picture, but make sure the company information is clearly visible.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)

Submit the picture to PaperKarma. From here, you will see the request as pending until you have successfully been unsubscribed.

After submitting a picture to PaperKarma, it will send an unsubscribe request to the company in the picture. Once the request has been processed, you will receive an alert on your device letting you know you have been unsubscribed.

The app is available for iOS, ... [Read more]

Schedule 'happy birthday' posts to Facebook friends

Nicole Cozma — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:23:49 PST

Nobody likes to be that person who forgets a friend's birthday.

Facebook is great for avoiding awkward moments like these, but sometimes having a notice on Facebook about a birthday isn't enough. After all, getting a daily reminder of your brother's birthday a week in advance might make you forget about it by the time his big day arrives; or you may not even log on to Facebook to see the reminder. Luckily for Android users, there's an app that can post a birthday message for your Facebook friends automatically. So if you forget, or just get busy and don't get to it, your friends won't feel forgotten. Here's how to set it up.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 1: Download Birthday Scheduler for Fb Lite from the Android Market.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 2: On the first run of the app, you will have to enter your Facebook credentials and allow the app access to your Friend List.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 3: For each friend you'd like to set up this service for, click the + symbol next to the name.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 4: Click on the pencil icon to open the customization options for that ... [Read more]

Apps Builder helps repackage Web sites as mobile apps

Stephen Shankland — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:07:23 PST

Apps Builder lets people create basic apps that will run on multiple mobile devices as well as on the Web.

(Credit: Apps Builder)

In the battle between native apps and Web sites, an Italian startup called Apps Builder wants to help those on the Web side defect to the enemy.

The company offers a subscription-based Web service that converts Web sites into mobile applications. Last month it added Windows Phone app support to its earlier options--iOS, Android, HTML-based Web apps, and Chrome Web apps. And it's seeing some significant usage of its service.

Specifically, the company just passed the milestone of 20,000 apps developed through Apps Builder, and those apps have been downloaded a million times from their various app stores, said Chief Financial Officer Alessandro Perrone.

The tool costs $19 per application per month for the basic service, $49 per application per month for the advanced service, or $799 per application per year for the professional service in which the company does the app migration itself.

There's also a free version that creates only a Web-app version of the app; it also includes a banner touting the company that's removed for the paid versions.

Five smart ways to handle multiple tabs in Chrome

Rob Lightner — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:27:30 PST

We've all gone one tab over the line and found ourselves lost or frustrated, unable to find that map or article that was so crucial. Tabbed browsing is great, but too many tabs can lead to desperate clicking. Chrome provides quite a few extensions that help manage large groups of tabs. Here are five of the best:

The aptly named TooManyTabs gives you quick access to your tabs through an icon in the top right which lets you know how many tabs you've got open. Click it to bring up a sortable list of tabs with previews of those you've visited since starting the extension. It's easy to find tabs, reopen closed tabs and even export tab sets for use on other machines.
TooManyTabs
(Credit: Rob Lightner)
Tab Menu is extremely simple, which makes it perfect for those who just want to find tabs with minimal fuss. Click on its icon in the upper right at any time to get a vertical list of open tabs in the current window. Select any one of them to switch to it. This is great for those times when you've got so many tabs open that you can't read their titles. ... [Read more]

W3C co-chair: Apple, Google power causing Open Web crisis

Stephen Shankland — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:40:52 PST

The dominance of Apple and Google mobile browsers is leading to a situation that's even worse for Web programming than the former dominance of Internet Explorer, a standards group leader warned today.

Daniel Glazman, co-chairman of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) group overseeing the formatting and effects standard called Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), said that programmers are overlooking other browsers when they use newer CSS features--even when those other browsers support the features.

The result is that those other browsers--Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera, chiefly--might have to essentially masquerade themselves as other browsers. When that happens, the "Open Web"--a programming foundation based on cooperatively created standards rather than proprietary features--is being thrown under the bus. And browser makers are showing they've forgotten the painful lessons they should have learned when Microsoft's Internet Explorer 6 ruled the Web.

The issue came to a head during a Monday meeting of the CSS Working Group. In it, representatives from Mozilla, Opera, and Microsoft indicated they're reconciled to the unpleasant option of embracing WebKit-labeled features, essentially masquerading as another browser.

A better Android app for hands-free text messaging

Rick Broida — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:03:23 PST

We all know texting while driving is a deadly combination, yet who can resist the siren song of that new-message ding? I'll admit it's tough not to steal a glance at the phone--and once you're glancing, you're reading.

Most owners of Android-powered smartphones know about Google Voice Actions, which, among other things, allows you to dictate text messages using just your voice.

However, there's still a bit of screen interaction required, as you have to find and tap the microphone to engage Voice Actions. And what about messages you receive? There's no hands-free help there.

Sonalight's Text by Voice offers hands-free text messaging--both sending and receiving.

(Credit: Sonalight)

Enter Text by Voice, an admirably effective app that makes texting a totally hands-free experience. With it you can send and listen to messages without so much as touching your phone. It's entirely voice-powered.

As the above demonstration video, er, demonstrates, Text by Voice requires zero interaction with your phone (save fo... [Read more]

Windows 8 will debut on ARM tablets at launch

Jay Greene — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:31:19 PST

Microsoft's Michael Angiulo (left) and Steven Sinofsky show off Windows 8 at the company's Build conference on September 13, 2011.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft plans to release a flavor of Windows 8, the next version of the flagship operating system, on ARM chips at the same time it releases one for the so-called x86 chips that power traditional PCs.

That was an open question ever since Microsoft previewed Windows 8 last September. And it's important because the ARM version of the new operating system will be the one that powers many of the tablets that Microsoft hopes will compete with Apple's industry-leading iPads.

In a blog post today, Windows President Steven Sinofsky said "our collective goal is for PC makers to ship (Windows on ARM devices) the same time" as more conventional Windows PCs debut.

Sinofsky did not disclose the target launch date, though most analysts expect the new operating ... [Read more]

Windows 8 bundled Metro apps revealed

Lance Whitney — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:45:48 PST

(Credit: Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET)

The next beta of Windows 8 will apparently give us a healthy dose of Metro apps, whether we want them or not.

Microsoft plans to release the Windows 8 Consumer Preview--basically, a pre-release version of the new OS available to anyone who wants to download it--on February 29. Microsoft is reportedly finalizing the Metro apps that will be bundled with the new OS. Citing "sources familiar with Microsoft's plans," the Verge revealed the current list as:

Calendar
Camera
Mail
Messaging
Music
People
Photos
SkyDrive
Video

These are just the apps known so far, so there could be more in store before the Preview reaches consumers.

Among them, Mail, Calendar, People, and Messaging will be the main communications apps, with one source telling the Verge that Microsoft is trying to add SMS support to the Messaging app. And as with all Metro apps, each one can be updated through the new Windows Store. Further, the Metro apps that pop up in the Consumer Preview may not necessa... [Read more]

Do Not Track Plus add-on stops the tracking paparazzi

Seth Rosenblatt — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 PST

Do Not Track Plus extends your privacy

If ad-blocking is the hacksaw of Internet-protecting add-ons, the overhauled add-on Do Not Track Plus bows today as a finely honed scalpel, excising tracking behaviors embedded in sites without destroying the modern Web.

Released exclusively through CNET Download.com, Do Not Track Plus 2.0.4 follows last year's beta release with a greatly expanded feature set, better performance, and is available on four of the five major browsers. You can download Do Not Track Plus for Firefox (Windows | Mac), Chrome (Windows | Mac), Internet Explorer (Windows only), and Safari (Windows | Mac).

The intent of the free add-on is as much to educate as it is to protect, explained Bi... [Read more]

Vonage dials up new mobile apps

Larry Dignan — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:41:25 PST

Vonage on Wednesday rolled out Vonage Mobile, new iPhone and Android apps, that allow for texts and calls while undercutting Skype rates.

(Credit: Vonage)

It remains to be seen whether Vonage can make much traction against Skype’s installed base. Vonage’s international calling rates are 30 percent less than Skype's.

But that’s only part of the story. The larger tale here goes well beyond a mobile app. Just a few years ago, Vonage was on financial death watch. The company has rebuilt a balance sheet that looked like it wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on. Mark Lefar, CEO of Vonage, talked last month about how the company refinanced its debt twice in the last 13 months, cut those liabilities in half and trimmed interest rates in the 20 percent range to less than 4 percent.

In other words, Vonage is poised to report positive earnings growth on Feb. 15. Today, Vonage is known for more than its quirky commercials. So what’s the strategy? Can Vonage really grow beyond its U.S. base?

The answers to those questions were outlined during Lefar’s talk a month ago. Here’s the short version of Vonage’s strategy.

Grow international. Fifty percent of Vonage cu... [Read more]

Google+ for Android now shows you what's hot

Jaymar Cabebe — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:01:51 PST

Google+ for Android got a major update today, boosting its performance and adding a couple of significant features designed to improve your social networking experience.

Overall, the app runs a lot faster, and scrolling through the Stream is easier, as posts are truncated so you can see more content per scroll. Also, the app no longer jumps to the top of the feed when it refreshes, making it less, well, annoying.

As for features, the app now lets you see who +1'd a post or comment. Previously you could only see the number of +1's, but now you can tap the number to bring up a window listing the users who +1'd.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jaymar Cabebe | CNET)

The other big addition is the What's Hot section of the Stream, located just a swipe away from your All Circles feed. What's Hot is similar to Twitter's Trending Topics, in that it shows you which posts on Google+ are attracting the most activity.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jaymar Cabebe | CNET)

The newly updated Google+ (download) is available now in the Android Market.

Chrome 17 tweaks speed, download security

Seth Rosenblatt — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:15:45 PST

Chrome 17 expands malware detection to some downloads.

(Credit: Google)

Safer downloads and a cautious expansion of site pre-caching land in Chrome 17 today, continuing Google's two-tiered approach to browser speed and user safety.

Google Chrome 17 stable for Windows (download), Mac (download), Linux (download), and Chrome Frame includes a number of new extension APIs and security fixes.

As revealed in the Chrome 17 beta version, Chrome's safe browsing technology will now scan downloads as well as Web sites. It looks for known malware files, and it analyzes installation files starting with Windows-based EXE and MSI. Google hasn't clarified if the scan will later include other Windows-based file types or installers from Mac and Linux operating systems. If a file is suspected of being malicious, meaning that it doesn't match a whitelist, Chrome will check it against Google's se... [Read more]

Microsoft to host Windows 8 Consumer Preview on Feb. 29

Jay Greene — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:28:37 PST

Invitation to Microsoft's Windows 8 Consumer Preview event in Barcelona.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft will take the wraps off the consumer preview of Windows 8 on February 29 in Barcelona, a key milestone on the path toward launching the new operating system.

The consumer preview is the name Microsoft has given the beta version of the operating system. The company said in December it would launch the beta by late February.

Microsoft sent out invitations this morning to press to attend the "Windows 8 Consumer Preview." And while the invitation doesn't say anything about the debut of the preview itself, it stands to reason that it will coincide with the event.

Take an early tour of Windows 8 (photos)

1-2 of 11 Scroll Left Scroll Right

... [Read more]

Two Easter eggs hatch in Chrome for Android

Stephen Shankland — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:25:53 PST

Open more than 99 tabs in Chrome for Android, and a tab button that doesn't have room for a three-digit number just gives you a smile.

(Credit: screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)

A day after Google released its Chrome browser for Android, enthusiasts are finding the Easter eggs tucked away into the software.

One draws attention to the fact that the browser doesn't have the eight-tab limit of Apple's Safari on iOS. The browser shows a button showing the number of tabs; tapping the button takes a person to a page with all the tabs showing. But there's only room for two numeric digits in the button.

Flipping up pages shown on the tab select page of Chrome for Android flip around if you slide them upward five times. If you look closely you can see an embossed version of the Chrome logo on the "back" of the browser.

(Credit: screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)

So what happens when you open your hundredth tab? The 99 turns to a smiley emoticon. Yes, I tried it, and yes, it's a pain opening 100 tabs.

The other Easter egg, which I like better, concerns what happens when you're looking at the page that shows all your tabs. You can swipe up and down to flip through the stack of tab windows, but when yo... [Read more]

The Download Blog - CNET

More hardware acceleration in Chrome beta, dev gets latest JS

Firefox finally enriches New Tab page

New tool cracks Apple iWork passwords

New 'Star Wars' app: These are the Droids you're looking for

Advanced task managers on iOS

Stop applications from updating automatically in Windows

Unsubscribe from junk mail with PaperKarma

Schedule 'happy birthday' posts to Facebook friends

Apps Builder helps repackage Web sites as mobile apps

Related stories

Five smart ways to handle multiple tabs in Chrome

W3C co-chair: Apple, Google power causing Open Web crisis

Related stories

A better Android app for hands-free text messaging

Windows 8 will debut on ARM tablets at launch

Windows 8 bundled Metro apps revealed

Do Not Track Plus add-on stops the tracking paparazzi

Do Not Track Plus extends your privacy

Vonage dials up new mobile apps

Google+ for Android now shows you what's hot

Related stories

Chrome 17 tweaks speed, download security

Microsoft to host Windows 8 Consumer Preview on Feb. 29

Take an early tour of Windows 8 (photos)

Two Easter eggs hatch in Chrome for Android