The Download Blog

Google made searching in Chrome for Android a bit easier with an update Wednesday to the browser.

The latest stable version of Google Chrome 27 for Android (download) now displays search queries in the location bar's Omnibox. The change obfuscates the URL display during searches, to show more results and make it easier to tweak the search terms, according to the Google blog announcing the update.

Another tweak hides the location bar entirely once you start scrolling, so that you can view a Web page in fullscreen. History viewing has finally made it to the tablet version of Android … Read more

Software publisher Soluto made a PR splash last month when it issued its first PC purchasing guide, concluding that a Macbook was the best laptop for running Windows ... mostly because running Windows on Mac requires a clean install of the OS, unlike most default Windows laptops, which include varying amounts of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) software.

Soluto is back today with a new "Monthly Insights" report that looks at Windows Store app usage. Windows Store apps are commonly referred to as "Metro" apps, despite Microsoft's abandonment of the Metro code name for the new "… Read more

LAS VEGAS -- You won't see a new phone from Nokia at CTIA, but the company did reveal it was expanding its already impressive Here Maps for Windows Phone 8 devices.

Available today is an update that will integrate the company's LiveSight augmented reality feature. Previously available only through the CityLens app, LiveSight pulls up nearby locations and displays relevant information like the type of business or attraction, the hours, the address and phone number, and customer ratings.

You access LiveSight mode through a dedicated control in the Here interface. Once activated, you'll see the points of … Read more

Already known for its speed, Google just boosted Chrome's Web site rendering speed by another 5 percent.

The latest stable release of the browser, Chrome 27 (download for Windows, Mac, or Linux), received the small improvement by managing its resources better. To boil down the jargon, the browser's internal resource scheduler now favors more critical resources over preloaded sites.

Chrome engineer James Simonsen wrote in the company's blog announcing the update Tuesday that, across the hundreds of millions of people using Chrome, the amount of time saved equals around 510 years per week. But what we're … Read more

Google Reader will soon be closing its virtual doors. In a move that shocked the Web, Google's SVP Urs Hölzle announced on March 13 that, despite the RSS service's "loyal following," the company would "retire" Google Reader on July 1. More than any of the other 69 products that Google has killed over the past two years, Google Reader's demise has shaken a longtime community that depends heavily on the service.

Foofaraw and conspiracy theories (about why Reader was killed) aside, if you use the service and want to save any … Read more

On Tuesday, Opera for Android finally graduated from beta and into the final release zone, becoming available on the Google Play store.

After a recent announcement about overhauling their browser and migrating to Webkit from their homemade Presto engine, Opera has been hard at work at redefining the browsing experience from the ground up. Since the release of beta and the move to Webkit, Opera's team has directed their focus toward what they believe to be more valuable feature innovations for Opera while keeping up with rival browsers.

But a redesigned interface is just the beginning. Opera for Android … Read more

Being able to schedule an SMS, tweet, Facebook post, or Gmail is extremely useful. An SMS can be used to wish a distant friend or relative a happy birthday. A tweet or Facebook post can help your small business, or remind friends about a local event. And lastly, scheduling a Gmail message is useful when the recipient lives in another time zone and you don't want to disturb them.

The Schemes app for Android lets you schedule all of these message types, at no cost. Furthermore, you can send these scheduled messages without needing to create any … Read more

It's one thing to share your photos on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but sometimes you just want old-fashioned prints. You know, the kind you can stick to your fridge, clip to a board, hang on a wall, and so on. That's especially true if you want to share fond memories with friends or family members. You know, the kind you get from a wedding, vacation, birthday party, and so on.

Printic turns your iPhone photos into Polaroid-style prints, then delivers them to one or more recipients. It's a simple concept, done well.… Read more

Mozilla is taking steps to lock down mixed content Web sites for Firefox in an update Friday to Firefox 23 Aurora.

In Firefox 23 Aurora, the pre-beta version of the browser for Windows, Mac, and Linux, Mozilla will block by default mixed active content. Mixed content is a term that refers to a Web site secured with HTTPS that loads some of its content, such as images or scripts, from standard HTTP sources, and can lead to eavesdroppers and man-in-the-middle attacks.

Mixed active content describes things like scripts because they can actively change how you interact with the site. Mixed … Read more