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Word from the LA Times is that Google plans to phase out its Gears plug-in in favor of HTML5 when it comes to augmenting browser abilities. The precise details of its enthusiasm for the plug-in aren't clear yet, but the general trajectory is no surprise.
Google, along with Mozilla, Opera, Apple, and some other allies, has been agitating for features that can make browsers and the Web into a more powerful foundation for Web sites and Web applications. Gears was an early Google effort in this area.
But Gears emerged in 2007--back before Google released a browser of its own, before the World Wide Web Consortium had put its full weight behind HTML5, before HTML5 had gotten the traction it now enjoys as an official standard in the making, and before Microsoft took interest in contributing to that standard.
It's clear things are different now, and HTML5 is solving the same problems Gears set out to fix, and a healthy cooperation is under way for future Web standards work.
Linus Upson, Google's engineering director for the Chrome browser and Chrome OS, confirmed Tuesday that Gears will be supported but isn't an active area of development.
"This isn't an area we've been investing a lot in the last year since we launched Chrome. We're very focused on making HTML5 as successful a standard as possible," Upson said. "Gears applications will run well for the foreseeable future," though, he added.
Browsers including Safari and Chrome are picking up HTML5 versions of Gears features now, he said, and Web applications will follow suit. "I would think over course of next year or so you'll see many more applications take advantage of those abilities," he said.
Perhaps the most notable Gears feature is the ability to store data on a PC so a Web application could work even when disconnected from the network--Gmail and Google Docs being the biggest examples. But that's solved by the local database work in HTML5 that's now arriving in browsers. HTML5 also provides for interfaces with files for better uploading geolocation to let a Web site make use of a person's location.
Various HTML5 elements are just beginning to arrive in Web browsers, and widely used browsers such as Internet Explorer 6 don't have any support at all. But the difficulties of getting people to install Gears or other plug-ins means that built-in browser support probably will reach more people sooner than Gears.
Google has given plenty of signals it's happy to direct Gears energy into HTML5. It proudly demonstrated offline Gmail using HTML5 storage last May at its Google I/O conference, for example. And regarding its O3D and Native Client plug-ins, which accelerate 3D and regular computing processes in a browser, Google developers have argued such technology should be built into the browser, not handled as a separate plug-in.
Google's official position, quoted in the LA Times, is as follows: "We are excited that much of the technology in Gears, including offline support and geolocation APIs, are being incorporated into the HTML5 spec as an open standard supported across browsers, and see that as the logical next step for developers looking to include these features in their Web sites...We're continuing to support Gears so that nothing breaks for sites that use it. But we expect developers to use HTML5 for these features moving forward as it's a standards-based approach that will be available across all browsers."
It was clear from talks at Google I/O that Google sees as a proving ground to try to advance Web technologies and counts it as a victory when Gears technology arrives in HTML5. Now the only real question in my mind is whether the pace of HTML5 development in the standards world will satisfy Google.
Upson said Google will continue adding features into Chrome and its Chrome OS, even if that means deviating from standards at times.
"Ideally for all these things (such as Native Client and O3D) we'd like to get them into standards," Upson said. "At the end of the day, we can't control the pace of the Internet Explorer developer team at Microsoft (or developer teams) at Mozilla and Apple. We all have a shared incentive to not fragment the Web, but there always will be seams that aren't smooth."
Updated at 5:14 p.m. PST with comment from Google.
Microsoft has begun a campaign to actively urge users of its 8-year-old Internet Explorer 6 browser to upgrade.
After launching IE 8 in March, Micosoft has concurred with critics that IE 6 is outdated. Many people have dropped the older browser, but the remaining users are often the tough cases--those who don't have a choice because of corporate computing policy or who aren't tech-savvy enough to realize there's a reason to move on.
This eBay 'Web slice'--basically a live bookmark in Internet Explorer 8--is part of Microsoft's effort to get people to upgrade from IE 6.
(Credit: Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)It's this latter population Microsoft is targeting with a campaign that runs through June 2010 that touts its own IE 8 as a better alternative. The campaign's first visible elements are a video aimed at online holiday shoppers and a Web slice to promote daily deals at eBay. Web slices are basically live bookmarks that can show miniature Web pages in the browser.
"What we're doing with the outreach is help users understand how to protect themselves against social engineering threats that exist and to help people understand how Internet Explorer 8 puts people in control of their own privacy online," said Ryan Servatius, senior product manager for Internet Explorer. Security was one of the big problems with IE 6, and Microsoft now boasts that security features in IE 8 block 2 million malware sites a day.
According to Net Applications' statistics, Internet Explorer 6 is still the most widely used browser, with 23.3 percent share of usage in October, followed by IE 7 at 18.2 percent and IE 8 at 18.1 percent. The newer browsers are gaining on IE 6, but so are rivals including Mozilla's Firefox, Apple's Safari, and Google's Chrome.
Web developers often gripe about having to support IE 6, which doesn't support many modern features for more sophisticated Web sites and even applications. Microsoft acknowledges that it's holding back development of the Internet, too.
"The best thing a user can do to advance the Web is to help move people off IE 6," Servatius said.
Of course, many will upgrade to IE 8 by buying Windows 7. IE 6 was the browser that shipped with Windows XP, which remains entrenched, but there are signs Windows 7 is a more compelling successor than Windows Vista. That could help the corporate customers move away from IE 6, Servatius said.
"As enterprises migrate from whatever operating system they're using today to Windows 7, that's going to help deprecate IE 6," he said. "What we're doing is working both with consumers worldwide and IT professionals to help them understand what the benefits of a modern browser are."
Where's the Grinch? In this uninspired game, only his hand appears. Grinchmas, indeed!
(Credit: Oceanhouse Media)Maybe I'm feeling extra Grinchy today because stupid iTunes keeps timing out when I sync my iPhone, but I don't like Grinchmas.
In this new game from Oceanhouse Media, you're a disembodied Grinch hand that flings snowballs--or presents, if you're in more of a "Merry Grinch" mood--at houses down in Whoville.
And that's it. The challenge, if you can call it that, lies in flinging accurately: you have to swipe at just the right speed and in just the right direction to score a hit.
If I'm any indication, grown-up players will tire of this in about 18 seconds. The littler Whos in your house might enjoy it for longer--the game skews cute, colorful, and Seussian--but ultimately, Grinchmas works so hard at being "casual" that it forgets to be fun. Skip it.
Give your snapshots a fun, Grinch-ian makeover with Dr. Seuss Camera.
(Credit: Oceanhouse Media)The real Dr. Seuss-inspired fun lies in Dr. Seuss Camera: The Grinch Edition, which uses the iPhone camera to create whimsical, Grinchy holiday cards you can share with friends.
Start by choosing from 20-plus different cards, then point your iPhone camera (sorry, Touch users) at the kids, the dog, cranky Uncle Fred, etc.
Each card has either a face cutout area or an empty space alongside a Grinch-related character (if not the ol' meanie himself).
After you snap the photo, you can decorate it further with stamps and borders, then save it to your Camera Roll and/or e-mail it to friends and family.
It's a cute little app, easy to use, and a perfect slice of holiday fun. Here's hoping that "The Grinch Edition" subtitle means there are other versions in the works. (I've always wanted a photo of myself next to Horton the Elephant.)
TweetDeck now doubles up profile pics on retweets to give original poster's credit.
(Credit: Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET)Seesmic's Twitter reader app for Mac and Windows is looking at some serious renewed competition from TweetDeck.
The newly updated TweetDeck 0.32 (and AIR app for Windows and Mac,) packs in a host of changes that should make the desktop app more attractive to power tweeters. Chief among these is new behavior for retweeting, when users share a contact's tweet with their own list of followers in just a click. TweetDeck supports two formats, the "new style" that spits out an identical post and displays both your photo and that of the original tweeter, and the "original" style that lets you edit before you post the duplicated message. We like that TweetDeck can remember your preference, or that you can do nothing and choose fresh each time.
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TweetDeck)
The new TweetDeck also incorporates Twitter Lists for the first time, a grouping feature that Twitter launched about a month ago. Just as you can manage individuals on TweetDeck, you can also manage lists and omit people on them that you don't directly follow. You're able to create new lists from scratch or from a list you already have.
In addition, tweets that include geolocation information now pop up with a yellow pin at the bottom of the message. You can click the pin to expand an embedded map. We haven't seen any of these show up in our lists yet, but the concept of convenience is similar to what Yahoo Messenger already does when it embeds photos and videos into chat windows. We hope that's next here, too.
Adding and expanding on Twitter features isn't TweetDeck's only move. The update also pulls the LinkedIn social network onboard, which means you can now read status streams from LinkedIn, Facebook, and MySpace in TweetDeck's column view, in addition to tracking streams from various Twitter accounts.
The version 0.32 update also makes its mark with a reorganized Add Column screen that replaces previous menu items with redesigned navigation for maintaining your Tweeting dashboard. The new TweetDeck includes numerous bug fixes as well; here's the changelog for more details.
Mozilla, determined to release Firefox 3.6 before year's end, is also determined to squeeze as many features as possible into the new browser.
The latest example: support for the File interface that adds more sophistication to uploading and some other chores.
Support for the feature is one of the 133 changes that arrived in Firefox 3.6 beta 4, which the Mozilla project released Thursday for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
The File API (application programming interface), a draft standard at the World Wide Web consortium, lets browsers handle files better. Among its abilities are uploading multiple files at once, showing thumbnail previews of images that have been selected for upload, breaking a long video upload up into chunks to protect against network interruption problems, and integrating with drag-and-drop Web applications.
While many software projects use beta testing periods to shake down their code, Mozilla isn't afraid to add new features as it goes. That can mean new ideas arrive sooner, of course, but it also can delay the completion date of the new version. What was to have been a quick Firefox 3.1 release was pushed back months as new features were added and the version ultimately was renamed Firefox 3.5.
For those who want to dig into the File interface, Mozilla offers a Web developer guide to using it.
The beta-testing periods aren't just important for debugging Firefox itself. New versions often don't work with older add-ons that people install to customize the browser, so beta testing gives some time for programmers to update those add-ons. Mike Belzner, Mozilla's director of Firefox, said 70 percent of add-ons are now compatible with Firefox 3.6.
Real Tennis 2009 is one of eight games now on sale for 99 cents.
(Credit: Gameloft)Remember a few weeks back when Konami cut its iPhone/iPod Touch game prices to 99 cents? (They're still available, FYI.)
Now Gameloft has followed suit, offering some (but not all) of its game titles for the appetizing price of a buck apiece--a significant savings in some cases. Here's the rundown (links are to CNET reviews where applicable, otherwise to the App Store):
- Blades of Fury (originally $6.99)
- Brothers in Arms: Hour of Heroes (originally $9.99)
- Castle of Magic (originally $4.99)
- Hero of Sparta (originally $5.99)
- NFL 2010 (originally $4.99)
- Real Tennis 2009 (originally $4.99)
- Shrek Kart (originally $4.99)
- Terminator Salvation (originally $9.99)
These prices are good until Sunday, November 29, so act fast if you want to stock up on some seriously good games for some seriously low prices.
Me, I'm grabbing NFL 2010, Terminator, and maybe Castle of Magic for the kiddos.
Like it or not, the season of sales is upon us. Whether the shiny new computer that's soon to be encased in gift wrap is a present for you or for someone else, you should know what to do with that laptop, desktop, or Netbook when the time comes to boot it up. You're in luck--we've laid out the best freeware apps for 2010 in our freshly-updated Windows Starter Kit.
Our top picks include the browsers, image editors, utilities, and social networking applications that you should consider downloading before you fill up your computer with anything else. We don't want to give too much away, but if you're looking for a multimedia player, find out why The KMPlayer gets five stars. See also which nine essential system utilities have made the cut, including the disk-space visualizer WinDirStat.
If it's security software you're after, we have that ground covered in our Security Starter Kit. Antivirus suites, spyware removers, and firewalls are just part of the puzzle. We also suggest freebies to help protect you while surfing (like LastPass Password Manager), and to encrypt your sensitive data. You're welcome.
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CNET)
There are a few sales over the Thanksgiving long weekend here in the U.S. with some developers slashing prices on many popular iPhone games. Huge iPhone game developer, Gameloft, is having a 99-cent sale on many of their popular game titles throughout the weekend. EA Games is also in on the action, offering price cuts to several of their big titles. Some games I've talked about here like Madden NFL 10, FIFA 10, and NBA Live are $6.99 for a limited time (usually $9.99) and there are a lot of other great deals. If you've been waiting for the prices to drop on some of the bigger games, now is the time to check out the iTunes App Store--you just might be pleasantly surprised.
This week's apps include a stylish clock app and a new Star Wars game that lets you relive some of the great moments of the original movie.
Choose from many different clock skins
(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)PerfectClock (Free for a limited time) lets you display stylish-looking clocks on your iPhone screen that are perfect for when your phone is sitting in an iPhone Docking Station. The app comes with a handful of clocks you can choose from, or you can easily download free clock skins from within the app. Along with the beautiful designs, PerfectClock lets you set alarms, offers a number of different ways to display information on screen (date, month, day of week) and you can disable the autolock so the clock stays visible while you're charging it.
PerfectClock also comes with a number of ambient sound loops like rainforest sounds, ocean waves, and more. That way if your iPhone charges on your bedside table, you can set PerfectClock to play sounds of nature for a set amount of time (and even fade out) while you doze off. Overall, if you would like to use your iPhone as your main alarm clock and want a few more options, or would just like to check out some of the imaginative clock designs, you should download this app.
Try to avoid Darth Vader's crosshairs as you fly down the trench
(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)Star Wars: Trench Run ($4.99) lets you relive the moments leading up to the destruction of the Death Star from Star Wars IV: A New Hope. You can play arcade mode and choose between a dogfight with Tie Fighters on the surface of the Death Star, or Trench Run, where you fly your X-Wing fighter down the trench evading Darth Vader and blowing away gun towers. The mission mode lets you fight your way through the ending moments in sequence up to firing your rockets in to the exhaust port and blowing up the Death Star. The controls are fairly simple: tilt your iPhone to steer your X-Wing and touch the right side of your screen to fire your weapons. You also can use a Force slow-down skill by touching the left side of the screen--a great option when the action gets particularly intense.
Though Star Wars: Trench Run is a fun diversion for a little while, the game doesn't offer much in the way of long-term replay value. Once you've done each of the missions and played the different types of game modes a few times, the action gets kind of repetitive. Still, with original sound effects and music by John Williams paired with smooth 3D graphics, this game will appeal to Star Wars fans who dreamed of doing the trench run so long ago (myself included). For more on Star Wars: Trench Run, check out Rick Broida's column here.
What's your favorite iPhone app? Have you found any good holiday app deals? Do you have a better clock app to share? What do you think of Star Wars: Trench Run? Let me know in the comments!
Whether you're doing a clean install of Windows 7, getting a new computer from a deep discount on Black Friday, or getting a full-priced present, you owe it to yourself to check out this revamped collection of the most essential freeware tools for Windows. The programs in the Windows Starter Kit 2010 will work on Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7. These basics will get you up and running without even glancing askance at your wallet. If you're specifically looking for security tools, we've rounded up the best freeware security options in the Security Starter Kit.
There was much less movement in the Windows Starter Kit this year than in the Security Starter Kit, but there were still some changes that are worth calling out. Among the three recommended browsers, we moved Chrome ahead of Opera, although Firefox still retains top-dog status. Likewise, Mozilla's Thunderbird remains the best free desktop e-mail client. Had the Thunderbird-based Postbox remained free as it was in beta, we would've added it to the list.
In productivity apps, image editors, music jukeboxes, and video jukeboxes there was no movement at all. The GIMP is still the best Photoshop alternative that doesn't skimp on features, while Paint.NET is excellent for quick-and-dirty edits. We still recommend MediaMonkey as the best non-iTunes alternative, and we still recommend iTunes--despite its bloat--because it's still the industry standard. We expect these categories to be contentious because there are so many options available, so please let us know in the comments if you disagree with our choices.
TweetDeck and Seesmic Desktop (not pictured) debuted in the new Social Networking category this year.
(Credit: Screenshot by Rafe Needleman/CNET)File compression and torrent management didn't change either, although we added the impressive Trillian redo and Skype to the chat category. Social networking debuted as a new category, with two options: Seesmic and TweetDeck. In Utilities, we added Revo Uninstaller, threw in a second Notepad replacement, and replaced Launchy with Find and Run Robot.
The hard part of coming up with a collection like this is keeping it concise, especially when it comes to Windows utilities. The fun part, though, is hearing your thoughts. So check out the kit, and let us know what you think in the comments below.
Black Friday is almost upon us, and the steep hardware discounts mean new computers for many. To help you during these tough economic times, we've refreshed the Download.com Security Starter Kit for 2010. Although nothing can replace common-sense browsing, this collection of freeware security tools will help you protect new machines and old from pernicious threats, large and small. Longtime readers will notice that in addition to changing up our recommended antivirus program, we've fleshed out the Web browsing safety category, and made other changes as well. If you're looking for more than freeware security programs, check out the CNET Download.com Windows Starter Kit for 2010.
In this year's version, you can expect to see Avast chosen ahead of AntiVir as our most favored antivirus app. Despite its odd interface, Avast scored higher than any other freeware antivirus in a third-party test, and it doesn't skimp on protection, either, with e-mail, network, rootkit, and behavioral guards along with its top-rated virus protections.
We're still recommending Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for spyware removal, but we've also added PC Tools' standalone ThreatFire as an excellent way to strengthen behavioral detections and prevent spyware from infecting you in the first place. Recent improvements to the program have made it incredibly light on resources, and in our days of empirical testing we didn't notice it slowing down our computers at all.
New this year is the expanded in-browser security category. We've recommended five browsing tools that are available as add-ons, and we took care to make sure that they applied to as many of the major browsers as possible. However, Firefox's deep add-on toolbox makes it naturally the browser with the most diverse collection of security tools, so expect to see it heavily, although not exclusively, represented.
PC Tools' ThreatFire.
(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)Firewalls used to be the forefront of security, but now they're just another tool you should have. Microsoft has made the native Windows 7 firewall impressively useful, but we realize that not everybody has Windows 7, and even those who do might want an alternative. This year, Online Armor joins Comodo on the list.
In Encryption, TrueCrypt remains the gold standard. The Thunderbird extension Enigmail joins it as a must-have tool for keeping your private e-mails as you intended them--away from prying eyes. In Parental Control, we've added OnlineFamily.Norton. It's not strictly desktop based, although to use it you must use its desktop hook, called Norton Safety Minder. Symantec has created what looks to be a unique and free approach that includes an emphasis on parental education and attempts to foster parent-child communication about how to use the Internet safely. We're of the opinion that anything that helps parents realize that browsing the Internet is far more than a TV with options is a good thing.
If you disagree with our security and safety choices for the Security Starter Kit, please let us know in the comments below.
