New Chrome for Mac beta syncs bookmarks, adds extensions
The Google Chrome team has announced another beta release of Chrome for Mac, adding a number of oft-requested features. Chrome for Mac now supports extensions, which allow adding a number of additional browser features as needed. The team also added support for Chrome’s cloud-based bookmark syncing feature, which works across Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux platforms.
In addition to extension support and bookmark sync, Google has created bookmark and cookie managers “that feel completely at home on the Mac,” according to engineer Mark Mentovai. There’s also a new task manager for keeping track of all your open tabs. However, feature additions haven’t taken away focus from providing a “snappy, safe, and simple browsing experience,” Mentovai said.
Google’s browser is generally available in three different versions: stable, beta, and developer preview. The new features have been available in Windows and Linux betas of the browser, and have been incubating in the developer previews for Mac OS X before bubbling up into beta. Google has yet to release an official stable release for Mac OS X.
Our look at the last beta release revealed a fairly stable and fast browsing experience, only hampered by some missing features—namely extensions and bookmark syncing. If you haven’t yet given Chrome a chance, you may want to download the latest beta and give it a try. Current beta users should be automatically updated to version 5.0.307 within the next 24 hours.
etc: The third test build of Mac OS x 10.6.3—10D538—has been released to select developers. The update should bring improvements to QuickTime X, OpenGL, printer compatibility, and more.
The third test build of Mac OS x 10.6.3—10D538—has been released to select developers. The update should bring improvements to QuickTime X, OpenGL, printer compatibility, and more.
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Hands on with Mac Chrome beta: incomplete but looking good
Google has finally released Chrome, the company’s own Web browser, into beta on the Mac and Linux. The software has been in development for some time—at least since the Windows version was first released in late 2008—and is now available as a tidy package for the Mac-using masses who weren’t previously interested in digging around in build trees. Though it’s important to remember that this is still a beta (with all that entails), we came away impressed with the Mac version of Chrome.
First, a disclaimer: though some members of the staff (and, of course, many of you) have been using Chrome as a developer preview for some time, many of us have not. This includes me—I’m currently a devoted Safari 4 user, previously a rabidly devoted Firefox user. This hands-on is written from the perspective of someone who is familiar with, but otherwise new to Chrome on the Mac.
1Password 3.0 goes public beta with Snow Leopard support
For those of you who are 1Password fans like we are, upgrading to Snow Leopard has been somewhat of a conflicting experience. On one hand, Snow Leopard! On the other hand, the current version of 1Password doesn’t run natively and have Safari integration, forcing you to choose between 1Password 2 (which you can only use if you launch the app itself) or an “experimental” version of 3.0. Well, the final version isn’t out yet, but Agile released the public beta of 1Password 3.0, taking us one step closer to native password management bliss.
The public beta of 1Password 3.0 doesn’t just bring Snow Leopard nativeness, though that’s certainly the part we’re most excited about. The application itself has a completely redesigned UI with more of an iTunes look to it—your logins and accounts, folders, devices, and more are listed in the left-hand column while another column allows you to sort items in each category, and the right-hand column shows your info. The software can also now save file attachments if you need those attached to any particular bit of info. Also, you can now edit items like your credit cards or identities directly from the browser—no need to open the software just to change the expiration date on your card, for example. There’s also a dedicated section of 1Password 3.0 just for software licenses, so you can keep track of all that Mac software you have been buying.
iPhone OS 3.1 beta 2 lets developers work over WiFi
Apple released an update to the iPhone OS 3.1 beta tonight, making the new version of the software available to registered developers. According to several developers speaking to Ars, beta 2 enables them to connect to their devices wirelessly instead of requiring them to be tethered for development purposes with Instruments. The WiFi connection supports all the same features a developer would get (through Instruments) when tethered.
According to one individual, this feature is “huge for developers.” It’s primarily geared at those who need to attach something to their iPhone or iPod touch via USB, so freeing up the USB port during the development process goes a long way in that regard. It’s also undoubtedly slightly less of a pain in the butt to be able to use WiFi, though Apple warns that USB is still preferred because it’s faster and draws less power from the device than using WiFi. Developers can’t install applications from Xcode over the wireless connection, nor can they debug them over WiFi.
Other changes in the beta 2 include a handful of bug fixes to both Xcode and various parts of the iPhone software, but we aren’t aware of any other significant changes at the moment. As we know from the first OS 3.1 beta released earlier this month, Voice Control over Bluetooth and non-destructive video editing have already been added to the software, but we’ll update this post if we get tipped off to anything else of interest.
(Edited for clarification.)
iPhone OS 3.1 beta 2 lets developers work over WiFi
Apple released an update to the iPhone OS 3.1 beta tonight, making the new version of the software available to registered developers. According to several developers speaking to Ars, beta 2 enables them to connect to their devices wirelessly instead of requiring them to be tethered for development purposes with Instruments. The WiFi connection supports all the same features a developer would get (through Instruments) when tethered.
According to one individual, this feature is “huge for developers.” It’s primarily geared at those who need to attach something to their iPhone or iPod touch via USB, so freeing up the USB port during the development process goes a long way in that regard. It’s also undoubtedly slightly less of a pain in the butt to be able to use WiFi, though Apple warns that USB is still preferred because it’s faster and draws less power from the device than using WiFi. Developers can’t install applications from Xcode over the wireless connection, nor can they debug them over WiFi.
Other changes in the beta 2 include a handful of bug fixes to both Xcode and various parts of the iPhone software, but we aren’t aware of any other significant changes at the moment. As we know from the first OS 3.1 beta released earlier this month, Voice Control over Bluetooth and non-destructive video editing have already been added to the software, but we’ll update this post if we get tipped off to anything else of interest.
(Edited for clarification.)
New test build of Snow Leopard has a few visual tweaks
Apple is now releasing test builds via Software Update to developers with access to the latest test builds of Mac OS X 10.6. The latest build, 10A402, includes a number of fixes and optimizations, as well as two new visual UI changes.
So far, some of the changes that have been uncovered in the 1.3GB update include a fix for Exposé issues when used with multiple monitors as well as activation of third-party preference panes. Reports also indicate that overall system performance has significantly improved, with notable increases in speed and responsiveness as well as decreases in startup and shutdown times. It also appears that battery life indicators are showing much longer estimated running times, though as of yet no tests can confirm that the times are accurate.
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New test build of Snow Leopard has a few visual tweaks
Apple is now releasing test builds via Software Update to developers with access to the latest test builds of Mac OS X 10.6. The latest build, 10A402, includes a number of fixes and optimizations, as well as two new visual UI changes.
So far, some of the changes that have been uncovered in the 1.3GB update include a fix for Exposé issues when used with multiple monitors as well as activation of third-party preference panes. Reports also indicate that overall system performance has significantly improved, with notable increases in speed and responsiveness as well as decreases in startup and shutdown times. It also appears that battery life indicators are showing much longer estimated running times, though as of yet no tests can confirm that the times are accurate.
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iPhone OS 3.1 Beta Available for Developers
Following closely on the official release of iPhone OS 3.0, Apple has seeded a developer build of version 3.1, build 7C97D, along with the SDK.
The point release appears to be more than bug fixes, too. A number of sites, including Gizmodo, are reporting features like:
- Faster boot time
- Bluetooth voice control
- Access to video editing through APIs for third-party developers
- Non-destructive editing of video by allowing saving of copies
- Fraud Protection, or phishing warnings, as an option in preferences for Safari
This discussion at MacRumors also has an interesting list of new features:
- A carrier selection preference, though apparently not for AT&T customers
- An MMS option, though again this does not apply to AT&T customers yet
- Saving video sent in e-mail to the camera roll
- Direct copying and pasting in the address book, no need to select edit first
- Copy and paste phone numbers to and from the phone keypad
- Canceling text messages as they are sent
- Choose picture size/quality for MMS video, where MMS is an option
As for fixes, the biggest problem, so far, relates to hardware of the iPhone 3GS, not the OS. Whether the new firmware helps with overheating issues has not been reported yet.
The speed at which Apple is updating the iPhone firmware is intriguing. From the final of version of 1.0 to 1.1, over two months passed, and nearly that much time from 2.0 to 2.1 and 2.1 to 2.2. Of course, this latest version of the iPhone OS is a beta, but it’s hard to imagine two more months will pass before iPhone OS 3.1 is officially released. One possible explanation might be that with the apparent early success of the Palm Pre, Apple feels the need to compete a little more aggressively. If so, bring on Windows Mobile 7.
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iPhone OS 3.1 beta enables Voice Control via Bluetooth, more
As you may have heard, Apple released an update to the iPhone OS beta to registered developers last night. iPhone OS 3.1 already appears to have a handful of fixes that should please some users, and there are surely more hidden beneath the surface.
According to numerous sources, many items got some love in this beta, including Voice Control now working over Bluetooth (for iPhone 3GS users, that is). The AT&T profile has been updated to 4.2 (enabling MMS to work), the iPhone now vibrates when moving icons around, third-party apps now having APIs to access and edit videos, and the baseband firmware is now version 5.08.01. Additionally, editing video no longer saves over the original by default, allowing you to save a copy and preserve the original for transferring later. Finally, several improvements have been made to OpenGL and Quartz.
As noted by the quickpwn developers, users of the ultrasn0w software unlock should be extra cautious of updating to the 3.1 beta (as in, don’t do it at all) unless they like turning their phones into shiny paperweights. This likely doesn’t apply to most of you reading this, but we know a number of you are using your US iPhones on T-Mobile, so keep an ear out for when you can update after 3.1 becomes available to the public.
