Author: Aditya Kane

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News

Chrome 4 beta released with bookmarks synchronization

Over a month ago Google released a stable version of Chrome 3 which signaled that it was more confident about it’s browser’s ability to compete with others. A day ago it released Chrome 4 as a beta version and the big difference it claims in its blog is that its performance as a browser has improved over 30%. I downloaded the beta version and it has been working fine. I hardly noticed anything different.

With Chrome 3 stable version I did have a problem of the browser crashing after a few hours especially if I had a theme on it. Its only been a hour since I downloaded the beta version so can not say that issue has been addressed. One exciting feature it does have is having a real time synchronization of bookmarks on two or more computers with Chrome browser.

Chrome Bookmark Sync

  • If you want to have the same bookmarks on Chrome browsers across 2 or more computers all of them need to have Chrome 4 beta installed on it.
  • Sign-in with Google account and then merge and sync the bookmarks from all the browsers. It happens real time if you are signed-in on all computers. That means if I add a bookmark it shows up on the other computer in real time. This technology is the same that is used for bundling Google Chat with Gmail. 😉

  • Google has recently incorporated Sidewiki into Chrome which was earlier available through Google toolbar. Bookmarks could be previously shared on other browsers using Google toolbar, but it looks like Google is going to incorporate all that you can do with the Google toolbar into its Chrome browser as a feature. If that’s the course it is taking and assuming Google gets it right, Chrome might become the dominant browser in a few years.

There are many third party softwares and tools bars which allow bookmarks to be synced with multiple computers for example Foxmarks extensions with Firefox but this is the first time I see it as a main feature of a browser. Some people might be uncomfortable with the idea of storing bookmarks on a server which happens in the case of Chrome.

If you want to download Chrome 4 beta visit their landing page. Do comment on the post to let me know your thoughts on Google Chrome 4 beta.

Categories
News

Google’s Music Search: One stop shop for music?

Being a fan of music across many genres I was quite excited with Google Music Search. Since I started using Google many years ago, I have always wondered if I could just type in the name of the song and could hear it online. That would be like going to music heaven. Google Music search almost gets you there but not quite.

The search apparently is very comprehensive but it also is a way to monetize music search with tie ups with content providers. This feature is not something to search and download pirated music. The feature is not a separate one but is bundled with the Google Search homepage without the need of using or tweaking any of the options. This could make Google the one stop shop for music in the world.

Music Search with Google

  • With a plugin in the works that will help you search a song with a part of the lyrics rather than the actual name of the song will be quite handy.
  • This service is brought together by Google with a tie up with imeem, Lala, myspace, Pandora and Rhapsody. These are popular websites dealing with selling online music content in the US.
  • For Indian users it is a little disappointing as these companies do not have the license to sell music in India and hence you cannot listen or buy music from these websites. The links to these services do not show up with Google search.
  • Saving grace is that almost every song has its video on You tube and usually that will be the first link you get when you search for a song.

As far as how useful it will turn out to be is still to be seen. But fact is almost everyone who has used Google has searched for music online with the search engine. This is where Google has got it right and might see it singing all the way to the bank. 😉

Link: Google Blog

Categories
News

Google Earth Flight Simulator a backhanded compliment to Microsoft?

A lot of us who use Google Earth do not know about Flight Simulator mode in Google Earth. I have been using Google Earth for over 3 years now and was still unaware of the Flight Simulator tool until a few days ago. With Flight Simulator in Google Earth allowing me to take off from Kathmandu Airport into the mountains, it brought back memories of an addictive video game I had played as a teen almost 10 years ago.

The similarities with Flight Simulator by Microsoft were too many to not think of this mode as a backhanded compliment by Google Earth developers to Microsoft.

Over Mount Everest with Google Earths Flight Simulator

Google Earth: Flight Simulator

  • To start Flight Simulator mode start Google Earth and click on the globe once and press Ctrl + Alt + A. This starts the flight simulator mode and the following screen appears.

  • It is not very complex except the controls seem to be a little too sensitive. The HUD screen resembles being inside a airplane cockpit.
  • The idea is pretty amazing, especially for kids being introduced to Google Earth. Imagine flying around in a airplane over your own neighborhood on your desktop. 🙂
  • The whole feel of it, with selecting Airports from around the world and different plane models is very similar to very early versions of Flight Simulator by Microsoft.
  • Playing around with it I immediately realized that this Easter Egg within Google Earth was like a homage being paid to Microsoft’s Flight Simulator video game.

Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X was less of a game and more of a virtual environment for flying enthusiasts with a virtual environment to simulate the whole world. Google Earth is probably paying homage to a very old and loved video game.

Interesting Factoid: Flight Simulator software from Microsoft is 2 years older than its Windows Licence. 😉

Link: Google Earth Flight Simulator

Categories
News

Bulk following starts with Twitter Lists

I have been using Lists on Twitter and they seem to be a great way to organize and share information with others online. Lists feature has really been a hit in Twitter as there are literally millions of lists already created over the last week or two. The idea behind it is quite simple, I can now make lists of people I follow and hence I can have all tweets from blogs in rtBlogs network in one single list. 🙂

@Twitter Lists

  • Using Lists seems to be a great way to follow tweets in bulk. I have seen some bloggers follow literally thousands of accounts on Twitter. Such users obviously use TweetDeck or similar tools to organize and channel the information that comes through on Twitter in a more manageable way. With Lists you can do the same but without using such tools.
  • Another advantage that Lists will eventually have is a control on Spammers. For instance people might end up following lists instead of individuals and if the List is complied by someone trustworthy, you can be sure that the ones in that list are not spammers. 😉
  • Its a great way for users to compile a list of 25 different feeds you have and put them up in one list. For instance a company like Google might have 10 different feeds to give information through, instead of following these accounts individually now you just might need to follow one list.
  • Now there is a counter of not just the number of followers you have but also the number of times your account is listed. This can be a way to rank a account as reputed by others. For instance @Google made it into 6726 lists. Followers sometime can be fake accounts and spammers, Lists have a lesser chance of being fake or malicious.

Follow Devils’ Workshop on Twitter:  @devils_workshop.

Categories
Editorial

Monday Morning Blues [2nd Nov 09]

Yet another Monday is here and we have some announcements to make along with telling you what is new on DW.

First things first it has been a pretty good October for rtBlogs. Facebooknol our blog dedicated to Facebook has been doing quite well, and slowly but surely moving upwards. Sauravjit has been doing a stellar job there.

Blogger of the Month

We are still checking and rechecking the scores for Blogger of the month for October. But many guest authors had questions on how the ratings are calculated. Every post you contribute on an blog on rtBlogs will get a rating and it all adds up for winning Blogger of the Month. Feel free to give relevant posts on Facebooknol, Orkut Diary, Crictalks and obviously Devils Workshop. 🙂

Also I can tell you that next month Blogger of the Month winner can expect a surprise coming his/her way. 😉

Top Posts

Follow DW on Facebook and Twitter.

Categories
Reviews

Sidewiki takes the bookmarks way into Chrome

I wrote about Sidewiki on DW a month ago when Google made it available on their toolbar and ever since it has opened a pandora’s box on the debate weather people should be allowed to comment on your page while visiting it. Initially Sidewiki was made only available with Google Toolbar which was only available with Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers, but now Sidewiki is available with Chrome.

How to get Sidewiki?

  • Earlier with was only through the Google Toolbar, but now its through something Google calls as Bookmarklet. Once at the page, you can simple drag and drop the Sidewiki bookmarklet into the browsers bookmarks for Sidewiki to be available.
  • To access bookmarks in Chrome Browser press Ctrl + B.
  • Now visit any website and click on the Sidewiki bookmark and it pops up a page on the side for you to read and write comments.
ADVERTISEMENT

Sidewiki for Webmasters

If you own a website then Sidewiki allows you to comment on your own website. This entry shows up with a green background and is remains alway on top of all other comments. For writing your comments you need to Add and verify your website with Google Webmaster Tools. Once you are done with it, log in with Google account on sidewiki while on your website homepage and write a Webmaster’s comment. 🙂

Link: Sidewiki Bookmarklet

Categories
Tips

Get invitation to try new Orkut

Contest Update 1: The Contest is now closed and the first 9 valid entries will be invited. Link to the Orkut profile has been removed as the contest is now over.

Contest Update 2: 9 Orkut users has been invited. Check this post announcing winners list!

I have realized that ever since the last post on how Orkut has a new layout, I have got quite a few friends asking for a invitation to be sent to them.

The friends far outrun the number of invites I have so we at Orkut Diary have decided to send out invites as giveaway on a first come first serve basis.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Follow the 3 steps below to participate in this contest

  • Add as friend on Orkut by visiting Rahul Bansal’s profile. (Link has been removed as the contest is closed.)
  • Tweet about this contest on Twitter. Just “tweet” the following from your Twitter account.

Get Invitation to try new Orkut Layout

http://bit.ly/38EJ3e

  • Write a comment with your full name. Your comment should include link to your Twitter status.

Remember you will be given out invites on a first come first serve basis so do hurry up and even though we will try to accommodate everyone.

Categories
News

New Orkut layout is out

Orkut has started sending out selected invites to some of its users to try out its new layout. I got the invite thanks to Rahul Bansal. The layout is pretty good and handy and with a lot of changes. It seems to be incorporating a lot of thing from Facebook as far as functionality is concerned.

How different will be the new look?

New look home page for Orkut

  • One thing that stands out immediately is your profile pic inside a blue box (color can be changed to green, orange, pink and black). The predominant thing about it is the ‘What are you upto?’ text box. It seems Orkut has realized people like to write more about themselves and what they are doing rather than write scraps to others. 😛
  • There is the added functionality to add applications (another Facebook like feature). But accessing the application is neatly tucked in under a ‘Add’ button on the main page.
  • The main difference seems to be all a higher priority to updates rather than scraps. The format seems to be designed around it.

I was quite impressed with this new design even though some may complain it has taken a lot from Facebook. But I think they have got the balance right. It still has the Orkut feel to it and hence I doubt it will have much negative reaction.

Categories
Reviews

Dropbox: Excellent tool to sync your files across computers

Yesterday I was chatting with Deepak Jain our Senior Editor at rtBlogs and he brought to my notice a excellent tool for syncing your files across different computers. It is quite a handy tool for people who might be working on different computers or have two computers at home and need certain files to be in sync. I find this software quite helpful as I work from different computers at different locations. 😉

GetDropbox

  • You need to first register to Dropbox and install it on your computer from the website. The free version allows you to sync a folder upto 2 GB.
  • Once you install Get Dropbox on your computer, you can even choose where you want to put the folder on your computer you want to sync with other computers you use.
  • Once done, you update saved files on one computer and all the folders are updated and saved automatically.
  • If one of the computers is damaged and you cant receive the files, that is fine as you can still retirive the folder from the Get Dropbox website. 🙂

The best part of this software seems that all the computers synced through Dropbox do not need the same Operation System. It works across Mac, Windows and even Linux. Also by visiting the website on a mobile device you could access the folder contents with a mobile.

Categories
News

Facebook wants world peace

Usually when someone mentions the words ‘world peace‘ I feel like I am watching a beauty pageant the contestants espousing the virtues of helping humanity and bring about world peace. It is not hard to be a little cynical about it.

But when Facebook the world largest social networking website with over 300 million active users says they want to bring about peace in the world it did catch my attention and I decided what it was all about.

Peace on Facebook

The page is quite interesting. It has a few sections at its peace page. Some of them are statistics and then there is something called share your thoughts which allows your to air your thoughts to others on peace on facebook. The stats are of number of friendship made by people from different countries having differences.

For instance at the time of writing this post, Facebook claimed 6,809 friends were connected between users from India and Pakistan. Similar stats of connections made through Facebook across the Geographic, Religious and Political spectrum is shown.

This seems to be a novel way for Facebook to promote and push peace initiatives. After all it is often say people start fighting when they stop communicating. I am still a skeptic about it doing anything for actual world peace. But its is surely a forum for people genuinely interested in projects that promote peace.