Utilising the Internet Explorer 8 Web Slice feature, Microsoft and eBay have teamed up to give real-time updates from eBay's daily deals.

"Customers will receive continuing updates and detailed information about these Daily Deals for eBay, all within the Favorites Bar in Internet Explorer 8", says Microsoft.

As part of this promotion Microsoft is also lauding IE8's built-in security and privacy features, and cites a study by NSS Labs showing "that Internet Explorer is the leading modern browser in malware and phishing protection".

This claim, however, should be treated with a pinch of salt as other browsers such as Firefox, Opera, Chrome and Safari also offer a wide range of add-ons and features which improve their protection - especially through layered security. Basically, do a little bit of homework before choosing.

You can get the Web Slice here and if you have an opinion on whether IE8 gives better security over other browsers make sure you let us know in the comments below.

Tags: Software Microsoft IE8 eBay Browsers Viruses And Malware

Internet Explorer 8 and eBay join forces for "secure" Christmas shopping originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:24:12 +0000

Google's Chrome OS is about to be unveiled to the public, and the source code for the operating system has already made it out into the wilds of the Web.

At the moment, there's very little to show for it - just a login screen and one of the included wallpapers (hit the images tab along the top of the story to see it). Expect more to appear in the coming days, however, as coders compile the operating system and explore deeper into what Google has built.

We know so far that it's a lightweight Linux-based platform, built around Debian, which has a tonne of open-source software that powers it. It's built around the browser, positing that you don't need much else to have a useful operating system.

It'll be free to device manufacturers, but how well it takes off will depend on both the quality of the experience from Google, and whether the company manages to rope in any retail partners to pre-load the OS onto machines. We'll bring you more as we hear it.

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Tags: Software Google Chrome Chrome OS Browsers Operating Systems

Chrome OS source code available originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:08:41 +0000

Google appears to be about to bring support for extensions into Chrome. In developer editions of the browser, there's a jigsaw puzzle area in the lower right corner of the new tab screen that links through to https://chrome.google.com/extensions - which isn't yet live.

That space used to be occupied by the themes gallery, but in the newest versions of Chrome and Chromium on Mac, Windows and Linux the jigsaw pattern appears instead. A couple of sample extensions, built by Google, are already working - a Google Mail Checker and BuildBot Monitor.

To install an extension, you just click an install link, download a file, click to run it, approve the installation and it's done. You don't have to restart the browser, like you do in Firefox. It remains to be seen if extensions will slow down Chrome in the same way they have with Firefox.

Given how many people we've heard refuse to switch over to Chrome because of the lack of extension support, this feature could prove popular. However, it'll depend on whether developers rush to support the platform in the same way they have with Firefox. We'll keep you posted.

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Tags: Software Browsers Chrome Google

Chrome extensions approach release originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:09:47 +0000

It appears that a beta version of Google's Chrome browser will be appearing for Mac users in December. The browser is currently available on Windows, but Linux and Mac users have been left out in the cold by Google, with only alpha versions for company.

Intriguingly, though, it'll be Chrome 4.0 that arrives, rather than the current version - Chrome 3.0. Version 4.0 is currently available in beta on Windows, and includes Firefox-style extensions, as well as a bunch of other new functionality and a slight UI refresh.

Chrome is switching to a new version of its extensions, called "Browser Actions", but the functionality will initially be unavailable on the Mac platform - just accessible to Windows and Linux. In a mailing list post discussing the issue with developers, Nick Baum - a Chrome product manager - said:

"The earlier you switch, the more time you will have to polish your experience for our Beta launch in early December. We realize this means dropping Mac support for a couple of weeks, but we already have people working on that. If you prioritise the Windows and Linux versions, we'll bring you cross-platform parity as soon as we can!"

The addition of both extensions and multiplatform support should help increase uptake of the browser, which has seen great support in the tech community but not seen much in the way of mainstream adoption yet.

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Tags: Software Mac software Chrome Google Browsers

Mac beta for Chrome coming in December originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:06:21 +0000

The Mozilla Foundation has unveiled a logo for its forthcoming Firefox-based mobile phone browser. The project, also known as Fennec, is an attempt by the non-profit to build a browser for mobile handsets that's as popular as the desktop version. Currently, the most popular third party mobile browser is Opera.

The browser is only available in very early alpha versions for Symbian, Windows Mobile and in beta for the forthcoming Nokia N900, but promises the same "AwesomeBar", add-ons and tabbing functionality as the desktop variant. You'll also be able to sync your history, preferences and bookmarks between your desktop and mobile computers.

The new logo was designed by Yaroslaff Shekunov, who lives in Krasnodar, Russia. He cited his inspirations as "Firefox itself, your approach to the web-site execution, and of course my wife". He has a whole pile of other Mozilla designs too, that you might want to check out.

Firefox's normal logo was designed in 2004 by Jon Hicks, a graphic designer from Oxfordshire who was frustrated by the Camino compass and decided to design his own variant. Mozilla liked it, and he now consults on many aspects of Firefox's identity.

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a designer, Firefox is currently hosting a "Five Years of Firefox" competition to celebrate its anniversary. Entries for that close on 9 December, so you'll want to get your skates on. Hit up the challenge page for more details.

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Tags: Software Browsers Mobile phone apps Firefox Fennec Mozilla Foundation

Mobile Firefox gets its own logo originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:48:09 +0000

Firefox is now?five, however if, like many, you've found yourself having to leave your favourite?browser?because of constant crashing there are plenty of ways to get your Firefox groove back and save yourself from Mozilla hell.

Here are three steps to insuring you can surf the Web with the friendly fox once again:

Disable all your apps

With so many Plug-ins available for the browser, one of the reasons you could be experiencing crashes is that one of them has gone rogue. If this is the case, the best way to find out is disable all your apps and then slowly turn them back on to see which one is causing the issue.

Safe Mode

Firefox comes with a Safe Mode for exactly this reason - trying to fix bugs. buried within the inner workings of Firefox is a handy box that when accessed will allow you to reset your browser to its "factory" settings.

On the Mac you can access this via the Terminal application in Utilities (/Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox -safe-mode) while on the PC you'll find it by accessing the Run command within the Start Bar ("C:Program FilesMozilla Firefoxfirefox.exe" -safe-mode)

Once you've run the application you get to disable all the add-ons in one swoop, reset toolbars and controls, reset bookmarks back to the Firefox defaults, reset all user preferences to Firefox defaults and even restore the default search engine, giving you a fresh start.

Starting from scratch

If none of the above has worked, you've got to take drastic action and make your computer believe that you've never seen or heard of this Firefox browser program. First off you've got to delete it completely.

Unfortunately just deleting or uninstalling the browser from your Mac or PC won't solve your problems, as the browser buries itself into your computers profile and user settings. It's like pulling out a weed, you've got to get right down to the roots to clear out the infection.

Mac

For Mac users drag the Firefox app into the Trash and then remove the Library/Application Support/Firefox folder. This will remove Firefox completely, your bookmarks, browser settings, plug-in details the lot.?

PC

For the PC it's just as simple. First remove the program via the "Add or Remove Programs" tool then delete the Firefox Installation directory located at C:Program filesMozilla Firefox

Reinstall

Now you've removed all the traces of the browser on your computer you simply visit the getfirefox browser website, download the right version for you and reinstall.

If you've done the above, your browser will reinstall and you'll be able to use Firefox like you did before you became a constant crash victim - hopefully for another 5 years.

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Tags: Software PC software Mac software Firefox Browsers Mozilla Quick Guide

Firefox keeps crashing? Here's how to fix it originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:28:53 +0000

Mozilla's internet browser Firefox celebrates its 5th birthday today. "Five years ago today, Mozilla launched Firefox 1.0 with the belief that, as the most significant social and technological development of our time, the Internet is a public resource that must remain open and accessible to all. Within the first four days of launch, more than 1 million people had downloaded a brand new browsing experience", the open source organisation says in a blog post.

"In just five years, that number has swelled to over 330 million users worldwide; almost a quarter of Internet users worldwide choose Firefox. Today, Firefox ships in more than 70 languages and offers users more than 7000 add-ons to help customize their browsing experience".

When Firefox launched Microsoft's Internet Explorer alone controlled a whopping 99% of the browser market. Fast forward 5 years and Firefox enjoys a 23% browser market share, although with increasing competition from the likes of Opera, Apple and Google. Hit play now to see the (slightly indulgent) celebratory video above.

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Tags: Software Online Browsers Firefox Mozilla Statistics Video

VIDEO: Firefox celebrates 5th birthday originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:46:16 +0000

Opera has released the beta of Opera Mobile 10 for Nokia and other Symbian S60 handsets.

With a revamped look and feel, the browser works with touchscreen phones and boasts a host of improvements with the video above giving a brief overview.

Opera Mobile 10 beta is available for Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Samsung smartphones running Symbian S60, 3rd and 5th editions.

The beta is free to download from http://www.opera.com/mobile/next/ or directly to a mobile phone from http://m.opera.com/mobile.

Tags: Phones Mobile phone apps Browsers Opera Symbian Video Software

VIDEO: Opera Mobile 10 beta available for Symbian S60 phones originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:21:53 +0000

RIM is advertising for a Canadian-based WebKit developer, following its acquisition of Torch Mobile (a company that developed the WebKit-based Iris Browser). Both bits of evidence irrefutably point to the fact that RIM knows the BlackBerry browser is a bit rubbish and is trying to fix it.

WebKit is a rendering engine that's used, most notably, in Apple's Safari (both on desktop and in the iPhone) and Google's Chrome browsers. It's also used in Symbian's S60 browser which can be found on Nokia, Samsung and LG handsets. Android's browser is based on WebKit, too, as is the Palm Pre's.

It's essentially the industry standard, and should help to make the BlackBerry browser more of a joy to use than its predecessor. For now, though, there's no official acknowledgement of the switch, let alone any kind of release date for a newer version of the browser, so sit tight for now and we'll let you know when we hear anything more concrete.

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Tags: Phones Software BlackBerry RIM Webkit Browsers Safari Chrome Symbian Palm Pre

RIM advertises for "WebKit Developer" originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:24:36 +0000

Mozilla has issued a new beta version of its Firefox browser - version 3.6 is now available to download in RC1 edition. Originally it was due for a mid-September release, but it slipped a little for reasons unknown.

The update includes version 1.9.2 of the Gecko engine - which Firefox uses to render web pages. That means that it should be a little speedier than before. Previous versions of the software have used version 1.9.1 and Mozilla says that it's possible that the browser will stop supporting 1.9.1 entirely with the release of Firefox 3.6.

Tab previews have appeared too - if you use ctrl-tab to switch between tabs (like you might use alt-tab to switch applications) then you'll get a preview window showing you which tabs you have open. Opera has this feature, but Chrome, Safari and Internet Explorer don't at the time of writing. There's also the option to get thumbnail previews on the taskbar for Windows 7 users.

The build is available to download right now. You can grab it from the Mozilla Foundation's FTP.

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Tags: Software Software updates Browsers Firefox Mozilla

Firefox 3.6 reaches beta originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:54:02 +0100

Opera has announced that Beta 10.10 of its desktop browser is now available. The beta includes Opera Unite, which adds a server to your web browser, meaning that you can interact with and serve content to other computers on the Web.

The beta includes a few apps which demonstrate this functionality. There's a photosharing service which creates web-based picture galleries, a chat client, a filesharing app which means you don't have to muck about with file uploads, a web server to host your own sites, a media player that can access your library of files from anywhere, and a "fridge" app where you can post notes on friends' virtual refrigerators.

"We invite developers all over the world to use their creativity and imagination to push the boundaries of what is possible with Opera Unite", Opera's CEO Jon von Tetzchener told Pocket-lint. "We are moving closer to our goal of reinventing the Web and are excited to see Opera Unite continue to evolve in powerful and compelling ways".

If you'd like to give it a go, then the beta is available to download now. Once you've got it installed, click the button in the bottom left corner of the browser, and log in or register an OperaID. Then just pick the app you want.

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Tags: Software Browsers Opera Software updates Opera Unite Video

VIDEO: Opera 10.10 beta unleashed originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:09:49 +0100

A version of Google's Chrome browser for Macs is due to arrive sooner than expected, the search giant's CEO has revealed at a New York press conference.

While Chrome for Macs was not due to be available for consumer consumption until the first half of 2010, it may come in time for Christmas.

"I see a lot of Macs in this room, and a lot of very sophisticated people are using Macs now and we need to get a version of Chrome out for that, which we’ll have in a couple of months. The key to browser strength is speed", said Schmidt.

The comment was a response to a question on Chrome's low market share, reports PC Pro, an issue Google founder Sergey Brin refuted:

"Some of your premises about Chrome are incorrect, in terms of adoption, and we’re going to get that message out. It's [market share] actually exceeding our benchmarks", Brin said.

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Tags: Software Browsers Chrome Google Mac software

Chrome for Macs in a "couple of months" originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:00:04 +0100

Google has found that the majority of internet users don't actually know what a browser is.

Hard as it may seem to a tech whiz like yourself, a quick un-scientific survey found that most people have no real idea what a browser does or which one they use.

Clearly hoping to educate and then encourage them to use its own browser Chrome, the search engine has even gone as far as create a site - www.whatbrowser.org - and a video to let you know what's what.

According to Jason Toff, associate product marketing manager at Google, a survey of his mates found that while 90% of them knew what car they drive, only 50% knew what browser they use.

He also believes that the "web browser is the most important piece of software on your computer".

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Tags: Software Google Browsers Video

Google: Most don't know what web browser is originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:42:47 +0100

Google could easily crank out a Chrome Frame for Firefox, in the same way that it has for Internet Explorer, according to Mozilla's VP Engineering, Mike Shaver. "The code is certainly there", he told Computerworld.

"But source code doesn't speak to intent", he added, indicating that he doesn't know whether such a plugin is in development at Google. The frame, which launched on 23 September for Internet Explorer, allows IE users to use the speedy WebKit rendering engine that Chrome itself uses.

Google has admitted that it launched Chrome Frame for Internet Explorer because it wasn't worth the time and bother to make Google Wave work nicely in IE6, which doesn't support HTML5 standards.

However, given that Firefox - and other browsers like Opera - support these standards, there'd be no need for Google to make Chrome Frame for those platforms, except for completeness' sake.

Shaver hopes that won't come to fruition: "I'd be unpleasantly surprised if Google did do a [Firefox] plug-in". "We wouldn't want Google to do for us what they did for Microsoft".

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Related links:

• News - Google Chrome Frame aims to bring IE6 kicking and screaming into today's web
• News - Microsoft warns of Chrome Frame security flaws

Tags: Software Online Google Firefox Mozilla Foundation Microsoft Chrome Google Chrome Frame Browsers

Google planning Chrome Frame for Firefox? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:11:47 +0100