If you are using Firefox 3 (or even Chrome) you should consider taking a look at Mozilla's Minefield.
This browser (alpha version yet, but stable) would give a new meaning to "fast browsing experience"... Some Firefox extensions aren't supported, but riding the fastest javascript engine on the planet definitely worth a try.
Version 5.0 and Version 2.5 of their respective Firmwares gave the PSP and the PS3 some much asked-for features. So what's in store for Sony's PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 consoles?
For answers, we turn to Munechika Nishida, who posted his latest Random Tracking column to Impress Watch over the weekend.
This time around, the well-connected technology writer managed to get commentary from Naoya Matsui, Koujiro Umemura, Masaki Takase, and Shinji Noda, all high ranking Sony Computer Entertainment employees directly responsible for firmware and network issues regarding the PS3 and PSP.
The column first recapped some of the major points of the recent firwmare updates, with particular attention given to the inclusion of Flash 9 support in the PS3. This was a heavily requested feature, said Matsui, with Japanese fans hoping to view videos from Nico Nico Video, a Japanese... More »
Google has been promising that one of the aims of its new Chrome browser is to make everything quicker. Well, a JavaScript benchmark test reveals that it wipes the floor with all the other browsers. JavaScript, is the programming language that powers Google Docs, Gmail, and many other Web applications.
To quote: Here's the site description of the speed tests:
• Richards: OS kernel simulation benchmark, originally written in BCPL by Martin Richards (539 lines).
• DeltaBlue: One-way constraint solver, originally written in Smalltalk by John Maloney and Mario Wolczko (880 lines).
• Crypto: Encryption and decryption benchmark based on code by Tom Wu (1,689 lines).
• RayTrace: Ray tracer benchmark based on code by Adam Burmister (3,418 lines).
• EarleyBoyer: Classic Scheme benchmarks, translated to JavaScript by Florian Loitsch's Scheme2Js compiler (4,682 lines).
First tests of Google's "faster, safer" browser have revealed embarrassing glitches which prevent basic Web features from loading.
Online speculation suggests that the errors are based on the Javascript foundations of the browser, which can affect everything from pop-up windows to login modules.
The free browser has been made available in a "public trial" version following a premature press release yesterday on the new service, which came in comic book form.
Google Chrome is being touted as a sleeker and more reliable alternative to Microsoft's Internet Explorer, with Google saying a sophisticated testing system was used to prevent bugs from occurring on popular websites.
However this morning, some computers running Chrome failed to load Google services such as iGoogle and Google Docs, and others – such as GMail's login page – only loaded part of the text, without images or a login form.
Are Internet Explorer and Firefox ready to do battle with Chrome?
Google announced Monday that it has been hard at work on an open-source browser known as Chrome, a beta version of which will be released in 100 countries on Tuesday.
New features will included "isolated" tabs designed to prevent browser crashes and a more powerful JavaScript engine.
"Why are we launching Google Chrome? Because we believe we can add value for users and, at the same time, help drive innovation on the web," Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management, and Linus Upson, Google engineering director, wrote in a blog post.
Google was apparently looking to keep news of Chrome under wraps until after the holiday weekend. A 38-page, online comic book that provided details about Chrome hit the blog... More »
Now that Mozilla's locked down Firefox 3's final feature set with Friday's push of release candidate 1, it's official: while Firefox 3 boasts some great new features like a smart address bar and better bookmarks manager, the best reason to upgrade will be for the performance improvements.
Firefox 3 is noticeably faster and more stable than Firefox 2 to the casual user and Mozilla engineers have numbers that show it will be the fastest browser on the market. Tech site TechWeb reports:
Mozilla VP of engineering Mike Schroepfer claims that Firefox 3 is 9.3x faster than Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 and 2.7x faster than Firefox 2 in terms of JavaScript performance. In terms of Gmail message load time, he claims Firefox 3 is 6.8x faster than IE7 and 3.8x faster than Firefox 2. And he says Firefox 3 beats Apple's Safari, which is also faster than Firefox 2.
Barring major bugs, RC 1 could become the final release of the third major iteration of the 'fox... More »
The popular Wii Opera SDK has been opened to the general public by popular demand, allowing anyone with knowledge in HTML and JavaScript to take on the task of creating homebrew games and software for the Wii’s Internet Channel. Previous to this release, the Wii Opera SDK was only available by request.
For the past eight months, this software library has grown from a simple Wii Remote reader to a full-blown package that allows 3D and texture-mapped graphics and multiuser communication in the Opera-based Web browser known simply as the Internet Channel. In addition, the Wii Opera SDK was the first such software library of any type which read from all four Wii Remotes and the Nunchuk attachments for the second through fourth Wii Remotes. It was also the first to include limited motion sensing based on the pointer control.
Although its main focus is the Wii, everything in the SDK, with the exception of the Wii Remote interaction, will work in any modern Web bro... More »
Google has launched a system that will allow developers to create applications for a variety of social networks.
Developers currently have to customise their designs for a particular site with many partnering with the hugely popular Facebook.
Google's OpenSocial system will allow a wider distribution for tools like Facebook's music recommendation service iLike and its Top Friends application.
It has long been reported that Google has big ambitions in social networking.
Last week it missed out on the chance to buy a stake in Facebook with the founders choosing instead to do a deal with Microsoft.
"Facebook-fear"
Google said that around a dozen social network partners had signed up to the system, including business site LinkedIn, Friendster and Google's own social network Orkut.
Developers already onboard include Flixster, iLike and RockYou.
Unlike Facebook, OpenSocial allows developer... More »
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