Tuesday 24 December 2013

Santa’s sleigh is ready for lift-off

(Cross-posted on the Official Google Blog)

The countdown is over. Santa and his elves have been preparing around the clock for the big day, opening up new pieces of Santa’s Village throughout the month. Santa’s been skydiving, the elves catapulted presents, and Santa even sent custom voice messages to friends and family.

The elves are now reporting that the sleigh is ready for takeoff!
Join Santa as he delivers presents around the globe. Whether you’re in Sydney or South Dakota, hop in the driver’s seat by checking out Santa’s Dash(er) Board. See where Santa’s been, where he’s going, and his real-time jolly status ("mmm, those cookies were delicious!”). Don’t forget to check out the photos and local info for places he visits on the route.


For the next 24 hours, tune in on your desktop, tablet, or phone to the Santa Tracker website.  Still worried you’ll miss a minute of Santa’s big day? The developer elves have been hard at work so you can:


And follow Google Maps on Google+, Facebook and Twitter to get up-to-the-minute details on Santa’s journey around the world.

With more than 300,000 kilometers to go, Santa’s got a lot of the map to cover. So set out those cookies and a glass of milk and get ready to #tracksanta!

Posted by Brian McClendon, Vice President, Google Maps

Thursday 12 December 2013

Conquer the Lonely Mountain in Chrome

In “The Hobbit,” a company of Dwarves tries to reclaim the lost kingdom of Erebor from Smaug the Terrible, a fire-breathing Dragon. While the Dwarves’ quest is fraught with danger, your journey to Erebor is just a click away in “A Journey Through Middle-earth,” the Chrome Experiment released a few weeks ago from Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM).

You can now follow the Dwarves’ journey to Erebor and try to outsmart Smaug on your desktop, mobile phone or tablet. But it might be wise to first pay a little visit to the folks who live in nearby Thranduil’s Hall and Lake-town—locations that recently became accessible in this Chrome Experiment—just in case you need their help against the mighty Dragon.
To get ready for your journey you may want to stop by Google Play. There you'll find all sorts of Hobbit-related apps, games, books, music and films*. Together with the recent recording of a Google+ Hangout with director Peter Jackson and actors Evangeline Lilly and Richard Armitage, these can also help you get up to speed for the upcoming release in theaters of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

And for those of you more interested in web development than Dragon-slaying, check out the second technical case study on “A Journey Through Middle-earth” (the first one is already available on HTML5 Rocks). You can also watch a Hangout with North Kingdom, the team of designers and hackers who built it, on December 18. We'll be posting more updates for the developer community on +Google Chrome Developers.

Adrian Soghoian, Product Marketing Manager & a Fool of a Took

* Available content and promotions vary by country.

Wednesday 11 December 2013

More Chromebook options for your schools from Dell

Dell has a long history of serving schools’ education technology needs. Today, they join the Google for Education family, announcing the new Dell Chromebook 11.

The new Dell Chromebook 11

The Dell Chromebook 11 was designed with schools in mind. The battery lasts up to 10 hours -- enough for a full school day plus homework -- and boots up in 8.4 seconds. It is light and highly portable, making it ideal for student use at home or on the go. And like all Chromebooks, it includes the cutting edge in security features, keeping schools protected from online threats. The device will be available in two versions - 4GB in January 2014 and 2GB in Q1 2014 - both for under $300.



“Dell asked for and listened to feedback about what our district needs in a laptop so we can ensure the best teaching and learning experiences across our schools. Simplicity in rolling out and managing the Chromebooks was really important to us because we only have a crew of six IT team members to manage 13,000 students. We also know that students can be tough on the technology, so we really appreciate the durable screen and robust power supply the Dell Chromebook 11 offers.”

--Bryan Phillips, Chief Technology Officer, Hoover City School District, Alabama

Verified for 2014 Assessments
The new Dell Chromebook 11 joins a family of 5 other Chromebooks that are verified for the latest education assessments. Both Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) verified that all Chromebooks meet their requirements for standardized assessments in the 2014-2015 school year. With the shift toward online assessments and the Common Core State Standards, Chromebooks are helping schools achieve their goals.

To learn more about Chromebooks for Education, please visit our website and fill out our contact form to speak with a member of our team.

Posted by Caesar Sengupta, VP, Product Management

A new breed of Chrome Apps, now available for Mac

A few months ago we announced Chrome Apps which bring the best of productivity, games and more to your desktop. Starting today, you can access these apps on any computer with Chrome, including Mac. Check them out in the “For your desktop” collection in the Chrome Web Store.

Chrome Apps work offline, update automatically and sync to any computer where you're signed into Chrome, so you can pick up where you left off. Your Chrome Apps on Mac behave and feel just like native software. For example, you can find your Chrome Apps in the Applications folder on the Dock. Search for apps by name in the Spotlight search—just like any other Mac program that you already use. 
To make it even faster to find and launch your favorite Chrome Apps, we’re also releasing the Chrome App Launcher for Mac. Just download a new Chrome App and you’ll see the Chrome App Launcher in your Dock.

We know many of you will be spending time with friends and family this holiday season, so here are a few Chrome Apps to check out:

WeVideo Next makes video editing easy for everyone and accessible from anywhere. You choose the editing mode that suits your level of experience and then trim, adjust, apply themes and publish. And it works offline, so you can get a head start polishing up your family videos on your flight home.
Smartsheet is a project management and collaboration app you can use at work and at home.  Try the dinner planner and holiday card tracker templates to stay organized.
Until AM is a full-fledged DJ setup in a lightweight app. Use the music from the cloud while online or keep the party going with your locally stored songs even when you're on an unstable internet connection. It’s perfect for hosting that big New Year’s party.
There are many more great Chrome Apps available in the Chrome Web Store. We hope you enjoy them.

Trent Apted and Jack Hou, Software Engineers & Mac devotees

Tuesday 10 December 2013

New Chromecast apps for the holidays

Just in time for the holidays, 10 new apps have been added to the Chromecast family. Beginning today you can enjoy action sports, news, music videos, and more with the addition of VEVO, Red Bull.TV, Songza, PostTV, Viki, Revision 3 and BeyondPod.

And for those many holiday gatherings, you can also cast your personal media straight to your TV using Plex, Avia, or RealPlayer Cloud apps. There’s no need to huddle around small screens when you can share your own photos and videos using your phone, tablet, or laptop.

Learn more about the supported apps and stay up to date on what's new at chromecast.com/apps. To start casting from these apps, make sure you have the latest versions for Android or iOS, or use Chrome to cast from your laptop. These apps will be rolling out over the next few days.

Happy casting!

Posted by
Jennifer Wasson, Chromecast Business Development Manager and Santa’s Head of Holiday Cheer

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Touchscreen Chromebooks for everyone

As 90 percent of people move between multiple screens every day, many with touch capabilities, we’ve become accustomed to tapping, swiping and zooming to get things done. We’ve received a lot of positive feedback about the touchscreen on the Chromebook Pixel, and over the past year we’ve made optimizations to Chrome OS to make touch actions simple and intuitive — our customers find themselves reaching out to tap an OK button, scroll through a page or zoom into Google Maps.

As part of this immersive, tactile world, Acer has announced the new Acer C720P Chromebook with a multi-touch screen, adding the second touch-enabled Chromebook to the lineup. Acer’s Chromebooks are consistent best-sellers on Amazon, and this new device will help more users experience the best of the tactile web for just $299.


The Acer C720P is available for preorder now at Amazon, and the device will hit store shelves in the U.S. and additional countries from this week onwards.

Posted by Caesar Sengupta, VP, Product Management

Thursday 21 November 2013

HBO GO now works with Chromecast


Grab your favorite snack and get cozy on your Iron Throne, because HBO GO has added Chromecast support to their Android, iOS and web app. Now you can easily enjoy “Game of Thrones,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Girls” and your favorite movies on your TV by casting from the HBO GO app or website.
To start casting from HBO GO, just check that you have the latest version of the app for Android or iOS. You can also cast from hbogo.com using Chrome browser on your laptop or any Chromebook. The mobile and web apps will be rolling out over the next few days.

Winter is Coming!

Posted by Shanna Prevé, Head of Content Partnerships for Chromecast and Mother of Dragons in Training


Wednesday 20 November 2013

Bringing hobbits, dwarves and dragons to screens everywhere

You don’t need to be besties with a Wizard to share an adventure in Middle-earth—just point your favorite browser to goo.gl/TheHobbit on your laptop, phone or tablet to check out “Journey through Middle-earth,” the latest Chrome Experiment.

Inspired by the upcoming motion picture "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” “Journey through Middle-earth” brings the locations and characters from the movie trilogy to life with a mix of modern web technologies. It was developed by North Kingdom in collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures.
Your adventure starts on a beautiful, interactive map of Middle-earth. Zoom in to explore Trollshaw Forest, Rivendell and Dol Guldur (with more locations to come in the next few weeks). Click on each one to learn its history and meet the characters who inhabit it, or dive further to test your wits on a unique survival challenge.

The immersive 3D graphics in “Journey through Middle-earth” were built with CSS3 and WebGL, which you might recognize from previous Chrome Experiments. But “Journey through Middle-earth” is the first Chrome Experiment designed to bring this beautiful, 3D experience to mobile, thanks to support for WebGL in Chrome for Android on devices with high-end graphics cards.

The rich audio effects and sound manipulation are delivered through the Web Audio API, which is now supported on both Chrome for Android and Chrome for iPhone and iPad. Although WebGL isn’t supported on iOS, Chrome users can still experience most of “Journey through Middle-earth” on their iPhones and iPads. We can’t wait to see what sort of rich experiences developers will build as modern web technologies become available on more types of devices.

Circle +Google Chrome to stay updated as more Middle-earth locations get released in the coming weeks. You can also check out the Chromium Blog and read the team’s technical case study if you feel like geeking out a bit more.

Adventure is a click away. Just watch out for the trolls!

Posted by Christos Apartoglou, Product Marketing Manager & Part-time Dragon-slayer

Thursday 14 November 2013

Browse faster on mobile with new Autofill updates

Today, we’re starting to roll out new features on Chrome for mobile to help save you time and hassle while you’re on-the-go.

Autofill coming to iOS

For iPhone and iPad users, Chrome for iOS will soon include Autofill to help you quickly fill out forms on-the-go just as you can on desktop and Android. When you sign into Chrome on your iPhone and iPad, you can quickly complete online forms using your synced Autofill info from other devices you’ve signed into.


A faster Autofill experience on Android

On Android, we’re testing some improvements to Autofill to further streamline online forms. Using your saved Chrome Autofill info (or Google Wallet account if you’re in the US), checking out becomes as simple as a few clicks.


This feature is just in the early stages, but we’re excited about the opportunity to make online shopping and form filling even easier for merchants and users alike. You can test this faster checkout flow on Betabrand with this release of Chrome for Android, and we’re hoping to bring more of your favorite retailers onto the platform in the coming months. Interested merchants can learn more about implementing this feature here.

Ready to give your fingers a break? Try out these new Autofill features and more with the latest releases of Chrome for Android and iOS, coming soon to the Play Store and App Store.

Update (Nov. 20): As of today, both the Chrome for Android and for iOS apps have been updated and are available on the Play Store and App Store.

Ruslan Abdikeev and Jim Blackler, Software Engineers and Sprint Form Fillers

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Important update on the HP Chromebook 11 [UPDATED]

Updated 12/17/13:
With guidance and approval from the CPSC and other regulatory agencies, Google and HP are recalling the original charger for the HP Chromebook 11. Customers should visit http://chromebook.com/hp11chargerform to request a free replacement charger. We apologize again for the inconvenience this has caused. Your safety is our top priority. With our partner HP, we are resuming sales of the HP Chromebook 11. All new packages will include the replacement charger.

Original post 11/13/13:
Google and HP are pausing sales of the HP Chromebook 11 after receiving a small number of user reports that some chargers included with the device have been damaged due to overheating during use. We are working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to identify the appropriate corrective action, and will provide additional information and instructions as soon as we can.

In the meantime, customers who have purchased an HP Chromebook 11 should not use the original charger provided with the product. In the interim they may continue using their HP Chromebook 11 with any other certified micro-USB charger, for example one provided with a tablet or smartphone. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Posted by Caesar Sengupta, VP, Product Management

Monday 11 November 2013

Track down those noisy tabs

Have you ever shuffled through your tabs to figure out where that sound or music is coming from? We hear you! With today’s latest Chrome Beta release, you can now visually scan your tabs for a speaker icon to quickly find the offender. Chrome will also indicate which tabs are currently using your webcam or are being cast to your TV.
Playing audio

Using your webcam
Casting to your TV
And for those who use Windows 8 you’ll notice that Chrome looks different in “Metro” mode. We’ve made it possible to manage multiple Chrome windows and quickly get to your favorite Chrome Apps with an integrated app launcher. If you use a Chromebook the change may look familiar — with a common interface we’ll be able to bring great experiences to both even more quickly!


Finally, while Safe Browsing warns you before you visit malicious websites or download malicious files, Chrome Beta will now automatically block malware files. If you see this message in the download tray at the bottom of your screen, you can click “Dismiss” knowing that Chrome is working to keep you safe. 

Download Chrome Beta to give these latest enhancements a test drive.

Yuri Wiitala, Software Engineer and Tenacious Tab Tracker

Thursday 31 October 2013

Don’t mess with my browser!

In some ways, it's safer than ever to be online — especially if you use Chrome. With continued security research and seamless automatic updates, your browsing experience is always getting better and more secure. But recently you may have noticed something seems amiss. Online criminals have been increasing their use of malicious software that can silently hijack your browser settings. This has become a top issue in the Chrome help forums; we're listening and are here to help.

Bad guys trick you into installing and running this kind of software by bundling it with something you might want, like a free screensaver, a video plugin or—ironically—a supposed security update. These malicious programs disguise themselves so you won’t know they’re there and they may change your homepage or inject ads into the sites you browse. Worse, they block your ability to change your settings back and make themselves hard to uninstall, keeping you trapped in an undesired state.

We're taking steps to help, including adding a "reset browser settings" button in the last Chrome update, which lets you easily return your Chrome to a factory-fresh state. You can find this in the “Advanced Settings” section of Chrome settings.




In the current Canary build of Chrome, we’ll automatically block downloads of malware that we detect. If you see this message in the download tray at the bottom of your screen, you can click “Dismiss” knowing Chrome is working to keep you safe.


This is in addition to the 10,000 new websites we flag per day with Safe Browsing, which also detects and blocks malicious downloads, to keep more than 1 billion web users safe across multiple browsers that use this technology. Keeping you secure is a top priority, which is why we’re working on additional means to stop malicious software installs as well.

Update: 11/1/13: Updated to mention that Safe Browsing already detects and blocks malware.

Linus Upson, Vice President

Tuesday 22 October 2013

A beta preview: supervised users

As someone who has helped numerous family members get online for the first time, I know how rewarding it can be. I enjoy sitting down with my daughter, watching her eyes light up at new favorites we find together on the web. Like many of you, I also find it important to keep family members protected from websites that may be inappropriate. To help those who may need some guidance browsing the web, we’re kicking off a beta channel preview of a new feature called supervised users.

Let’s say you’ve recently purchased the new HP Chromebook 11 and want to share it with your son. He’ll be able to use your Chromebook as a supervised user. This means once you’ve created a supervised user for him on your Chromebook, you’ll be able to visit chrome.com/manage to review a history of web pages he has visited, determine sites that you want to allow or block, and manage permissions for any blocked websites he has requested to view.


We hope this new feature helps you share Chromebooks with everyone in your family. Additionally, you can try an early version of supervised users on Chrome beta for Windows, Mac and Linux, too. This is just the beginning — we’d love to get your feedback on features you’d like to see. If you’re on the beta channel, supervised users will begin rolling out this week. Give it a try, and let us know what you think!

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Extending Chrome support for XP users until April 2015

On April 8, 2014, after more than a decade of powering many of the world’s computers, Windows XP will officially retire. Like all technologies that come to their end-of-life, the XP operating system and most of its desktop applications will no longer receive updates and security patches. Since unpatched browser bugs are often used by malware to infect computers, we’re extending support for Chrome on Windows XP, and will continue to provide regular updates and security patches until at least April 2015.

We recognize that hundreds of millions of users, including a good chunk of current Chrome users, still rely on XP. Moreover, many organizations still run dozens or even hundreds of applications on XP and may have trouble migrating. Our goal is to support Chrome for XP users during this transition process. Most importantly, Chrome on XP will still be automatically updated with the latest security fixes to protect against malware and phishing attacks.

If you’re an IT administrator and your employees depend on web applications built for older browsers, you can use Legacy Browser Support to set Chrome as the primary browser and limit the usage of the unsupported, legacy browser to only specific web apps. See Chrome for Business to learn more about how to deploy and manage Chrome for an organization.

Mark Larson, Director of Engineering and Superintendent of Public Safety, Google Chrome 

Thursday 10 October 2013

The Acer C720 Chromebook launches

Following their announcement at IDF, we’re delighted to officially welcome the Acer C720 as the latest addition to the Chromebook family. Featuring Intel’s latest Haswell processor and a battery that lasts all day, the C720 is an ideal balance of power and portability.


The C720 is available online at Best Buy and Amazon for $249.99 in the U.S., with devices arriving in stores soon. The C720 will also be available in Germany, UK, France, Netherlands, Sweden and Finland. We’re also happy to see that Acer is bringing their Chromebooks to India for the first time, available at Flipkart.



Tuesday 8 October 2013

The new HP Chromebook, made with Google

We need our computers to be as fast and mobile as we are. We want to work across multiple screens—often at the same time. We want the latest and greatest software and we want to be able to get to our stuff from wherever we are. Chromebooks offer all of that, making computers that are simpler, more secure and more affordable, for everyone.

Earlier today, HP introduced the HP Chromebook 11. Designed and built in partnership with our friends at HP, it has all of the speed, simplicity and security benefits you'd expect from a Chromebook, and some unique design elements that address many of the challenges people face with computers today.


First, a laptop should be light and mobile. So the new Chromebook is really thin with no extra fluff. It weighs in at just over two pounds—one of the lightest laptops on the market. There are also no sharp edges so nothing digs into your wrists while you type. And when you’re traveling, you don’t need to throw an extra charger into your bag. The HP Chromebook 11 is powered by a micro-USB charger, which can also be used to juice up your Android phone or tablet.

Second, a computer should look good—something you’re proud to take out at a coffee shop. So the new Chromebook has a sleek, distinctive and super simple look. The fanless design means it doesn’t need any grills for venting. And it comes in a variety of colors to match your mood (or your wardrobe).

And there are a bunch of other things that we hope will make your computing experience even more awesome:
  • Brilliant display. Often when folks gather around a screen, everyone tries to gently nudge the computer in their own direction so they can see better. No more nudging. The new Chromebook's screen has a 176-degree viewing angles so you can see even when looking at it almost completely sideways. And the super bright display brings all of your favorite photos, shows and videos to life.
  • Light but sturdy. We wanted the Chromebook to hold up well against everyday bumps and bruises. So it has a magnesium frame that makes it incredibly sturdy. You can hold it from a single corner without it bending or flexing.
  • Finely-tuned speakers. Many computers have speakers on the bottom, which is great if you have ears in your lap. Instead, the speakers on the new Chromebook are under the keyboard, which means the sound is crisp, clear and pointed up towards your ears.
  • Goodies built-in. And, of course, many Google apps come built-in, including 100GB of Google Drive cloud storage (free for two years) and a 60-day free trial of Google Play Music All Access.

This Chromebook is crafted with the same obsessive attention to detail as the Chromebook Pixel. But we worked hard with HP to keep the price low: the new HP Chromebook 11 is available for just $279.

Look for it starting today at Best Buy, Amazon, Google Play and HP Shopping in the U.S., as well as at Currys, PC World and many other retailers in the U.K. It will be available in other countries that sell Chromebooks in time for the holidays.

So if you’ve been looking for a computer that makes it easier to get stuff done (and look good doing it), we hope you give the new HP Chromebook 11 a try—or add it to your gift list this holiday season. We designed it to make computing faster, simpler and more secure, for everyone.

Posted by Caesar Sengupta, VP, Product Management

Thursday 3 October 2013

Chrome for Android gets application shortcuts and faster search

Have you ever wished your phone or tablet’s browser could immediately open a website you visit often? With the Beta release of Chrome for Android rolling out today, it’s now easier to create shortcuts on your homescreen to do exactly that. When visiting a website you’d like to save, simply select “Add to homescreen” from the toolbar menu.


Anytime you’d like to open the saved website, you can just tap its icon on your homescreen. For certain websites, the shortcut will now open in a full-screen experience and appear as a separate app in the app switcher.

Some Beta users on Android will also begin to see variations on their New Tab page, like the one below:


We’ve tested this New Tab page with a search bar on desktop and now want to bring the benefits, including a faster load time, to mobile as well. While you can search straight from the Omnibox in Chrome, we realized many users continue to visit their search engine’s homepage before searching, so we wanted to make it faster for those users to search. We’re always thinking about how to save milliseconds from every search you perform, and we hope this new feature will save you time on-the-go.

You can start trying out these Chrome Beta features later today.

Posted by Newton Allen & Ted Choc, Software Engineers & New Tab Architects

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Hulu Plus now works with Chromecast

Hulu has added Chromecast support to their Hulu Plus app—just in time for the fall television season. Now you can easily enjoy your favorite shows, such as “Modern Family,” “New Girl” and “Parks and Recreation,” on your big-screen TV by casting from Hulu Plus on your mobile phone or tablet. It’s the same intuitive, remote-free experience you’ve come to enjoy with the other Chromecast-supported apps, and is as simple as pressing the Cast button which will now appear in the app.



Chromecast, which we launched in July, is designed to be small, affordable ($35) and the simplest way to watch online video on your TV. It’s been exciting to receive such positive feedback from many of you (thank you!)—and to see Chromecast currently listed as the #1 best seller on Amazon in Electronics.

To start casting your favorite Hulu Plus content from your Android phone, tablet or iPad (support for iPhone coming very soon), just check that you have the latest version of the Hulu Plus app for Android or iOS that’s rolling out today. And if you don't already own a Chromecast device, they’re in stock and available on Google Play, Amazon, BestBuy.com or at your local Best Buy store.

Posted by Shanna Prevé, Head of Content Partnerships for Chromecast and TV junkie


Tuesday 1 October 2013

Search by image and new Chrome for Android gestures

If you use Chrome, you might notice we’re always making small adjustments to simplify and streamline your browsing experience. Starting this week, all Chrome users will be able to search by image and Chrome for Android users get some new gestures to quickly navigate open tabs and access the menu.

Right-click on an image to use it as a Google search 

In Chrome for Android, you’ll be able to:
  • Swipe horizontally across the top toolbar to quickly switch tabs.
  • Drag vertically down from the toolbar to enter into the tab switcher view. 
  • Drag down from the menu to open the menu and select the item you want without having to lift your finger.

Swipe your way between tabs and into the menu

These updates to Chrome for desktop and Android will be rolling out to all users over the next few days, so if you don't see them yet, you will soon. Happy browsing!

Posted by Kibeom Kim, Software Engineer and Swift Swiper

Wednesday 18 September 2013

A new Chrome for a new iOS: Better Google Apps integration and improved voice search

Just in time for iOS7, comes a new Chrome for iOS. Starting today you can download the latest update to Chrome for iOS for both your iPhone and iPad. You’ll notice a new design for iOS7, including improvements to the fullscreen experience on your iPad.

Better Together: Chrome integrates with your favorite Google Apps

It’s now easier to switch between Chrome and your favorite Google Apps on your mobile device. Sign in to Chrome on your iPhone or iPad, and the next time you open another Google app, you can login with one simple click. Easily add or remove accounts in Settings.
Links from Chrome can now directly open in the YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Drive and Google+ apps. For example, if you’re searching for a nearby Thai restaurant, Chrome will open the address in the Google Maps app. Just visit “Google Apps” under Settings to select which apps you’d like to open from Chrome.
Fluid Searching: Intelligent pronoun understanding & snap back to search results 

With today’s update, voice search on Chrome for mobile gets better. You can now string together multiple voice searches with pronouns to get to results faster. For example, a voice search for “Who is the president of the United States?” followed by “Where did he go to school?”, lists all the schools President Barack Obama attended (all the way back to elementary school!).



Try it out by asking:
  • “Who is the prime minister of Canada?” and then, “How old is he?”
  • “How many people live in Pennsylvania?” and then, “When did it become a state?”
  • “Who directed Star Trek Into Darkness?” and then, “Who is his wife?”

Finally, it’s even quicker to return to your search results. Search result link you clicked not what you were looking for? We’ve sped things up so that as soon as you hit the back button, all your results reappear instantly.


Try out the latest version of Chrome for iPhone and iPad today.

Posted by Miranda R. Callahan, Software Engineer and Dedicated Speeder-Upper

Wednesday 11 September 2013

A fresh mix of Intel-based Chromebooks — something for everyone


Chromebooks were designed to make computers faster, simpler, safer and much more affordable for everyone. Over the past year, with the launch of Chromebooks by a number of our partners for as low as $199, they have become the go-to laptop for many people. We’re pleased to see consumers, schools and businesses react positively to Chromebooks. Research firm NPD says Chromebooks represent 20-25% of the $300-or-less computer segment. In education, more than 5,000 schools have deployed Chromebooks for their students, representing more than 20% of school districts in the US.

Together with our hardware partners, we’ve been working on expanding the Chromebook family. Intel, who has been with us on this journey from day one, unveiled a new lineup of Chromebooks today based on the Haswell microarchitecture at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco. Intel’s latest processors sip less power to improve battery life by more than 2X over previous generations, while offering increased performance. This means these new Chromebooks last almost all day so you can focus on getting things done.


Over the coming months, you’ll see Chromebooks from multiple device manufacturers. These include newly designed Chromebooks from Acer and HP, as well as new entrants ASUS and Toshiba.





Across the new lineup, the devices offer superb battery life and a variety of new designs—from a light and portable Acer Chromebook, to the large display on the HP Chromebook14, which comes in various colors; from the versatility and portability of the Toshiba Chromebook, to the ASUS Chromebox, suitable anywhere you need a computer. With today’s announcement, now six of the top laptop manufacturers are offering Chromebooks.


It’s been amazing to see the broadening of the Chromebook spectrum and we look forward to continued advances in both the hardware and software. Now more than ever, a new Chromebook truly offers something for everyone.

Posted by Caesar Sengupta, Product Management Director, Chromebooks

Monday 9 September 2013

Just a Reflektor: a virtual projection with Arcade Fire


Since Chrome launched in 2008, we’ve been experimenting with new ways to tell stories on the web using 3D graphics, immersive sound effects and more. In the last few years, the mobile web has also exploded, so we wanted to explore what kind of new interactions were possible using the latest technologies available on Chrome for Mobile.


Just A Reflektor” is an interactive film directed by Vincent Morisset and featuring a new song from Arcade Fire. The film lets you cast a virtual projection on your computer screen by holding up your mobile device in front of your computer’s webcam. That way, you control all of the visual effects in the experience—not by moving a mouse on a screen, but by moving your phone or tablet through the physical space around you. 




The film’s heroine, Axelle, is revealed through a spotlight that moves in time with your mobile device.



In a later scene, a liquid effect is combined with a time delay, creating a video collage. 



About four minutes into the film, the “reflektor” is turned toward Axelle herself.

To explore the effects used in the film, see the technology page, where you can adjust a number of visual settings and create your own effects using a robust editor. You can also watch a behind-the-scenes video to learn about how the film was made. The code for the film and tech page is open source, so creative coders can download it and try it for themselves.



The technology page lets you create, edit and share your own visual effects using footage from the film.

We hope this project inspires more filmmakers and visual artists to experiment with the latest features in Chrome. And for everyone else, we hope “Just A Reflektor” offers a new, exciting way to interact with the web.

Posted by Aaron Koblin, Google Creative Lab

Thursday 5 September 2013

A new breed of Chrome Apps

Editor's note: Today marks the 5th birthday of Chrome, a project we started to push the web platform forward. From a humble beginning of static text, images and links, the web has grown into a rich platform teeming with interactive content and powerful applications. We’ve been astounded by how far the web has come and are very excited to see what developers around the world will be able to do with the new generation of Chrome Apps. 

Today we’re unveiling a new kind of Chrome App, which brings together the speed, security and flexibility of the modern web with the powerful functionality previously only available with software installed on your devices. (Think apps designed for your desktop or laptop, just like the ones for your phone and tablet.) These apps are more powerful than before, and can help you get work done, play games in full-screen and create cool content all from the web. If you’re using Windows or a Chromebook, you can check them out in the “For your desktop” collection in the Chrome Web Store (Mac & Linux coming soon). 


Here’s what you can expect with new Chrome Apps:

  • Work offline: Keep working or playing, even when you don’t have an internet connection.
  • More app, less Chrome: No tabs, buttons or text boxes mean you can get into the app without being distracted by the rest of the web.
  • Connect to the cloud: Access and save the documents, photos and videos on your hard drive as well as on Google Drive and other web services.
  • Stay up-to-speed: With desktop notifications, you can get reminders, updates and even take action, right from the notification center.
  • Play nice with your connected devices: Interact with your USB, Bluetooth and other devices connected to your desktop, including digital cameras.
  • Keep updated automatically: Apps update silently, so you always get all the latest features and security fixes (unless permissions change).
  • Pick up where you left off: Chrome syncs your apps to any desktop device you sign in to, so you can keep working.
  • Sleep easier: Chrome apps take advantage of Chrome’s built-in security features such as Sandboxing. They also auto-update to make sure you have all the latest security fixes. No extra software (or worrying) required.
  • Launch apps directly from your desktop: To make it quicker and easier to get to your favorite apps, we’re also introducing the Chrome App Launcher for Windows, which will appear when you install your first new Chrome App. It lives in your taskbar and launches your apps into their own windows, outside of Chrome, just like your desktop apps. Have lots of apps? Navigate to your favorite apps using the search box.

The new Chrome app launcher

Of course, even with all this great stuff happening behind-the-scenes, the apps are what really matter. We know many of you doing enjoy things like photo editing, checking off your to-do’s or unwinding with games, so here are a few Chrome apps to get you started: 

Explore and create

Pixlr Touch Up lets you quickly touch up, crop, resize and adjust photos from your computer or Google Drive. If you’re feeling dramatic, you can also choose from a variety of film-inspired effects to apply. And it works offline, so you can get a head start polishing up your vacation photos on your flight home.
Other creativity apps worth checking out: 

Get stuff done 

Wunderlist is a beautiful and simple to-do list, which features voice dictation and desktop notifications, which remind you of timely tasks and team updates. And for those on the move, you can take your tasks with you from computer to computer, and manage them even if you’re offline.






Other productivity apps worth checking out:

Be entertained

Cracking Sands is an action-packed racing game that lets you speed your way past your online or computer opponents through beautiful 3D courses. And for those looking for more precise control, you can even connect your Xbox controller via USB.


Other games worth checking out: 

We hope you enjoy what you see in the Chrome Web Store. And please share your favorite new Chrome Apps in the comments below.


Posted by Erik Kay, Engineering Director and Chrome App-ologist

Monday 26 August 2013

Joining a moment in history through the modern web

Nearly 50 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a stirring speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with the words “I have a dream.” Today, we’re sharing a new way to take part in this historic moment through a web experience developed by our friends at Organic and Unit9, for the National Park Foundation.

Called “March on Washington,” the experience invites you to relive that moment in time by listening to an original recording of Dr. King’s words accompanied by immersive photography from the event itself.

One of the most powerful abilities of the web is that it connects people from all over the world in new ways. In “March on Washington," you can also virtually join this historic event by recording yourself reciting Dr. King’s words. Then, you can play back other participants’ recordings as a crowd-sourced narrative of voices, hearing the timeless message repeated back from people all over the world.

We’re excited to see the modern web enable experiences like “March on Washington” that bring together people and history in new, powerful ways. Head over to wearestillmarching.com on a laptop, phone or tablet to check it out.

Posted by Max Heinritz, Associate Product Manager & Modern Marcher

Thursday 22 August 2013

Searching by image gets easier

Have you ever seen an image on the web and wanted to know more about it?  Well, with today’s Beta release of Chrome you can quickly discover all sorts of content related to an image by right-clicking on it, or by long pressing it on mobile devices, and selecting the option to search for it within your default search provider.


Right-click on an image to use it as a Google search

In Chrome for Android, new gestures make it even easier to get where you want to go.  Swipe horizontally across the top toolbar to quickly switch tabs (this gesture replaces swiping from the edge of the screen).  Drag vertically down from the toolbar to enter into the tab switcher view.  And drag down from the menu to open the menu and select the item you want without having to lift your finger.
Swipe your way between tabs and into the menu

Get Chrome Beta today (for desktop and Android) to give these latest enhancements a test drive. If you are interested in APIs and other developer features we are introducing in this version you can get more details over in the Chromium blog.


Tuesday 20 August 2013

Smarter omnibox suggestions for all

Starting today, all Chrome users will start seeing improvements to omnibox suggestions based on the recency of websites you visited, resulting in more timely and contextually relevant suggestions. Mac users will also receive support for rich notifications, so you can keep up with what’s happening within your apps and extensions. 

And for those nostalgic for the new car smell -- maybe you, too, got overzealous with fun extensions -- we’ve added a new option to the Chrome settings page to let you restore it back to its original state. And don't worry, it won't affect your bookmarks, saved passwords and history. Here’s how to find this option:

    1. Click on this icon:
    2. Select Settings
    3. Click Show advanced settings
    4. And click on the button shown here:
On Chrome on Android, we have improved scrolling and startup performance and are introducing WebRTC support that will enable video conversation directly in the browser without a plugin. Experience it over the coming days as the update rolls out to your device.

Update August 21: edits made to correct what is disabled when opting to restore your Chrome to its original state via the new Chrome settings option.