Chrome vs. Safari - Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S

Check out our Chrome for Android Walkthrough!

Galaxy Nexus and iPhone 4S

The race for the best mobile browser is just about dead even. Android's browser has certainly competed with its Webkit cousin in mobile Safari for several versions now, partially from borrowing bits and pieces of Chrome code. (Anybody remember this demo from Google IO 2010?) But while the browsers might have been fairly level under the hood, Safari's definitely had the edge in what the end users see, with scrolling and zooming that's buttery smooth.

With the introduction of the Chrome browser on Android (currently available in beta form), the mobile browsing playing field has been leveled that much more. Behind the scenes, things are running as fast as ever. And out front, on the display, the Android's browsing experience has taking another evolutionary leap forward.

We've got a quick comparison video and some more benchmarks after the break. We're not looking for the most scientific of results here -- though the benchmarks speak for themselves. Really, it's the feel of the Chrome browser on Android (and, again, remember that it's still a "beta" product, for what that's worth) that we're most interested in.  

Click on through to the other side.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/1Q3Lvezwe3k/story01.htm

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Google Wallet PIN security cracked - here's what you need to know

Google Wallet

Google Wallet's PIN security has been cracked, but there's a caveat -- this currently only is an issue if your phone is rooted. Not rooted? No worries. And with that said and done, here's the deal:

Your Google Wallet PIN (Personal Identification Number) is stored encrypted on your device, and a brute-force method was found to expose the SHA256 hex-encoded PIN information inside the database. This method, which was irresponsibly released to the public, can find the PIN without any incorrect attempts in the Wallet app itself, negating the five-try rule the application has for PIN entry.  (See it in action after the break.)

Now here's the not so sexy way to describe it all.  You'll need to have a phone with Google Wallet, AND have rooted your device, AND have not set a secure lock screen, AND then lose your phone. The person who finds it THEN can use the app the fellows at zvleo have made and since distributed to brute-force the PIN and THEN can use your phone to make payments, just like they could if they found your credit card, which likely would be quicker and easier than any of this.

Google has been notified and already knows how to fix the issue, but there's a problem. To make it more secure, Google will have to move the PIN information to be controlled and maintained by your bank. This not only will require some changes to the terms of service, but then we're relying on corporate banking institutions to keep our information safe. I'd wager that Citigroup's servers are easier to break into than Google's, and then you have the same issue all over again.

A better way to fix the problem would be to force users to use a better password. PIN information can be cracked so easy because it only uses four numbers. This means that there are only 10,000 possible combinations, and even a portable computer like your Android phone can pull off that sort of brute-force attack. Change the passcode to something like Fgtr5400&d77 -- using a combination of letters, numbers and symbols -- and it's far less likely to be broken, and even less likely to even be used because it's not convenient.  It's a Catch-22 -- a PIN is easy to use and remember, but it's also more easy to crack.

I'm not going to tell you to stop using Google Wallet, nor am I going to tell you to stop rooting your phone. I am going to tell you to pick it up, and put a passcode on the lock screen now, before you lose it.  

Source: zvelo

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/3rDJRAsF_o4/story01.htm

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Google demands veto on OEM Android changes, stretches definition of 'open source'

Google, according to reports from "a dozen executives working at key companies in the Android ecosystem" is finally locking down the open source and easily-fragmented Android operating system.

As it currently stands, Google hands over the 'final' code for each version of Android, and OEMs and developers then spend some time customizing the OS to fit their hardware, and to create a unique and marketable flavor. That's all set to change, however.

Over the last few months, according to several people familiar with the matter, Android licensees such as HTC, Motorola and Facebook, have been asked to sign 'non-fragmentation clauses.' This new contract caveat will give Google the right to review and pass judgment on all changes to the Android OS. Two executives at Facebook say that they're unhappy that Google gets to review its changes to Android -- which is understandable, given Facebook and Google are direct competitors -- and there have also been allegations that Google is preventing some Verizon devices from shipping because they include Microsoft's Bing instead of Google search.

Continue reading Google demands veto on OEM Android changes, stretches definition of 'open source'

Google demands veto on OEM Android changes, stretches definition of 'open source' originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/google-demands-veto-on-android-changes-stretches-definition-of/

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Lytro Light Field Camera's guts get spilled on the FCC's dancefloor

Lytro Light Field Camera's guts get spilled on the FCC's dancefloor
There's a scene in Robocop 2, where our eponymous hero is set-to with an angle grinder and dumped in pieces outside the Detroit Police station. Now replace the cybernetic Alex Murphy with the Lytro Light Field camera and you'll know what was found on the sidewalk opposite from the FCC's concrete bunker this morning. Interesting tidbits revealed in the government-sponsored autopsy included a questionably small Zoran imaging chip and Marvell Avastar W8787 wireless SoC -- but the company's already swiftly denied it'll have WiFi capability. Still, the infinite-focus device is certainly on for that early 2012 launch date if it's passed through the FCC without derision. We like to treat you right, dear readers, so below you'll find a cornucopia of galleries to hunt through before these units arrive in your hands. What do you think? Should we equip all our staffers with Lytro cameras for our future hands-ons?


Lytro Light Field Camera's guts get spilled on the FCC's dancefloor originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge, Tech Crunch  |  sourceFCC  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/lytro-fcc/

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Google Chrome update brings speedier browsing, enhanced security, joy

The week isn't quite over yet, but it's already shaping up to be a busy one for Google Chrome. After finally bringing its browser to Android on Tuesday, Google yesterday announced an update for the original desktop version, promising faster browsing and enhanced security. More specifically, this new Stable release features a revamped omnibox that will now pre-render pages as a user types in a URL or search query, allowing for faster load times. Google has also tweaked its Safe Browsing feature, which will now automatically scan downloaded files for malware, with an especially sharp focus on any ".exe." or ".msi" files. To determine the safety of a given file, the browser will compare it against a list of publishers and files known to be safe. If it doesn't show up there, Chrome will then consult Google for more information. If the file proves suspicious, it'll warn the user and recommend deleting it. Google added that it's working on an update for its Chrome OS, as well, promising a new image editor and Verizon 3G activation portal, though there's no word yet on when that might roll out. For more details, see the source link below.

Google Chrome update brings speedier browsing, enhanced security, joy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechCrunch  |  sourceGoogle Chrome Blog  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/google-chrome-update-speed-security/

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Path CEO: ‘We Thought We Were Doing This Right’

SAN FRANCISCO, California — “We thought we were doing this the right way. It turns out, we made a mistake.” Dave Morin, the CEO and creator of social media app Path, tells me this as we sit in his 22nd-floor headquarters in downtown San Francisco. It’s a mere 24 hours after an independent app developer [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/02/path-dave-morin-explains-data/

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Survival Lab is a fun pixelated game where dying doesn't matter

Survival Lab
In most games, dying is a bad thing. You have to start all over again, or at least revert to the last save point and lose some progress. Not so in Survival Lab: in this pixelated gem you play as a lone individual pitted against ruthless weapons in a sealed chamber. You have to run, jump and duck, collecting little yellow things (I have no idea what they're called).

For each donut-like yellow thing you pick up, you gain a bit of experience. If you manage to collect several in a row without getting hit, this counts as a combo. You can see my mad combo skills in the screenshot, of course. Collecting combos is a good thing, because a ten-point combo gives you for more experience than just collecting ten dounts one by one (getting hit in-between).

Having experience is useful, because once you die, you get to a screen where you can upgrade your skills. You can learn to run faster, double-jump (and then double-jump higher), and duck. You can also gain more armour so that getting hit won't kill you so quickly.

What makes this simple game so addictive is that when you die, your experience doesn't reset. You just go back to the same level, or another level of your choosing, and keep accumulating more and more experience. Lots of fun, especially if you're into the whole retro-gaming thing.

Survival Lab is a fun pixelated game where dying doesn't matter originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/28/survival-lab-is-a-fun-pixelated-game-where-dying-doesnt-matter/

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HTML5-based Depthcam puts a fresh spin on Kinect hacks

It's not the first time we've seen HTML5 used in conjunction with a Kinect hack, but George MacKerron's so-called Depthcam takes things to some interesting new levels. It's a live webcam that you can interact with in your web browser (Chrome only, for now). As you might expect, the ability to explore is a bit limited, but you are able to pan and zoom around the scene -- which is certainly impressive enough on its on. You can try it our yourself a the source link below (resources permitting), or get an idea of what it's like in the video after the break.

Continue reading HTML5-based Depthcam puts a fresh spin on Kinect hacks

HTML5-based Depthcam puts a fresh spin on Kinect hacks originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge  |  sourceGeorge MacKerron: code blog  | Email this | Comments


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/4oXFUTMxvZQ/

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Two US startups break solar efficiency records, aim to light up your life

Two US startups break solar efficiency records, aim to light up your life
Two US startups are breaking solar efficiency records in their quest to bring clean, cost-effective, eco-friendly energy to a power grid near you. Alta Devices, based in Santa Clara, CA, has achieved a 23.5 percent efficiency rating with its standard solar panel, while Semprius, a Durham, NC company, has achieved a rating of 33.9 percent with its concentrated photovoltaic offering -- besting the previous records of 22.9 percent and 33 percent, respectively. Interestingly enough, both outfits chose to utilize a new material to construct their sun-sopping cells: gallium arsenide. The material, while more expensive, is better suited for absorbing the sun's energy, especially when compared to silicon, the cheaper element typically used. Alta and Semprius are looking to proliferate solar power by further refining the technology, making its price per kilowatt equivalent to that of fossil fuels without the use of government subsides. Here comes the sun...

Two US startups break solar efficiency records, aim to light up your life originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/08/two-us-startups-break-solar-efficiency-records-aim-to-light-up/

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