Politico: Feds may target Google’s Chrome browser for breakup. “Justice Department and state prosecutors investigating Google for alleged antitrust violations are considering whether to force the company to sell its dominant Chrome browser and parts of its lucrative advertising business, three people with knowledge of the discussions said Friday.”
Chrome
Ghacks: It took Google more than a decade to add tab bar scrolling to Chrome
Ghacks: It took Google more than a decade to add tab bar scrolling to Chrome. “Tab overloading is quite the serious problem in Chrome, and while there are workarounds in place, by using extensions such as Simple Window Saver, Tab Sense, Tabs Plus, or lesstabs, or using the keyboard to navigate tabs, it is definitely an annoyance for some users.”
Android Headlines: Google Chrome Link To Text Native Feature Steps Closer To Release
Android Headlines: Google Chrome Link To Text Native Feature Steps Closer To Release. “Google Chrome has had the ability to link forward to specific on-page text since the company released its “Link to Text Fragment” extension. Now, the company is integrating the feature directly into Chrome itself. That’s based on a recently-discovered flag setting, reported by TechDows. The experimental feature effectively places the capability behind a right-click action.”
The Next Web: This Chrome extensions turns articles into audio playlists
The Next Web: This Chrome extensions turns articles into audio playlists. “As a reporter, I have to read a lot of articles every day, and I often can’t get around to all the tabs I open by the time I clock out. It’s frustrating as hell, and I’ve been looking for a solution to clear my reading queue. Thankfully, I came across Podcastle, a Chrome extension that solved all my problems. On the surface, it’s just a text-to-speech converter — and there are many of them out there — but it comes with extra bells and whistles that are actually useful. And unlike other text-to-speech tools, it works across tabs so you can control your listening queue and playback for several articles in one place.”
Neowin: Google is permanently removing paid extensions from the Chrome Web Store
Neowin: Google is permanently removing paid extensions from the Chrome Web Store. “Earlier this year, Google decided to temporarily suspend the ability to create paid browser extensions on the Chrome Web Store. While temporary, there was no set date for the measure to be reverted, and as it turns out, it won’t be.”
Fast Company: The 8 best ways to speed up your sluggish Chrome browser
Fast Company: The 8 best ways to speed up your sluggish Chrome browser. “If Chrome bogs down, the whole computing experience suffers. I scoured the web for some of the best tips, including some very handy browser extensions, that help Chrome run better. I also spoke with Max Christoff, engineering director for Chrome at Google, to get his insider advice for how to keep Chrome lean and limber. These tips apply to the browser running on Windows, macOS, and Chromebooks.”
Google Blog: Easier access to Search, Chrome and Gmail in iOS 14
Google Blog: Easier access to Search, Chrome and Gmail in iOS 14. “iOS 14 has launched, and with it comes new features that make it easier to access some of the Google apps you use most often. Starting today, you can add a Google Search Widget to your Home Screen to let you find information even faster. You can also set Chrome as your default browser app on your iPhone or iPad, and in the coming days, you’ll be able to set Gmail as your default email app.”
Breaking up is hard to do: Chrome separates from Chrome OS (ZDNet)
ZDNet: Breaking up is hard to do: Chrome separates from Chrome OS. “Ever since day one, people have thought Chromebooks just ran the Chrome browser and that was it. Actually, it was always more complicated than that. Underneath that Chrome browser was a thin Linux distribution, Chrome OS. Now, Kent Duke, a writer and hardcore Chrome OS fan, has found that Google is teasing apart the browser and the operating system into two separate entries.”
The Register: Google Chrome calculates your autoplay settings so you don’t have to – others disagree
The Register: Google Chrome calculates your autoplay settings so you don’t have to – others disagree. “Earlier this year, a user of the mobile version of Chrome on Android complained on the Google support forum that videos started playing upon visiting a web page and there appeared to be no way to prevent this. Other forum participants chimed in, noting that the controls for preventing videos from autoplaying had disappeared. It’s a concern that has been raised before.”
GMA News: 5 Useful Google Chrome extensions for school and productivity
GMA News: 5 Useful Google Chrome extensions for school and productivity. “Students, from grade school to college, are facing a vast technological landscape that is why it’s important to develop the skill they need to navigate in this ever-changing world. Thankfully, Google Chrome extensions can help with that. Google Chrome extensions are small programs that help extend the functionality of one of the most popular web browsers. At a click of a button, students can eliminate ads, check the definition of a trivial word, convert files to PDF, and so much more.”
Google tests ‘Kaleidoscope’ hub to bring all streaming services in one place: Report (Indian Express)
Indian Express: Google tests ‘Kaleidoscope’ hub to bring all streaming services in one place: Report. “Google is working on a unified one-stop hub to collate all of your video streaming services in Chrome, called Kaleidoscope, according to a report by ChromeStory. The new feature is currently accessible to select users running the Canary build of Google Chrome.”
Tom’s Guide: Google Chrome is making this controversial change to keep you safe
Tom’s Guide: Google Chrome is making this controversial change to keep you safe. “With Chrome 86, Google is expected to tweak the address bar so that it only shows the website’s domain, not the full address of the web page you are on. Google is making the move in order to make it easier for users to spot when they’ve landed on a phishing site.” ICK.
The Next Web: Chrome’s upcoming version will protect you from sketchy web forms
The Next Web: Chrome’s upcoming version will protect you from sketchy web forms. “Hackers often steal your personally identifiable data from unsecured web forms. Google is now trying to prevent that through a new feature in Chrome‘s upcoming version. Starting Chrome M86, the browser will warn you when you’re trying to submit an insecure form.”
Silicon Angle: Google launches new resource for Chrome OS developers
Silicon Angle: Google launches new resource for Chrome OS developers. “Google LLC today published a new resource for developers interested in building apps for the company’s Chrome OS, the operating system that powers its ecosystem of Chromebook computers. In a blog post, Iein Valdez, head of Chrome OS developer relations, said Chromebooks, along with traditional laptops, are seeing a renaissance of sorts thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced people to spend more time indoors. With so much time on their hands, people are increasingly putting down their mobile phones in favor of larger screens.”
CNET: How to improve your privacy in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge and Brave
CNET: How to improve your privacy in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge and Brave. “Privacy is now a priority among browser makers, but they may not go as far as you want in fighting pervasive ad industry trackers on the web. Here’s a look at how you can crank up your privacy settings to outsmart that online tracking.”