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Google increases commitment to defending open-source software projects from patent trolls

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Photo: reuters.com

Google’s Open Source Blog advises that Google has moved from an associate to a full board member of the Open Invention Network, an organisation designed to cross-licence Linux patents to reduce the risk of being sued by patent trolls.

Open-source software like Linux has spurred huge innovation in cloud computing, the mobile web, and the Internet in general. Linux now powers nearly all the world’s supercomputers, runs the International Space Station, and forms the core of Android. But as open source has proliferated, so have the threats against it, particularly using patents. That’s why we’re expanding our participation in Open Invention Network (OIN), becoming the organization’s first new full board member since 2007.

Companies that join the network are guaranteed protection from being sued by other members, provided that they make the same promise. Google will now sit alongside IBM, NEC, Novell, Philips, Red Hat and Sony on the board.

Google’s former head of patents, Michelle Lee, was recently named as the new interim head of the US Patent & Trademark Office, promising faster processing of applications and ‘higher quality’ patents – diplomatic language for greater barriers to patent trolls.

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Valve announces Steam Machines hardware beta for SteamOS

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Earlier this week Valve made the first of three big announcements being teased on its website with the introduction of SteamOS: a Linux-based, open and freely licensable operating system that will run any number of devices and deliver the Steam experience in the living room. Today the company announced the second part of the puzzle with the launch of a hardware beta program for “Steam Machines” that will run the operating system:

Entertainment is not a one-size-fits-all world. We want you to be able to choose the hardware that makes sense for you, so we are working with multiple partners to bring a variety of Steam gaming machines to market during 2014, all of them running SteamOS.

Valve has designed a “high-performance prototype” and it will ship 300 of the boxes to Steam users for free in order to test the platform:

While these products are still in development, we need your help. As always, we believe the best way to ensure that the right products are getting made is to let people try them out and then make changes as we go. We have designed a high-performance prototype that’s optimized for gaming, for the living room, and for Steam. Of course, it’s also completely upgradable and open.

The company is accepting sign-ups for the beta program until October 25. Here’s how to apply:

THE HARDWARE BETA ELIGIBILITY QUEST:

Before October 25, log in to Steam and then visit your quest page to track your current status towards beta test eligibility

1. Join the Steam Universe community group

2. Agree to the Steam Hardware Beta Terms and Conditions

3. Make 10 Steam friends (if you haven’t already)

4. Create a public Steam Community profile (if you haven’t already)

5. Play a game using a gamepad in Big Picture mode

With SteamOS, it’s not just games. Valve could quickly be on its way to making a full fledged Google TV competitor with the Steam Machines it will begin testing for an expected 2014 launch. The company noted that its SteamOS operating system will also include features for other content such as music, TV shows, and movies, and Valve is already in discussions with various media companies to make that happen.

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Chrome for Android update w/ WebRTC, WebAudio, & improved scrolling now available

chromeWe noted yesterday that the release of Chrome 29 on Windows, Mac, and Linux would be followed by an update to the Chrome app for Android that brings support for the WebRTC standard and scrolling improvements. Google has just released the update on Google Play and also noted that it includes support for the WebAudio API allowing developers to “process and synthesize audio” in web apps. WebRTC support, as we’ve noted previously, is typically used by developers to implement voice calling, video chatting, and peer-to-peer file sharing in their web apps without the ned of a plugin. Google also says the update includes enhancements to “scrolling responsiveness and visual indication when reaching the end of a page.”

The updated Chrome for Android app also brings a new UI for the color picker in web forms and improved startup performance.

Chrome adds smarter omnibox suggestions, WebRTC support on Android

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chromeGoogle announced today on its Chrome Blog that it is beginning to roll out smarter omnibox suggestions for Chrome users that it says will provide “more timely and contextually relevant suggestions.” The feature has been available for a while in beta and Google noted the improved suggestions are based on websites users recently visited. The new features come alongside the release of the Chrome 29 stable release for Windows, Mac, and Linux, which also brings support for new apps and extensions APIs.

Another new feature coming in Chrome 29 is the ability to reset Chrome back to its original state, disabling all added extensions, through an easy to access option located in Settings:
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How to enable the Google+ Photos Chrome app on Mac & PC

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Last month we reported that Google’s slick new “Google+ Photos” app that launched exclusively on the Chromebook Pixel could possibly be making its way to Mac & PC. The proof came from a newly posted listing on the Chrome Web Store that made references to auto-uploading features specifically for OS X and Windows. Unfortunately, launching the app would give users a “not supported on this platform” error message. While Google has yet to officially launch the Mac and PC versions of the Chrome app, there is a way to bypass the error message and enable the app now.
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Dual-OS Android/Ubuntu handset sets new crowdfunding record – but probably still won’t be built

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The Ubuntu Edge, a handset developed by Linux enthusiasts to run both the Linux-based Ubuntu OS and Android, has beaten Pebble to set a new crowdfunding record of $10.3M, reports TNW.

The Indiegogo page has now accrued over $10.3 million in pledges, toppling the Pebble smartwatch as the highest every fixed crowdfunding campaign. The United States is the highest contributing nation, followed by the United Kingdom – where Canonical also has offices – and Germany … 
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MK802 Mini Android PC for $35.21 offers an affordable Android computer

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From 9to5toys:

Perfect to hook-up to a television, Amazon is offering the MK802 Mini Android PC for $35.21 — lower than the regular list price of $59. For those unfamiliar, this little gadget offers a full Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich experience in the size of a USB flash drive. A mini HDMI port is on the device for connecting it to an external display, making it a compelling device for the living room.

Additionally, the Mini Android PC features a full-sized USB port to connect to another computer or add peripherals. It ships with an HDMI, USB, and power cable and supports 802.1b/g/n Wi-Fi. Of course you’ll need a keyboard and mouse, so something like the Logitech diNovo Mini Keyboard plus a Bluetooth Micro Adapter may be the perfect solution. [Amazon]
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‘Pepper’-based Flash Player coming to Chrome later this year, Adobe dropping standalone plug-in download on Linux

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Google’s Chrome browser has long released with a built-in Flash Player plug-in—the result of a technology partnership between the Internet giant and Flash maker Adobe. Though Adobe still allows customers to download a standalone Flash Player plug-in for Windows, OS X or Linux, the company announced today that the Flash Player plug-in for Linux after version 11.2 would only be available with Chrome browser distribution. The Linux plug-in will no longer be available as a direct download from Adobe. While one could suspect this news foreshadows broader policy changes on Windows and OS X, Adobe insisted that is not the case.

Flash Player will continue to support browsers using non-”Pepper” plugin APIs on platforms other than Linux.

Additionally, it will continue supporting Flash Player 11.2 on Linux for years to come. “Adobe will continue to provide security updates to non-Pepper distributions of Flash Player 11.2 on Linux for five years from its release,” wrote the company in a blog post


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Google Cloud Print rolls out to more users with new features

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Google rolled out a nice little update for Google Cloud Print support today. While mentioning a number of new features added to the service such as the ability to control printer access, save to Google Docs, and a new tablet-friendly UI for the management page, they also announced site owners can now add the print button element for smartphones and tablets to their sites.

Other new additions to Google Cloud Print– those using the latest release of Chrome on Mac, Windows, or Linux can print any webpage, and Chromebook users will now have access to print preview. Google also notes they look forward to rolling out the service across products and platforms.

These features continue the rollout of GCP, which has connected more than 6 million printers since launch, and added a number of new supported products from companies like HP, Epson, and Kodak. You can get a full list of supported products here, and check out Chrome extensions and apps that currently have access to the service.

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iEmu wants to emulate iOS apps on Android, Windows, and Linux

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Ever wished you could run your favorite iOS app on your Mac? What about your Windows machine or Android device? If creators of new Kickstarter project iEmu reach their funding goals, it may be possible sooner than you think.

iEmu is a new project based on the open-source QEMU emulator, currently accepting donations through Kickstarter, that aims to emulate the S5L8930 chipset used in iPhone 4 and first-gen iPads. It will support a number of platforms including “Linux, Windows, Mac, mobile platforms such as Android, and even on iOS itself”.

The goals of iEmu? Well the end goal is an emulator capable of running “most iPad/iPhone apps” that even supports  peripherals like the compass, accelerometer, and GPS. It would also “be extended with plugins for custom iOS exploration” and able to be reflashed in iTunes.

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Has Qualcomm ported Android to the HP TouchPad?

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[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmpmlOpvoC0″]

Qualcomm is reportedly behind the first known port of Android to the HP TouchPad. As seen in the video above, the user boots his TouchPad into Linux, which then boots into Android. While its booting, Qualcomm’s Quic logo appears. But the question to ask is how did this make it out of the Qualcomm offices and into the hands of a consumer?

It only makes sense for Qualcomm to be the first to jump on the port, seeing as they did design the processor in this device. The port seems relatively snappy — leaving me almost salivating..no wait. We’re not sure if Wi-Fi, the camera, audio, or multi-touch is working quite yet.

There is always the chance this could be fake, but it looks relatively real to us. At any rate, we can’t wait for the port to be released. Luckily, the developer community is already hard at work, thanks to a little incentive. (NotebookItalia via AndroidCentral)
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Chrome 13 is now stable, ready for upgrade

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If you are a mainstream Chrome user like I imagine most of you are, the first stable version of Chrome 13 is now available for auto upgrade.  Why upgrade?

Google Instant Pages prefetches links so that page load times increse dramatically.  Linux and Windows users will now also get a print preview (Linux before Mac?! oh ChromeOS :P)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jn93FDx9oI]

To manually upgrade, go to about Chrome and hit the upgrade button (below):
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