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You can now ‘unsend’ your emails in web Gmail using new ‘Undo Send’ feature

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Undo Send was long a popular Google Labs feature, and was just recently added to ‘Inbox for Gmail’ for Android. Starting today, Google says that the feature, which lets users cancel the sending of an email within a pre-specified number of seconds after the email is sent, will be publicly available to all users of Gmail on the web.
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Google testing changes to its mobile search interface, Material Design tabs included

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Old on the left, new on the right

It appears that Google is testing a new design for the header of its mobile search website, featuring a much more spread-out interface including a larger text entry box, navigation tabs, and Google logo. The size and placement of the actual search results seem to be identical, however…


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Google+ mobile web interface gets a facelift in latest update

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Google announced last night that the web interface for Google+ has received a facelift, bringing many visual cues from the company’s Material Design language. The new design sports a hamburger menu that slides in from the left side, a bright red toolbar at the top of pages, and a floating material-y circle in the bottom right that should look familiar to those using Google’s latest mobile operating system…

As per Danielle Buckley‘s Google+ page:

Today we’re excited to announce the new and improved Google+ experience for mobile web. We focused on making everything faster, more beautiful, and more intuitive. To check out all the new updates, visit plus.google.com on your phone or tablet’s browser. As always, we’d love to hear what you think!

This update brings the app up to 2015 standards, but there’s a still a lot of disparity between Google+ on different platforms. We have a newly redesigned web interface that is now closer in functionality to the Android app (but not quite the same), an iOS app that is unique in its own ways, and a desktop experience that is completely different than the mobile apps. Hopefully we’ll see a more unified experience over time.

WhatsApp’s web-based chat client launches, only works with Google Chrome (for now)

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One of the service’s most-requested features, WhatsApp has today launched its web-based chat client. Rumors of it coming soon started appearing yesterday when screenshots of the latest WhatsApp app leaked showing an interface for logging into the web app, and now we have an idea of how that interface is used. With the quick scan of a QR code in-browser, you can start chatting with your WhatsApp friends from the desktop.
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Facebook bringing ‘Trending’ section to Android, improves web version

Facebook Trending Android iOS

Facebook introduced a new “Trending” section on the web in January to display trending stories that are frequently shared and discussed on the social network. Today, the company announced that it has improved this feature by organizing trending topics into five categories so that it’s easier for people to explore stories from different sources.
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Google Trends updated to show top YouTube videos of the day

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Google Trends is a great place to go if you want to know what the web is up to on any given day; it does a great job of showing you trending search terms—and charts that put a ranking on basically everything—from almost any country in the world. Today, the functionality of this website has expanded, with Google announcing that they’ve added a new “Trending on YouTube” section which shows some of the most popular YouTube videos of the day.


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Google Drive mobile web app redesign rolling out now

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Google announced today that it’s rolling out an updated version of its Google Drive interface on the web for mobile devices. That means if you visit Google Drive from a browser on your device (instead of using the native Google Drive apps), you’ll now arrive at a refreshed user interface specifically optimized for the web on smartphones and tablets. Google still recommends you go with its native Drive apps, but if you have to visit the mobile version, you’ll now have a much improved experience.

Starting today, you’ll find a much improved mobile web version of Drive that’s faster and easier to use. The apps are still the most optimized experience, but if you find that isn’t an option, the mobile web will do the job better than ever.

The new UI is rolling out starting today and should become available to all in the coming days at http://drive.google.com.

Google Flight Search adds save option to access flights on all devices

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Google today announced it’s adding a handy new feature to its Google Flight Search tool that allows users to find and book flights. Now, when viewing a flight on Google Flight Search on the web or your mobile device, you’ll be able to hit a small star icon that will save your flight to a “Save Flights” section. The tool will be nice for times when you don’t want to immediately book a flight but might want to view or book it at a later time. Saving the flight will make sure you can easily do so from a new Saved Flights section on any device:

When I’m signed in to my Google account on my mobile phone or tablet, and find a flight option I’m interested in  I click the star button to add it to my saved flights list… I can then access my saved flights on any device at any time by clicking the star icon on the Flight Search home page.

Your saved results won’t be static either. That means when returning Google will make sure your save flights have up to date pricing and any changes that might have occurred to the flight itinerary. You’ll notice the new save button in Flight Search on both the desktop and mobile starting today. 
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Google announces Chrome Dev Summit coming Nov. 20-21 in Mountain View

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Google announced today on Google+ that it will be holding a two-day Chrome Dev Summit later this year to discuss “new web APIs, multi-device workflows, performance tips and the guts of Blink.” The event will be held at Google’s HQ in Mountain View and it will also be live streamed to all that can’t make it on YouTube.

The dev summit is scheduled for November 20-21 and Google says registration for developers will open soon. No word on whether or not we might see some new product announcements, but it’s likely this will be a much smaller event that Google I/O and its recent Nexus 7 event.

Google has a website for the upcoming Chrome Dev Summit for those that want to learn more and a survey to find out what developers are interested in learning about at the event. Here’s a bit of what to expect:

  • Laughing in the face of dropped network connections
  • Optimizing the performance across GPU, CPU, and network
  • Maintaining and scaling your code
  • Jank busting and smooth scrolling
  • Testing workflows for multi-device deployments
  • Designing UX patterns for mobile web apps
  • Making friends with screens of all sizes
  • Directing the evolution of the web
  • Living in a declarative world with Web Components
  • Working smarter not harder with better workflow and tools
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Amazon launches ‘Login with Amazon’ sign-in service for Android, iOS & web

Amazon is announcing today the roll out of a new service called “Login with Amazon” t0 allow developers to easily offer an Amazon sign-in option in their apps, games, and websites. Amazon says in a trial with Zappos.com customers chose to sign in using the Login with Amazon service about 40 percent of the time, while a trial with Woot found customers using Amazon sign in “had the highest rate of order conversion”:

“Login with Amazon enables app developers and website owners to leverage Amazon’s trusted sign-in solution, allowing them to focus on providing a great experience for their customers,” said Michael Carr, Amazon Vice President, eCommerce Services. “Amazon customers now have a hassle-free way to quickly and securely sign-in to apps, games and websites, without having to remember yet another password.”

Amazon is making the service available free of charge to devs and has SDKs for both Android and iOS available to download through its new login.amazon.com website.

Leaked screenshots show redesigned Gmail with ‘Categories’ feature to sort emails by content

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The image above is being passed around by an anonymous tipster this evening that claims to have screenshots alongside some new information about an upcoming version of Gmail for both the web and mobile devices.

According to the tipster, the update Gmail for web will have new Category tabs that organize emails into separate inboxes based on the content within (as pictured above). Examples given include Main (for family, friends and everything that doesn’t belong in another category), ‘Social’ for emails related to social networks, ‘Offers’ for promotional material, ‘Notifications’ for reservations, bills, etc, and ‘Forums’ for mailing lists and forums.

We have no way of verifying the legitimacy of the tip, but it’s an interesting concept nonetheless and it will apparently also be hitting the new Gmail mobile apps when it begins rolling out this Wednesday…
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Google adds ability to open Microsoft Office files directly in Chrome on Mac & PC

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Previously only available to Chromebook users, Google announced today on its Chrome blog that Mac and Windows users will now have the ability to open Microsoft Office files directly within Chrome. The functionality works for users running the latest Chrome Beta and requires installation of the Chrome Office Viewer (Beta) extension.

In addition to saving you time, the Chrome Office Viewer also protects you from malware delivered via Office files. Just like with web pages and PDFs, we’ve added a specialized sandbox to impede attackers who use compromised Office files to try to steal private information or monitor your activities.

Google Now voice search, cards could be coming to the web

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via phandroid.com

via phandroid.com

Google appears to be readying a Google Now web interface for the company’s Siri-like voice search with Google’s homepage as the intended destination.

It’s no surprise that Google would bring its voice search to the web, as it already offers the service on Android and plans to bring it to iOS (Google Search for iOS currently offers real-time voice search but doesn’t support Google Now cards), and tends to have a cross-platform approach to its services as opposed to Apple’s ownership approach to its services.

Sure, Apple does have limited iCloud functionality on Microsoft’s Windows operating system and allows users to manage iCloud from a nicely designed web interface, but Apple only offers Siri on the iPhone 4S and 5, as well as the iPad mini, iPad 3 and 4, and latest iPod touch, though the upcoming release of OS X 10.9 could bring Siri to the Mac just in time to compete with Google Now on the web.


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Chrome enters version 25 with speech-to-text API

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Chrome version 25 was released with a new Web Speech API that allows web developers to integrate speech-to-text dictation into their web applications.

The other feature of importance on the new version is the removal of “silent extensions.” Silent extensions are web-browser extensions that install without your knowledge. From now on, every web extension installation must be manually approved.

The updated version is available here, but Chrome’s auto-update feature may have already installed it for you.

Microsoft asks EU antitrust regulators to probe Motorola Mobility, says Google is killing Web video

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Microsoft requested European Union antitrust regulators to probe Motorola Mobility on claims that the United States phone manufacturer is blocking sales of Windows and Xbox products.

“Earlier today, Microsoft filed a formal competition law complaint with the European Commission (EC) against Motorola Mobility and Google,” wrote Microsoft’s Vice President and Deputy General Counsel David Heiner in a blog post this morning. “We have taken this step because Motorola is attempting to block sales of Windows PCs, our Xbox game console and other products.”

Microsoft’s post, “Google: Please Don’t Kill Video on the Web,” lambasted Motorola Mobility for not making industry standard patents available on reasonable and fair terms, and for using those patents to block competitors from shipping products.

The industry apparently agreed many years ago to define common technical standards for everyone to use and build compatible Wi-Fi and video products. However, Heiner contended, Motorola is backtracking on its word and attempting to use standard patents for “killing video on the Web.”

More information is available below.


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Hands on with the new Google Music: web version and Android app

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[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPd0EZ_ukK4&feature=channel_video_title”]

Google has just announced the new Google Music, so we’ve decided to show our lovely readers a quick tour. Above you’ll find a tour of both the Android and web app, including me purchasing a song. My Google+ friends were also able to use the one free play, as seen below.

YouTube releases new editing features for users, simple but useful

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-n9p28Yh8w]

YouTube has released a simple editor available on the web for users who want to make changes, before actually uploading a video. The editor isn’t anything ground breaking, but adds the ability to add small changes like stabilizing, color changes, and rotation. The new editing features also work on videos that have already been uploaded. If you don’t like changes you can revert back to the original, or upload the changes as a totally new video. We’re sure Google will add more editing features over time, but in the mean time give it a try!

Firefox Mobile 6.0 lands on Android with many enhancements

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Firefox 6 was officially released on the desktop today, and along with it comes Firefox Mobile 6.0 for Android. The 6.0 browser offers a great alternative to Android’s stock browser and other browsers like Opera. Full release notes: (via Pocketnow)

1. Higher-quality image rendering and smoother zooming
2. First wave of optimizations for tablets and large-screen devices
3. Improved interaction with touch-optimized sites (e.g Google Maps, games)
4. Improved form helper
5. Visual refresh for phones running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
6. Continued performance and memory management enhancements

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