Google announced the new feature in a blog post, and said that rich-text signatures had been one of the “most requested” features among Gmail users.

One caveat though, Mark Knichel, a Google software engineer says that only the latest desktop version of Gmail would support rich-text signatures. Older versions of Gmail, the simplified HTML version, and mobile Gmail, will continue to use plain text signatures.

source Gmail Blog

© sylv3rblade for Techie Xplorer, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Email, Gmail, Google, Rich Text Signatures

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Is it worth the wait?  Will your phone support the new update? Find out more after the jump

• Improved Speed – The new Dalvik JIT compiler for Android 2.2 is significantly (2x-5x) faster than the JIT used in 2.1.
• Better Enterprise Support – FroYo will include over 20 new enterprise features to appeal to the business-types like better Exchange support, with auto-discovery, improved security, and GAL lookup, and new device admin APIs.
• Cloud-to-Device API – Better syncing and support for more google services/products. Apps can utilize Android Cloud to Device Messaging to enable mobile alert, send to phone, and two-way push sync functionality
• Tethering — This was also a rumored feature for a few weeks. The feature will be in the “settings” menu, and clicking “portable wi-fi hotspot.”
• Improved Browser — The Javascript interpreter in Chrome will be used in FroYo’s native browser, offering a 2x-3x Javascript performance boost. Google’s Vic Gundotra said it will be the fastest mobile browser available.
• Install apps on SD memory – This one of the few reasons why you’ll want to root your phone in 2.1, in 2.2, the ability to choose where your apps are located (in your device’s memory or on your SD card) is now included.
• Flash 10.1 and AIR support – Announced before but still a welcome upgrade.
• Web-based Android Market – Upgrade for the Android App Store.
• App auto-updating – Apps you have installed will now have the option to be updated manually or automatically. No need to hunt the latest version in the marketplace from now on.
• Music Sync – Users will be able to sync their local music collection with their Android device and stream wirelessly.

Didn’t get all that? How about a video to help you understand things a bit better:

No final word as to when Google will be releasing the update but they assured us that they’ll be announcing this (the date) as well as a list of which mobile devices will be capable for upgrade to Android 2.2.

Personally, I’m quite happy that my Samsung Galaxy Spica has been updated to Android 2.1. Having it supported for Android 2.2 will really, really, really be the biggest boon for me (aside from getting the device for free of course).

[video found via YugaTech, info via Android Dev Blog]

© sylv3rblade for Techie Xplorer, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 2.2, Android, Froyo, Google, Mobile Phones, Samsung, Spica

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$500 upfront. Mighty generous of them right? But seeing how important security is to Google and to internet users like us, $500 is a small price to pay (for them at least).

Now before you start your bug-finding, vulnerability-unearthing skills, do note that there are several guidelines you should follow. The first of which is that all bugs should be filed through the Chromium bug tracker (under the template “Security Bug”) and will be examined by the Chromium staff before any monetary exchanges get going. Now for the guidelines:

Q) What reward might I get?
A) As per Mozilla, our base reward for eligible bugs is $500. If the panel finds a particular bug particularly severe or particularly clever, we envisage rewards of $1337. The panel may also decide a single report actually constitutes multiple bugs. As a consumer of the Chromium open source project, Google will be sponsoring the rewards.
Q) What bugs are eligible?
A) Any security bug may be considered. We will typically focus on High and Critical impact bugs, but any clever vulnerability at any severity might get a reward. Obviously, your bug won’t be eligible if you worked on the code or review in the area in question.
Q) How do I find out my bug was eligible?
A) You will see a provisional comment to that effect in the bug entry once we have triaged the bug.
Q) What if someone else also found the same bug?
A) Only the first report of a given issue that we were previously unaware of is eligible. In the event of a duplicate submission, the earliest filed bug report in the bug tracker is considered the first report.
Q) What about bugs present in Google Chrome but not the Chromium open source project?
A) Bugs in either build may be eligible. In addition, bugs in plugins that are part of the Chromium project and shipped with Google Chrome by default (e.g. Google Gears) may be eligible. Bugs in third-party plugins and extensions are ineligible.
Q) Will bugs disclosed publicly without giving Chromium developers an opportunity to fix them first still qualify?
A) We encourage responsible disclosure. Note that we believe responsible disclosure is a two-way street; it’s our job to fix serious bugs within a reasonable time frame.
Q) Do I still qualify if I disclose the problem publicly once fixed?
A) Yes, absolutely. We encourage open collaboration. We will also make sure to credit you in the relevant Google Chrome release notes and nominate you for the Google Security “thank you” section.
Q) What about bugs in channels other than Stable?
A) We are interested in bugs in the Stable, Beta and Dev channels. It’s best for everyone to find and fix bugs before they are released to the Stable channel.
Q) What about bugs in third-party components?
A) These bugs may be eligible (e.g. WebKit, libxml, image libraries, compression libraries, etc). Bugs will be ineligible if they are part of the base operating system as opposed to part of the Chromium source tree. In the event of bugs in a component shared with other software, we are happy to take care of responsibly notifying other affected parties.
Q) Who determines whether a given bug is eligible?
A) The panel includes Adam Barth, Chris Evans, Neel Mehta, SkyLined and Michal Zalewski.
Q) Can you keep my identity confidential from the rest of the world?
A) Yes. If selected as the recipient of a reward, and you accept, we will need your contact details in order to pay you. However — at your discretion, we can credit the bug to “anonymous” and leave the bug entry private.
Q) No doubt you wanted to make some legal points?
A) Sure. We encourage participation from everyone. However, we are unable to issue rewards to residents of countries where the US has imposed the highest levels of export restriction (e.g. Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria). We cannot issue rewards to minors, but would be happy to have an adult represent you. This is not a competition, but rather an ongoing reward program. You are responsible for any tax implications depending on your country of residency and citizenship. There may be additional restrictions on your ability to enter depending upon local law.

via the Chromium blog

Now you might be wondering, “Payment for bugs?  Isn’t that against Google’s DO NO EVIL motto?”  Technically no.  If you’re familiar with SDLC (software development life cycle), Google is just employing the $500 as a motivator to raise enthusiasm among bug-finders (AKA guinea pigs… AKA us ) so that they can eliminate bugs and security vulnerabilities on their browser.  If they had to hire Q.A. testers to do this task, it’ll take much more than just $500 or even $1337.  Google has used the “reward” card to get quality control for cheap.  And you get the chance to earn it for yourself.

Comments?  Suggestions?  Violent reactions?

© sylv3rblade for Techie Xplorer, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bugs, Chrome, Google

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The tubes are now abuzz with news of the Google Phone. Techcrunch reported that the much awaited Google Phone is currently under active development. According to the TC post, the phone will have a very fast Snapdragon processor, will have voice to text built-in, and is basically going to be an Android version of the HTC HD2.

Techcrunch broke the news this morning that the mythical Google Phone was caught out and about (maybe its roommate, the Apple Tablet, asked it to pick up some milk?). According to Techcrunch, the phone is “really, really fast”, will have a Snapdragon processor, will have voice to text built-in, and is basically going to be an Android version of the HD2.

The hardware

Ok, so the Google Phone is in fact coming. Here’s what the hardware (with a peek at the Android screen) looks like:

The Nexus One AKA Google Phone. Anything specific about it? Well first, we know that it’s going to be manufactured by HTC, it’ll be running the latest Android build and it’s going to be sold by Google (yes, they’ll be selling the units themselves!). No word on specs, pricing and availability as of yet but yeah, it’s coming

Below is a video of the phone’s boot animation

[pic via Unlocker and Engadget]

© sylv3rblade for Techie Xplorer, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Google, Google Phone

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The screenshot of Google search that you see above is real. The rumor of Google’s redesign of it’s age-old yet simple-looking search engine is as real as it gets. Want to join in? Then try this:

1. Go to Google.com.
2. Once it loads, enter this code into your web browser’s URL address field:

javascript:void(document.cookie="PREF=ID=20b6e4c2f44943bb:U=4bf292d46faad806:TM=1249677602:LM=1257919388:S=odm0Ys-53ZueXfZG;path=/; domain=.google.com");

There shouldn’t be any http://google.com in front of that. Just that code.

3. Hit enter.
4. Reload or open a new Google.com page and you will have access to the new user interface.

Reminiscent of yahoo isn’t it?

If you get sick of looking at the garish new theme, you can revert back to the simple theme by clearing your google cookies.

© sylv3rblade for Techie Xplorer, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Google, Google Redesign, Google Search

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If you want a full hands on of the Chrome OS, here’s what you need to do:

• Have a working copy of VMware Player (VMware Fusion for Macs) or VirtualBox.  Do note that the image is meant for VMware so if you use VirtualBox, cross your fingers.
• Register HERE and login.
• Download any of the following:
  • Vmware image
  • VirtualBox Image
  • Usb-bootable image (requires linux)

With some luck, you should get it up and running in no time.

Some important Notes:

1. The username and password to login to Chrome OS / Chromium OS is your google account!
2. To use the vmdk file, open VMware and create a new virtual machine. One of the options will be to use an “existing virtual disk.” (In VMware Fusion, this is the last option below, “use operating system disk” and “use OS disc image file.”)
3. Make sure your VM is set to use bridged networking, rather than NAT.

And some afterthoughts

• Google Chrome OS (GCOS) is exactly what we thought. An operating system that only consists of a web browser and can only run web apps.
• It will only run on netbooks and soon on smartbooks (Qualcomm ARM powered netbooks)
• It is not meant to replace your phone or your main PC. It is a secondary device, even though it may be the one you use most.
• At the moment it boots in 7 seconds and logs in and is ready to browse in 3 seconds
• It has an underlying file system that allows offline storage (not specifically Google Gears) and a file browser to view docs, photos, videos etc from USB devices (e.g. a USB stick, camera, phone)
• Everything runs in the Google Chrome Browser (GCB).
• Similar to Internet Explorer 9 it will utilise the GPU (hardware acceleration) to enhance the visual experience and performance
• It’s aim is to comply with W3Cs web standards as much as possible and embraces HTML5 goodness
• They use small windows (like pop-ups) called “panes” to allow you to run something like a notepad or music player in the background.
• Google are working on the new “notification” web standard to allow you to be alerted when stuff happens e.g. a new email arrives
• All security updates are handled by Google automatically in the background
• At the moment it can run Flash content but other extensions will be available as long as Goggle have authorised them
• You can launch multiple instances of GCB with multiple tabs and switch between them through an alt-tab style functionality (but better looking)
• The GCB has an app menu in the top left similar to the Windows Start Menu. This stores bookmarks to web apps but you can also pin shortcuts to a browser tab
• Files are associated with the relevant web app. E.G. clicking an email link will open up a Gmail “compose new mail” tab. Clicking on an Excel spreadsheet will open the Excel web app
• Printing will be handled using an “innovative new concept” but Google are not ready to disclose that info yet.
• Everything is stored in the cloud e.g. typing in “notepad” actually creates an online Google doc
• All user data in the offline storage is encrypted
• If you get a virus or malware the netbook will shutdown and re-image itself in a matter of minutes (compared to the hours involved in rebuilding a Mac or PC)
• Google are trying to get OEMs to make netbooks with larger, high quality screens with a full size keyboard and decent trackpad.
• It will only run on specific referenced hardware that Google will allow OEMs to use, e.g. it must be installed on a solid state disk (flash memory) – no hard disks allowed!
• They should retail at similar prices to current netbooks on the market but its up to the OEM as the OS is free
• The actual GCOS will be launched mid-2010 with devices available in time for Christmas
• Lots of features developed for GCOS will appear in GCB (e.g. the “app” menu)

© sylv3rblade for Techie Xplorer, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Chrome, Google

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