Seven Peeves with Google Chrome; Here's How to Fix Them

Google Chrome has been around for a few years now, and I use it as my default browser. I enjoy Chrome for its speed and style. There are a few minor flaws, but they are easily fixed. Here I'll point out 7 of them, and their fix.


NUMBER ONE
No confirmation when closing multiple tabs


When you have multiple tabs running and you close the window, you don't get a warning. You may end up closing some tabs you didn't want to. You can install Chrome Toolbox extension, so the next time you close many tabs, you'll see this warning.

NUMBER TWO
A very basic history page


Chrome has an extension called History 2, which allows web page sorting based on day or week you visited. At one click it will allow you to delete multiple pages from history, which isn't possible by default.

NUMBER THREE
Missing image properties


Chrome has no way of allowing you to instantly display image properties. The Image Properties Context Menu extension will allow you to right-click to get information. You can see the size, location, dimensions, and more.

NUMBER FOUR
No support for feeds


Chrome doesn't recognize RSS feeds, and it will just display a page with gobbledygook. Simply install the extension RSS Subscription, and you can immediately subscribe to any feed using Google Reader, iGoogle, Bloglines or My Yahoo.

NUMBER FIVE
You can't send a web page by email


Other browsers allow this, but not Chrome. A solution for this is to create a simple javascript bookmark, which opens your default email program with the current URL. You may also install the extension Send from Gmail, which will make Gmail your default email application. It will then provide you with a button to compose through Gmail, and share the link.

NUMBER SIX
No session manager


When closing Chrome, then reopening, it doesn't restore your previously opened tabs. You can go to Options, and select 'Reopen tabs that were opened last'. You can also get advanced session saving options by installing the extension Session Buddy. This will allow you to create multiple sessions, amongst other features.

NUMBER SEVEN
You can't switch to a tab from the address bar


Firefox 4 will allow you to switch to any open tab by typing relevant words into the address bar. If you'd like to do this in Chrome, install the extension Switch to Tab. If you have numerous tabs open, you can type "sw TAB" followed by some words from the page, then using enter will switch to the tab listed as the first match.

I hope these tips have helped. I have installed many extensions, which always makes things quicker and easier to do. I really like the 'send a web page by email'. The javascript is very easy to do. I know many freeze about using code, but the instructions are very simple to follow, and the code is supplied for you.


Happy Chrome surfing my blogger friends. I just know you'll want it as your default browser.

Hot Off the Press; New Social Network for Android Users; I Am Android

Oh my gosh folks, have I got great news for all you Android lovers. There's a new social network  built just for us. I just got back from signing up (wanted to the minute I heard about it), and I'm in love after only spending about a half hour on it. The greatest part was the IRC like chat, so much fun! Chat is right on the main page and allows for instant access with all members.


If you like Facebook, and Twitter, you are gonna love 'I Am Android'. It's a whole new concept, and so far I really like what I see. Come join in on all the fun, and friend me. My nick on 'I Am Android' is 'Jewle'.


Please pay attention to the word 'beta'. It's still new, and a work in progress, so don't be surprised if some features aren't running quite right.

Get The Beautiful Widgets Android App; Its Name Says it All

Have you ever gotten jealous watching someone use their HTC Android device, because it has such beautiful widgets? Well, no need for that jealousy any longer, now there's an app for that. No matter what Android device you use, you too can have those beautiful widgets. 

Beautiful Widgets is available now in the Android Market, or on AppBrain. (use QR Code supplied) It costs $1.98, which is not too much to pay for such eye candy. Judging by the reviews in the Android Market, it sure seems well worth a wee bit of your 'green'.

Features:

• 400 Free Skins to download
• More than 15 Weather Animations
• 4-day Weather Forecast for any location
• Date Widget
• Clock Widget
• Weather Widget
• Toggles Widget

I'm sure there will be much more to come with updates. Please have fun with this. Your phone will be 'the talk of the town' by everyone that lays eyes on such BEAUTIFUL WIDGETS!

Radio Shack Undercuts AT&T; Atrix 4G $149 Starting February 22nd

Radio Shack has announced on its Facebook Page it will be selling the AT&T Motorola Atrix 4G for only $149 starting February 22nd when this device goes on sale. This is Radio Shack's out-of-the-door price you'll be paying, it does not require a mail-in rebate like other retailers. This adds up to a $50 savings over the price offered by AT&T. They will also offer the laptop dock for $329.99 when bought with the phone. The phone and dock package will cost a total of $479.99, which is $20 cheaper from AT&T. My recommendation is to skip the laptop dock for now, and purchase one standard dock, and one multimedia dock. I'm not sure of Radio Shack's pricing on these.


The Atrix 4G is one of the first high-end Android smartphones available at AT&T. They will also be getting the Samsung Infuse 4G, and the HTC Inspire 4G. To read more info about the Atrix 4G, please use the above 'Facebook' or 'Atrix 4G' link above.


Who's heading over to the 'The Shack' to grab one of these on February 22nd? I might just do it myself if I could sell my current phone and get out of my contract. Geez, contracts!

Google One Pass; One Login to Subscription Digital Newsstand on Any Device You Own

I also write for Android Headlines. (androidheadlines.com) Please check out the link below to visit this site. I chose this article to blog since I'm really amazed at what a great concept this is, and how I can hardly wait to use it. I'm sure it will significantly increase the number of online newspaper and magazine subscriptions for Publishers. The easier something is to access, the more people will use it.


If you enjoy this article, please click on my name at the top of it to view the past 25 newest articles also written by me.


Google One Pass; One Login to Subscription Digital Newsstand on Any Device You Own | Androidheadlines.com

MapQuest App Just Released to Android Market

If you're a MapQuest user, you'll be happy to hear now there's an app for that in the Android Market. It's a great turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation app, which includes OpenStreetMap (OSM) features.

MapQuest Android also features voice search, a map toolbar for finding restaurants, coffee shops, gas stations, and parking with one click. There's both walking and driving directions, and live traffic flow.


The OpenStreetMap feature makes MapQuest Android App much more appealing. It's what's called a 'living map', it's improved daily by MapQuest users. They are user-sourced OSM Maps that provide an extraordinary local perspective and detail, bug logging for OSM, and international maps.


MapQuest Android app is free, just use your barcode scanner app on your Android device to scan the QR Code below, and it will install.

If you like Lego, be sure to watch the YouTube video I've included. These guys must have lots more patients than I.

Effortlessly Send Links With Google 'Chrome to Phone'

I know it's happened to me. I sit down at my desktop or laptop computer, and come across a really cool app or mobile website, then think...dang...now I have to type that whole address into my phone! Well, no more of that for me now that I've become a Chrome to Phone App user.


To use Chrome to Phone search the Android Market for the app, and install on your device. On your computer you must download the 'Google Chrome to Phone' extension for the Google Chrome Browser, and install it. It takes a few seconds, and will place a new icon on your browser toolbar in the right top corner. While on the page you want to send to your phone, just click the Chrome to Phone icon, and voila, the link will instantly open on your mobile phone.


This method saves me so much time, now I go hunting just for things to send to my phone. It's become very fun, instead of very tedious. Please note, Chrome to Phone will only work if you have Android 2.2 Froyo or higher running on your device.


Go ahead, try it. I'm sure this alone will make you a huge fan of devices running Android. You'll never want any other OS on your smartphone. You will certainly become an Android addict, as you can see...I'm already there.

Eric Schmidt Former Google CEO Talks Android at MWC

Eric Schmidt has been throwing around some numbers today at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and it's no surprise they represent great news for Android.


Google Android OS is rapidly increasing its market share in the mobile device community. They are slicing into that pie, and just may end up with the biggest piece if the competition can't catch up.


Schmidt wowed us with figures during his keynote, saying the numbers represent an increase of three times the amount they were just nine months ago. He stated that Android is now on over 170 compatible devices, 27 OEMs, 169 carriers, in 69 countries, and over 150,000 apps available in the Android Market. That's a whole lotta Android love!


Another remarkable figure Schmidt mentioned is 350,000, which is the number of Android devices currently being activated each and every day. It has bounced up quickly since late summer 2010 when that figure was 200,000 per day.


Are the Google guys happy? I would certainly hope so with that much growth in such a short time, with an operating system that is less than 3 years old. Apple will have to do some fancy slicing of that pie very soon, or Google will certainly eat the most.

Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, Spain; February 14-17, 2011

The Mobile World Congress started today in Barcelona, Spain. There's so much excitement brewing in the mobile world I can't possibly cover it all. Please head on over to the MWC Website to see what all the excitement is about.


This is one of the biggest events for the cellular industry, and you can bet they will all be there. The big smartphone competitors will all be displaying something to WOW us, including Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, LG, HTC, and many others.


Be sure to check often on YouTube for all the Hands-On videos that will be available to showcase all the new devices.

Pre-Order AT&T Motorola Atrix 4G NOW; Don't Miss Out on March 6th

The Atrix 4G AT&T's most powerful smartphone is now available for pre-order. Head on over to AT&T's Website to order yours today. Don't wait in line on March 6th just to find it's sold out.


The Atrix 4G is priced at $199.99 with a new two-year contract. You will likely want to get a few charger docks. I would recommend one standard dock (49.99), and one HD multimedia dock  (129.99). The multimedia dock connects your phone to a HD monitor/TV for viewing content on a larger screen. It also has a USB port to connect peripherals, and comes with its own remote. If you want the laptop dock it will cost an additional $299.99, which might make buyers just live without it. Hang in there, I'm hoping to eventually see the price come down. Oh the bright side, you are getting both a new phone, and a new laptop.


Take a look at the complete hands-on video.

Mobilicity $69 Couples Plan & Free Condoms

Hey Canada, I have great news for all you couples out there! Are you wondering what to get for Valentines' Day? Well, Mobilicity has come along with a great offer just in time. It's called the $69 Couples Plan. We all love the number 69 right? There's more reason to love it now since that's all it costs for one plan with two lines.


This plan is designed for couples and includes unlimited North American calling, data, global text messaging, voicemail, caller ID, call forwarding and more on both lines! You'll get all that for the incredibly low price of just $69 per month. Now that's a great savings on the monthly budget!


All day today the Mobilicity Team Members have been walking the streets of Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton passing out condoms to promote this deal. On the package it says, "Stop getting screwed." Sounds like great advice. Hurry, the plan is for a limited time only.

Oh, one more important scoop about this deal, you don't have to be a "couple." Any two people who wish to share one account with two lines can be a "couple."

Check out the new Toshiba Tablet!

Check out the new Toshiba Tablet!      

FINALLY...RedBox App for Android Has Arrived!

I've been waiting for this app to come to the Android Market for far too long. I never thought I would envy iPhone owners, but they've had this app for a long time now. It's just great if you love renting DVDs and Blu-Rays from RedBox. Now you can do it very quickly right in the palm of your hand.


You can do everything on the RedBox app, just the same as the web version. You can browse their catalog, find RedBox locations, browse the movie inventory available at your chosen location, then presto...reserve your movie, and it will be waiting for you when you get to the RedBox. No more arriving at the kiosk just to find out the movie you've been dying to see is sold out. The Redbox app will even supply a map to your nearest kiosk if you're not sure how to get there.


So, get on over to the Android Market to grab this app, then easily reserve all your favorite movies. Drive to your nearest RedBox and pick up your movies for only a buck a night. It's so simple, all that entertainment with a tap on your touchscreen! Way to go...FINALLY... Redbox!

 

Android Market to get BBC iPlayer App

Another new app comes to Android, this time from the BBC. They have officially announced the BBC iPlayer will come to the Android Market later this week. We know we can currently use this service on our Android phones in a web browser, but this new app makes it much better. You will be furnished with a snazzy user interface, and better touchscreen experience.


The app will let you stream live TV and radio, which is not possible with the web interface. You can also play catch-up-TV, which we all need today in our busy lifestyles. To enjoy the BBC app you will need at least Android 2.2, and Flash Player 10.1 on your device.


BBC iPlayer will be free in the UK to all TV fee payers, but here in North America and other countries BBC will launch a subscription-based version of their service. 


All this information being placed in the palm or our hand must be making us all much smarter, right?

Unlimited Calling to any Mobile Carrier Starts Tomorrow at AT&T

Well it appears that Sprint starting to sell the iPhone has opened up some serious competition between itself and AT&T! That's great news for AT&T customers!


Who says tomorrow never comes? AT&T will start their plan tomorrow to allow for unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling, regardless of what carrier the person has you are calling. Yes folks, February 10th, 2011 is a big day for AT&T customers. Doesn't this sound like a plan already available by another carrier?


On the down side, this won't come free. I found out you will have to subscribe to a $20 unlimited texting plan to be eligible. I'm still not sure if that's all it will cost or whether AT&T plans to have pricing for the unlimited mobile calling itself. Let's hope not, a $20 increase on your monthly mobile phone bill seems like enough.

Zip Sweet Honeycomb to your Nook Color

When it was announced several days ago that you could now put Android 3.0 Honeycomb on your Nook Color's internal memory, the methods were quite difficult. You will be happy to find out a much simpler method has come to light. The latest version of deeper-blue's Android 3.0 port can now be flashed as a zip file in ClockworkMod Recovery.


I haven't tried this myself, but based on the comments it sounds like a go. We can all thank samuelhalff for putting this zip file together for us. You can use this complete how to guide to install Honeycomb to your Nook Color's internal memory. (both old & new method) Please be aware, you will be erasing everything that is currently on your internal memory of your Nook.


Love this very inexpensive way to have a pure Honeycomb tablet, especially considering the price of $799.99 just announced for the new Honeycomb Motorola XOOM tablet. Gotta love those smart developers. Now get busy, so you can enjoy your sweet Honeycomb Nook Color tablet!

LG G-Slate Quick Video Overview

The G-Slate will be coming to T-Mobile as their first Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet. I still haven't got a definite date, but one lucky person got their hands a G-Slate in this YouTube video.


Watching the video, the G-Slate looks pretty grande, but I won't make any final judgments till I give one a try. It has some impressive features like 3D and 4G, but will the 8.9 inch screen satisfy consumers enough to make the G-Slate a big seller?

Seriously Ghoulish Xperia Play Commercial

Sony Ericsson revealed this eerie commercial in front of millions watching the Super Bowl. Most of us have already heard about Sony Ericsson's upcoming new PlayStation phone, the Xperia Play, and now they treated us to its first commercial. 


Creepy, gruesome, sinister, macabre, and weird are a few of many words that come to mind when I watch this commercial. Does that mean I like the commercial? Well...I'm really not too sure. It reminds me of watching the movie Frankenstein. Will it get folks to buy the Xperia Play? I'm sure that's what Sony Ericsson is hoping.


Take a look at the following video that was posted on a Norwegian Android fan site. Our Android bot is, well...getting a few alterations so he may enjoy the Xperia Play phone. It's pretty creepy folks, enjoy!

"Android is Ready to Play"

Android Market Comes to the Web

Google has now released a Web-based version of the Android Market available at market.android.com. This allows you to link to applications, find apps with your computer, and install them over the air to your phone.


All applications are available on the Android Web Market. This means the web version is much more extensive than what's installed on your phone, which is geared for a certain device, or certain version of Android. If you live in a country that only allows you to install free apps, you can now find paid apps. If your phone still uses Android Donut, you'll be able to find apps for Froyo. Now everyone can explore the Android Market whether or not they even use an Android device.


I haven't tried to install yet from the web, but one source reports trying to install an application from the website, but got a message "invalid request." I can only assume that Google has some additional tweaks to perform on the site, or it was simply user error.


Get on over to market.android.com to check it out. If you currently don't use an Android device, this may just entice you to do so after experiencing the exhaustive amount of entertainment, and utilities available for Android smartphones. If you do decide to pick up an Android device, be sure to try the game Angry Birds.

Texting & Driving City Buses? Two Toronto Bus Drivers Fired & an Ottawa Bus Driver Caught on Camera

Are you writing an email or text while driving? Apparently it's a growing trend with bus drivers in cities across Ontario. Last week two TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) drivers were caught and later fired for texting while on duty. This week images of Ottawa OC Transpo drivers have appeared. They were filmed while driving and using their devices. We are all aware this is a public safety hazard, and now an investigation is underway.


Ontario has banned the use of hand-held devices since October 2009, while OC Transpo first started enforcing this among their drivers in 2004. A statement from OC Transpo reports, "Individuals who do not follow OC Transpo policies and provincial law will face disciplinary measures, up to and including dismissal. OC Transpo operators are permitted to use mobile devices while stopped at rest stops and when the vehicle is parked at a safe location and not in operation. Texting while driving is not tolerated."


It has been made quite clear to bus operators that if they are caught using their mobile device and driving, they will more than likely be fired. Remember drivers, you are in the public eye, and anything you do will be seen, and probably reported. Almost everyone has cameras on their phones these days, so you could be the next caught on film.

Angry Birds Rio Coming to an Android App Market Near You

The new version of Angry Birds called Rio, which is due out in March isn't really based on the 20th Century Fox movie Rio due out in April. The two are similar in the fact that the cast are birds. Rovio and 20th Century Fox saw an opportunity to team up, and combine their bird themed entertainment into a fun adventure for everyone. This means for both movie goers and game players. If you happen to be both then there's twice as much fun in store. Angry Birds Rio will offer 45 new levels of game play based around the characters and events in the new movie Rio.


Those of you readers addicted to the game Angry Birds, myself included, will be pleased to welcome another edition of Angry Birds with more levels to master. Angry Birds is an incredibly fun way to waste your time, I mean pass the time. 


I've included two trailers below. The first is the Angry Birds Rio Trailer. It's meant to show us how the Angry Birds got to Rio, and got mixed up with the characters in the film Rio. The second trailer is the actual 20th Century Fox movie Rio. I enjoyed them both.

Canada Warm Up to 'Free Phone Fridays' at Best Buy Till the End of February

Best Buy Mobile will be celebrating 'Free Phone Fridays' till the end of February. Every Friday in February Best Buy will reduce the cost of a Smartphone to $0.00, that's right, nothing, nil, not a red cent, it's free with a 3-year contract. On the first Friday, February 4th, the following Android devices will be offered free;


*Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate through TELUS (currently $149.99 on 3-year contract)
*Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant through Bell (currently $149.99 on 3-year contract)
*Samsung Galaxy S Captivate through Rogers (currently $99.99 on 3-year contract)


So get to Best Buy this Friday if you want to save some money, and have been craving one of these Smartphones.

Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb Event February 2nd

Tomorrow will be a very sweet day for Honeycomb, as Google is holding a Press Event. Along with the unveiling of Honeycomb there may also be a few more surprises. The rumor mill is churning and it says Google will announce their online Android Market, and cloud-based music service, Google Music.

Honeycomb is very different from previous versions of Android, and specifically geared for use on tablets. It would only make sense for Google to unleash new services within Honeycomb. 

With the online version of the Android Market users will be able to search for apps via their computers, and download them directly to their phone. This sounds great, but not the most talked about service that we really can't wait to see...Google Music.

Much like the online Market, users can shop for music, and have it downloaded immediately to their phone. If you don't have enough room on your device's SD card, you don't necessarily have to download any music to your phone. You can access your home computer's music library using the Google cloud-based service.

Oh, I can't wait to hear the news to be released at the Honeycomb Event tomorrow. If all these predictions come to light, it will make owning a tablet a lot harder to wait for. I hope they soon start making some of these great Android tablets available for purchase. 

Oh, have you seen the Blue Bee Honeycomb Icon yet? It's wicked cool! Take a peek below.