Browsers

The Google Browser: Google Chrome (beta)

Looks like the Browser Wars have been rekindled with this new kid on the block. Yes, Google released their oft rumoured browser in the wild.More info on theÂ Official Google Blog: A Fresh Take On The Browser. And for the technically inclined there’sÂ a comicbook explaining it all. Or skip the hoopla andÂ take Chrome for a testdrive yourselfÂ (Windows only for the moment).

Set a Firefox 3 download record at Download Day 2008

Always wanted to set a Guinness World Record? Well, now you can by simply downloading the soon to be released version 3 of the Firefox webbrowser. You don’t even have to install it. A download will suffice, thank you. But while you’re at it, why not give it a try.

How do you participate? Go pledge at the Download Day 2008 site that you’ll download Firefox 3 when it gets released. They’ll send you a reminder when it’s going to happen.

2.0.0.2 does not equal 2.0.0.*?

Here’s a weird Firefox add-on installation error-message:

Incompatible dictionary

Looks like Firefox 2.0.0.x isn’t the same as 2.0.0.2.

Update: Fixed it with some notes from AMO a.k.a. version-number hacking.

Testing with IE6 and IE7 on a Single PC

Logo Internet Explorer Great news from the people who brought us Internet Explorer. They’ve released a Virtual PC image containing a time-limited WinXP SP2 with IE 6 for all our testing pleasure. No licensing required! And if you don’t have a copy of Virtual PC yet, they’ll give you Virtual PC 2004 for free to run it all.

Read the IEBlog on how to run IE6 and IE7 on a single PC.

Note: Haven’t tested it myself yet. I need to do some HD-cleaning first.

MSN …ehr… Live Local Virtual Earth 3D (Beta)

Apparently it’s live. A 3D extension to the map search of live.com which lets you fly through their maps like a bird.

Of course I wanted to:

See brand new, amazing 3D views that make using maps more exciting than ever.

No need to tell you this is IE 6/ IE 7 only. But a few install screens down the road I got the warning that my locale wasn’t supported. Argh… couldn’t that particular piece of detection not be done in advance? Or let me install anyway so I could view the skylines of US-only cities?

Thus for the moment no ‘review’, but there are plenty to be found around the web. Although I wouldn’t want to call it a ‘Google Earth killer‘ yet.

Oh and BTW: Why does Live.com keeps thinking I understand Spanish?

Mozilla Firefox 2.0 Released

Logo Firefox And another official one down! Less than a week ago Microsoft upped their browser to a 7.0 version. This time it’s the Mozilla Foundation. Mozilla Firefox is now a 2.0.

Yes, improved tabs, RSS discovery, looks, spell-checker for form-fields with downloadable dictionaries,… Get Firefox. If you dare.

I wonder how many extensions are borked this time. Let me tell ya in a minute…

Continue reading “Mozilla Firefox 2.0 Released”

IE7 Released

IE 7 Logo It’s official! Internet Explorer 7 is here, for the general public that is.

Nuff said. Go download IE7. If you dare.

Get Firebug!

if ((bWebDeveloper || bWebDesigner) && bFirefox) {

  try {

    var oNewExtension = new cExtension();
    oNewExtension.fetchXPI = fnFetchURL("www.getfirebug.com");
    oNewExtension.installXPI();

    if (oNewExtension.success) {
      console.log("Firebug installed successfully.");
      var oFurtherOptions = getElementById("divTellUser");
      oFurtherOptions.innerHTML = "About FireBug"
      oFurtherOptions.innerHTML += "FireBug Screencast"
      oFurtherOptions.innerHTML += "FireBug Overview"
    }

  }
  catch(e) {

    throw "Next time Gadget, next time!" // Take a look at the lower right corner...

  }

}

Now if only I were able to debug that… 😉

Firefox ACID2 compliance on its way

Now, after Safari, iCab, Konqueror & Opera 9 beta, it’s Firefox’ turn to comply with the ACID2 test. David Baron has built a special development version of Firefox that fixes some rendering issues that kept it from complying before. You can see the screenshot of ACID2 in action on his Flickr account.

Now, why is seeing a smily face a good thing? Well, hopefully, this will bring about full cross-browser handling of CSS. And hopefully the times of hacking around for browser differences is coming to an end. IE7 fixes a lot of CSS-bugs, but apparently is not fully compliant to all CSS-standards. So the questions remaining: When will it be incorporated in the regular Firefox? When will IE(7) comply?

Extend Firefox Contest Winners

The grand prize winners of the Extend Firefox competition are in. One of them is the one I use on a daily basis. In fact it’s the biggest reason why I’m using Firefox as my main browser. Props to Chris! 🙂
But IMHO the Web Developer toolbar is only usefull for us web developers (and people who are affiliated to them). Anyway, here are the three winners:

Grand Prize Category Winners:

Best New Extension Overall:
Reveal by Michael Wu

Best Upgraded Extension:
Web Developer by Chris Pederick

Best Use of New Firefox 1.5 Features:
Firefox Showcase by Josep del Rio

I’ve installed Reveal and am evaluating as of writing. Can’t say I like it. It’s … just bizarre. 🙂