Google is testing new homepage

Google has a bag full of experiments want to roll out to the market. One of them, or I think it's two of them are in the picture above: Black navigation bar and the blue search button. At first sight, I like it. It looks neater, much simpler, perhaps it's because there's no I'm Feeling Lucky button. I think next time, Google should give the users a chance to customize the homepage. If Google allows the users to upload an image to be the homepage background, I don't see why they can't let us change the color of navigation bar. Would that be too similar to iGoogle?

Chrome OS: New Hand-writing API

There have been a lot of rumors saying Chrome OS will have a tablet version. But they already have Android to do the work though. At Google I/O, Google says nothing Chrome OS will be in tablet anytime soon. 

Some times ago, a new API was discovered which was the virtual keyboard. Now it's the hand writing. Is Google really preparing Chrome OS for tablet market? If so, how are they going to differentiate Chrome OS from Android?

If they are going release it, is it going to be before iPad 3?

Google I/O 2011: Post Review

It's been 4 days after Google I/O. But the new things that Google has brought to us are still fresh and exciting to me. They talked about a lot of stuffs like HTML 5, hardware acceleration, WebGL, and etc. Most attentions are attracted by the two major products Google own: Android and Chrome.

Android 3.1: Ice Cream Sandwich

This logo just makes me hungry... Why does Google always use dessert to code Android?

Anyways, the next version of Android 3.1 is believed to be the greatest update Google ever has. From the picture above, I guess you can tell Android 3.1 is called Ice Cream Sandwich. At this version, there will be no tablet or cell phone version. This can run on both devices without any difficulties. The first wave of update has come to Motorola XOOM 3G version in US.

Angry Birds: Now Available on Web

If you are asked what the most popular game in iPhone or in Android, you might answer in no doubt that it's Angry Birds. On Wednesday (5/11 2011), Google I/O keynote day 2 revealed more info about Google Chrome, and Chrome OS. They talked about the latest updates and improvement that had on Google Chrome including more HTML 5 supports, 3D CSS, better hardware acceleration, etc. Of course, they also invited Rovio and made a version of Angry Birds that can be played on the web.

Rovio says this version of Angry Birds includes many types of new-gen technology and they say it's written mostly in Java and other Google API's.

Since Angry Birds is on the web, what happen if you want to play it offline or somewhere that doesn't have internet access? No worries. The browser will automatically cache it to your local drive. Which means, you can still play it even if you don't have available internet.

If your computer supports hardware acceleration, you can have better experience playing Angry Birds in HD version. But again, if your computer doesn't support it, they still have SD version that's in Canvas 2D.

If you are using Google Chrome, you can download the Angry Birds App through Web Store, or here's the download link. It's not like everybody uses Google Chrome. People other than these 160 million chrome users use IE 9, Firefox 4, Safari 5, or Opera 11. You can still use this website to enjoy your game.

For Google Chrome, to enable GPU acceleration, type about:flags in the address bar, and then enable GPU Accelerated Canvas 2D.

There are special levels that are designed just for Google Chrome. In order to play them, you need to get chrome bombs in the regular levels.

By the way, I'm not sure if you are interested in this, there are cheats for Angry Birds.

javascript: var i = 0; while (i<=69) { localStorage.setItem('level_star_'+i,'3'); i++; } window.location.reload();


This Javascript code allows you to unlock every level, and I mean every level in Angry Birds.


javascript: var i = 1; while (i<=69) { localStorage.setItem('level_star_'+i,'-1'); i++; } window.location.reload();


If you feel like you are cheating and it's not right, enter this code and the game will revert back to the original state.


To use these codes, simply copy and paste on the address bar and hit enter.


Let's go out and pop some pigs!!

Google Music Beta: Google Cloud Music Service Beta in America First

In today's Google I/O, Google has released many many interesting and new ideas, developments, and services. One of the services is Google Music Beta. As it says on its words, it's a music service. But what differentiate itself from others is cloud service. You can upload your music to the cloud and access it anywhere.

The idea is you don't need to plug in your Android device into your computer and try to sync your music files with the Android device. It's a pain because it's a lot of procedures involved. Using the power of cloud service, you don't need to sync your music files, those music files can be streamed and accessed right away using internet. But what happens if you don't have internet connections? The Android will cache the music files you've listened so they can be accessed in your phone as well.

There's a desktop app you can access to upload your music. As these musics files are in the cloud, you can access them through internet with your phone, and tablet. Unfortunately I can't test it since Google Music is only available in America. But you could still visit Google Music Beta's website.

Right now, Google Music Beta is, you know what, still in beta. And while it's still in beta, you can upload 20,000 songs to the cloud that associates with your Google account with no cost, which means it's free.

You can also download the Music app from the Android Market.

Google I/O 2011: Recent Updates in Google Products

Google I/O, a conference hosted by Google every year to tell the public who the new products, ideas they have been working on, is going be live in less than 24 hours. If you are interested but you can't physically be in the conference yourself, you can still watch it online, actually Youtube.

You can also download Google I/O app to your Android device here.

Google +1

• It is still an experimental feature in google search. Whenever you search on google, you can +1 the search and all your friends in Google will know you +1 it, or basically recommend it. It works like you Like a page or link in Facebook. Note the +1 button beside each search.

Chrome Book

• There are leaking information that Samsung and Sony have finished producing their own laptops that are equipped and specifically made for Chrome OS. Are they going to be on Google I/O tomorrow?
• Google might release details about how the Google Chrome Book is going to be sold. Although the plan and prices have been released.

Android Updates

• Improvement in 3D graphics
• bring C and C++ into Android
• Peak at Ice Cream Sandwich (not the food...) which is believed to be the next version of Android. I'm not sure it will be 2.4 or 3.1 though.

Google Chrome Development

• As almost every Google I/O, Google always tells how Google Chrome has improved and grown in popularity. And no doubt, I have been using Google Chrome ever since it was out in beta. It does fulfill its goals: Speed, Security, and Simplicity.
• Google Chrome: Download

Google Web Store

• I'm not sure if it's an update but Google has quietly made its web store in multi-language supports.

You can check out more details of what we can expect in Google I/O through here.


So is Google planning any moves?