Pages

February 5, 2012

Firefox 11 relieves add-on updating pain


Updated 02-04-12 - Considering this beta release comes right on the back of the release of version 10.0, it contains some pretty sizeable and notable changes. One the largest and probably most useful additions, is the inclusion of add-on synchronization. The new sync features offer the ability to mirror any add-on installations you may have across multiple desktop machines, whereas previously you would have to go through the whole process manually for each set up. Firefox is playing catch up a little bit, considering browsers such as Google Chrome have offered this enhanced sync ability for quite some time, but considering the implementation issues; Chrome has suffered and it will interesting to see if Firefox handles this feature in a more elegant manner.
The official Firefox beta 11 release notes contain a number of feature additions as well as fixes and updates to certain aspects of the browser and reads as follows:
    • [NEW] Firefox can now migrate your Bookmarks, History and Cookies from Google Chrome.
    • [NEW] With Sync Enabled, add-ons can now be synchronised across your computers.
    • [NEW] The CSS text-size-adjust property is now supported.
    • [HTML5] The outerHTML property is now supported on HTML elements.
    • [HTML5] View source syntax highlighting now uses the HTML5 parser.
    • [FIXED] Redesigned media controls for HTML5 video playback.
    • [FIXED] Firefox notifications may not work properly with Growl 1.3 or later.
Users may have noted that in the Google Chrome browser, the update process occurs seamlessly in the background. This silent update feature will also now be included with Firefox on Windows. The somewhat annoying User Account Control, which seems to require permissions to do anything, will only need to be granted access one time only, meaning after the initial permission has been granted; updates will be handled seamlessly upon restart of the browser.
The latest beta version will also include support for web developers, allowing them to visualize a webpage in full three dimensional goodness using the page inspector 3D view which has been built in. If the machine being used is compatible with WebGL then viewing the page in 3D will offer a whole new perspective on web page structure and make up.
All in all, the new beta version of Firefox offers a mix of much needed features along with some important bug fixes and developer implementations. Visit the downloads page for Windows, Mac and Linux compatible versions, or, simply refer to the download links below to download Firefox 11 in standard English:
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Source: http://www.redmondpie.com/download-firefox-11-beta-for-windows-mac-linux/

 

 

Mozilla patches 8 vulnerabilities, delivers first enterprise edition

By Gregg Keizer,January 31, 2012 03:13 PM ET



Computerworld - Mozilla today patched eight vulnerabilities in Firefox as it shipped the latest iteration in its rapid release schedule.
Firefox 10, sixth in the line of updates that have been rolling off the development line every six weeks since mid-2011, fixed half a dozen flaws rated "critical," Mozilla's highest threat ranking, and another two labeled "high."
One of the notable vulnerabilities addressed in Firefox 10 could open users to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks because the browser did not properly run a security check when calling untrusted scripting objects, said Mozilla.
"The fix enables the Script Security Manager (SSM) to force security checks on all frame scripts," an accompanying advisory noted.

Mozilla also fixed several bugs that caused Firefox crashes, including one traced to a recent Java update that Apple shipped to users last year.
Although Mozilla touted several new features in Firefox 10 it thought were important to developers, the most noticeable change to users is the browser's ability to automatically mark nearly all add-ons as compatible with each upgrade.

Firefox users have complained about incompatible add-ons since Mozilla shifted to the faster release schedule last summer, as add-on developers have been slow to revamp their code or tag their extensions as suitable for the newest edition.
Mozilla began automatically marking add-ons as compatible back in March 2011 when it launched Firefox 4, but limited that move to extensions distributed through its own website;

Firefox 10 does the same for all add-ons, including those not available from Mozilla.
Automatic add-on compatibility marking is one component Mozilla has identified as necessary for a "silent update" mechanism to match that in Google Chrome, which upgrades itself without any user action.

Other pieces, however, are not ready: The final part of the service is now slated to appear in

Firefox 13, set to release in early June, or six weeks later than Mozilla's estimate when it shipped Firefox 9 last month.

Mozilla also released Firefox 3.6.26, the latest security update for the two-year-old browser, to patch five vulnerabilities, four of them critical.

Firefox 3.6 is closing on retirement: Mozilla has said it will stop shipping security updates for the browser after April 24.
To replace Firefox 3.6 -- which many enterprises retained when they balked at upgrading every six weeks -- the company also kicked off the first edition of Firefox ESR (extended support release).

Firefox 10 ESR will be supported with security updates through its 54-week lifespan, but its user interface and feature set will not change during that stretch. Mozilla will upgrade ESR users to a new edition starting Nov. 20, 2012.
Windows, Mac and Linux editions of Firefox 10 can be downloaded manually from Mozilla's site. People running Firefox 4 or later will be offered the upgrade through the browser's own update mechanism.
The next version of Firefox is scheduled to ship March 13.

covers Microsoft, security issues, Apple, Web browsers and general technology breaking news for Computerworld. Follow Gregg on Twitter at Twitter @gkeizer, on Google+ or subscribe to Gregg's RSS feed Keizer RSS. His e-mail address is gkeizer@computerworld.com.
See .

Source: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223860/Firefox_10_relieves_add_on_updating_pain?source=rss_internet&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+computerworld%2Fs%2Ffeed%2Ftopic%2F211+%28Computerworld+Browsers+News%29

February 1, 2012

10 Best Hotel Search Engines






Are you a last minute hotel booker or one who plans out trips months in advance? If you are a business traveller, chances are that you are the former. If you aren’t, then you are just the guy who could do with this article. Come to think of it, even if you are a business traveller who lives out of a suitcase, it would pay to keep these hotel search engines bookmarked because it could give you some room near your bottom-line.
Searching for the best hotel deals in town is one topic we have discussed at length on MUO. We still like to put out the information now and again because hotel search engines are essential traveller tools to be used before you pack your suitcase.
Here are ten of the best hotel search engines that fetch you the best deals when you travel.

Google Hotel Finder

hotel search engines


We start with the usual suspects and Google with its experimental Google Hotel Finder is one for the top billing. Head over to our directory mention for a brief introduction. Google Hotel Finder could go from an experiment to a full-scale assault on the other hotel and travel websites out there because it brings in a few conveniences. For instance, you can compare hotel prices (the price slider is a big help) and put them in a shortlist and track them over time. Tracking is a big help when you want to grab the best deal in town. You can use filters and the Google map to search out hotels in a selected area; select them by travel time; and pick the ones which are near the urban hot spots.

Bing Travel – Rate Indicator

best hotel search engines

Bing Travel goes head to head (or is it the other way around) with Google Hotel Finder. The Rate Indicator here is a great help when you are trying to find whether the hotel tariff is a good deal or not. You can also do a historic search for specific dates. It is only available for 30 U.S. cities at present. The Rate Indicator shows yellow, green, and red legends on a Bing Map to indicate the ‘hotness’ of a deal.  The usual Bing Travel search engine though gives you a comparative search with Hotwire, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Expedia, and Priceline. These are few of the top notch travel and hotel websites.

Hotels.com

best hotel search engines


Hotels.com is one of the most comprehensive hotel booking websites around which covers 140,000 hotels worldwide. It is a one-window solution to all your search and booking needs. It gives you localized information plus great deals and rewards programs. Hotels.com claims that it gives you the cheapest rates and if you find anything cheaper they will match it. Hotels.com also does not charge cancellation fees. Download their free iPad, iPhone, Android app.

Laterooms

best hotel search engines


This is a Europe and U.K centric site which covers properties worldwide too. Laterooms lists a total of 33,000 properties. Sign-up to receive best deals by email or periodically visit the Special Offers section on the site. The hotel search engine uncovers deals like – Extra special discounts; Added value extras; Free hotel nights; and package deals when you stay for more than one night.

Tripadvisor

hotel search


Tripadvisor is one of the most well-known search engines for travel and hotel deals. We mentioned it when we saw 5 Review Sites To Help You Find The Perfect Hotel and it certainly deserves another mention here. The site suggests reviews and advice on hotels, resorts, flights, vacation rentals, vacation packages, travel guides, and lots more. One of the features you might use most often is the filter that lets you sort the hotels by the amenities on offer.

Booking.com

hotel search


Hotel search and booking websites are usually choc-a-bloc with information. I like the relatively uncluttered layout of this hotel search engine which is also aided by the large and clear fonts that are used. You can use the search engine to locate and hotel reservations.  Their tag line says – 187,784 hotels in 163 countries worldwide. So, that’s quite a sweep. Subscribe to the email newsletter for flash deals.

Hotels Combined




Hotels Combined and its hotel search engine too covers the world. The site says that its Verified Reviews (a trademarked service) accepts and quantifies reviews from verified, paying customers only. The hotel search engine compares prices across a bunch of hotel pricing sites. You can view the list when you search for the best hotel by destination.

Hotwire




The discount travel site negotiates the best hotel deals (along with other travel related ones) and presents them to you as Hotwire Hot Rates. You can also use the site’s Tripwatcher tool to watch out for price drops. The results are compared with other sites like Expedia, Kayak, Tripadvisor, and Orbitz. Check out the site’s Planning Tools section for a few more travel aids which help you plan your trip.

Venere

hotel search


104.000 hotels and listing of other accommodation types in more than 130 countries makes this best hotel search engine holds its own against the best of its ilk. Also includes Bed and Breakfasts and vacation rentals. The site gives you a colorful map-based search tool for finding out the best hotel deal in town.

Roomkey

hotel search engines


Six of the largest hotel companies in the world (Choice Hotels International, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International and Wyndham Hotel Group) collaborated to start up Roomkey.  The hotel search engine is specifically tailored for their clientele and aims to – offer travelers direct access to a broad network of hotels around the globe, provide accurate and comprehensive information, make it easy for travelers to discover what’s right for them. And in one word, the interface is superb.
These ten hotel search engines are at the forefront of the pack, and there are more of them. Most of the websites in the hotel search category are quite similar…offering a mix of hotel reservations, reviews, and great deals. Here are a few more you can throw into the mix:

Having a few of these hotel search engines bookmarked helps you to cross-check the best deals and plan your trip with low overheads. Where are you planning to travel to next? Do you use any of these hotel search engines, or do you depend on your travel agent?
Image Credit: Shutterstock

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-hotel-search-engines-deals-travel/

January 21, 2012

FortySevens (474747): A Startpage With Menu of Sites

A startpage is usually meant to provide easy access to the sites and services you use frequently everyday so that you don’t need to type their URLs in the address bar each time. FortySevens or 474747 is one such startpage which is like a directory of the best websites in diverse categories, all on one page, arranged in a grid format for quick search and access. There’s a “choose country” option which has a few major nations in the list and you could get country-specific suggestions of sites under various sections if you use that option.

474747

There are definitely a lot of categories and a huge number of sites listed on 474747. The categories are Mail, Social, News, Shopping, Banks, Travel, Business, Estates, Sports, Jobs, Phones, Government, Health, Weather…it’s a long list really. There are niche categories like Car Rental and Insurance which you won’t normally find on an online directory, let alone a startpage.

474747

Overall, if you are looking to have quick access to a diverse list of sites at the click of a button then 474747 is definitely a nice option. Oh, and there’s a Google search at the top of the page too.
Features
  • Online startpage, directory of useful websites.
  • You may choose a country to begin with.
  • All kinds of categories available.
  • Huge list of useful sites.
Check out FortySevens (474747) @ www.474747.net (By Abhijeet from GT Mobiles)

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/fortysevens-474747-startpage-access-huge-number-sites/

January 11, 2012

Web Browser Competition Winner: Firefox 9 (again)

Tom's Hardware Guide revisited their web browser competition for January 2012. Mozilla Firefox 9 again beat the competition. Results below.




In our last installment, Web Browser Grand Prix 7: Firefox 7, Chrome 14, Opera 11.51, we completely dropped the raw placing tables in favor of the analysis tables that more closely reflect the scale of victory. Let's quickly take a moment to go over what these mean.
The analysis tables hold categories for each type of benchmark. For example, Mozilla Dromaeo DOM is represented by the DOM category, while Peacekeeper, the Krakens, and SunSpiders are represented together under the JavaScript category.
Each category has four columns: winner, strong, acceptable, and weak. Winner is obviously the browser that achieves the highest scores for the category. The strong column is for those browsers exhibiting superior performance, but no victory. Acceptable is for browsers that perform neither spectacularly nor poorly, but merely adequately. For tests that measure frame rates, a score near the 30 FPS range gets that browser filed into the acceptable column. The weak column is for browsers that perform poorly or substantially lower than their competitors.
In the event of a complete tie in the analysis tables, we simply go back to the individual benchmarks and look at the raw difference in scores.
The Windows 7-based standings for Chrome 16, Firefox 9, Internet Explorer 9, Opera 11.60, and Safari 5.1.2 are found in the table below.
Windows 7 Analysis Table

WinnerStrongAcceptableWeak
Performance Benchmarks
Startup Time, LightSafariChrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera

Startup Time, HeavyInternet ExplorerChrome, OperaFirefoxSafari
Page Load Time, UncachedChromeFirefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari

Page Load Time, CachedChromeSafariFirefox, OperaInternet Explorer
JavaScriptChromeFirefoxOperaInternet Explorer, Safari
DOMOperaChrome, FirefoxSafariInternet Explorer
CSSSafariChromeInternet Explorer, OperaFirefox
FlashSafariInternet Explorer, OperaChrome, Firefox
JavaFirefoxChromeInternet Explorer, Opera, Safari
SilverlightOpera
Firefox, Internet ExplorerChrome, Safari
HTML5Internet ExplorerFirefoxChrome, SafariOpera
HTML5 Hardware AccelerationInternet ExplorerFirefox
Chrome, Opera, Safari
WebGLFirefox
ChromeInternet Explorer, Opera, Safari
Efficiency Benchmarks
Memory Usage, LightInternet ExplorerSafari, OperaChrome, Firefox
Memory Usage, HeavySafari
Chrome, Firefox, OperaInternet Explorer
Memory ManagementChromeInternet ExplorerFirefoxOpera, Safari
Reliability Benchmarks
Proper Page LoadsFirefox, OperaSafariChromeInternet Explorer
Conformance Benchmarks
HTML5ChromeFirefox, Opera
Internet Explorer, Safari
JavaScriptOperaFirefoxChrome, Internet Explorer, Safari

Now let's see how Chrome 16, Firefox 9, Opera 11.60, and Safari 5.1.2 fare on the MacBook Air's native platform of Mac OS X.
Mac OS X (Lion) Analysis Table

WinnerStrongAcceptableWeak
Performance Benchmarks
Startup Time, LightSafariFirefoxChromeOpera
Startup Time, HeavyFirefoxOperaChrome, Safari
Page Load Time, UncachedChromeFirefoxSafariOpera
Page Load Time, CachedSafariChromeFirefox, Opera
JavaScriptChromeFirefoxSafariOpera
DOMFirefoxChrome, SafariOpera
CSSSafariChromeOperaFirefox
FlashFirefox
Chrome, Opera, Safari
JavaOpera
SafariChrome, Firefox
SilverlightSafari

Chrome, Firefox, Opera
HTML5Safari
Chrome, OperaFirefox
HTML5 Hardware AccelerationSafari

Chrome, Firefox, Opera
WebGL

Chrome, FirefoxOpera, Safari
Efficiency Benchmarks
Memory Usage, LightSafari
OperaFirefox, Chrome
Memory Usage, HeavyOperaSafariFirefoxChrome
Memory ManagementChrome

Firefox, Opera, Safari
Reliability Benchmarks
Proper Page LoadsOperaFirefoxChrome, Safari
Conformance Benchmarks
HTML5ChromeFirefox, OperaSafari
JavaScriptOperaFirefoxChrome, Safari

Without further ado, let's crown our Web Browser Grand Prix VIII champions.
Web Browser Grand Prix Champion, The Windows Circuit
Although Firefox demonstrates the least number of wins (one less than IE9, Opera, and Safari, and two less than Chrome), it achieves the highest number of strong scores and only turns in one weak performance. Firefox 9 solidifies Mozilla's Web Browser Grand Prix championship, which was precariously handed out to Firefox 7 last September. Congratulations Mozilla! It's good to see that this browser war veteran still has some fight left in it.
Chrome 16 is still just a minor performance update away from matching or perhaps even surpassing Firefox 9 though, and the recent improvements to Firefox seem to have absolutely no effect on Google's march to the top of Web browser market share.
Opera is still hanging onto a strong third-place position with version 11.60, especially considering it still lacks HTML5 hardware acceleration and WebGL support. But Opera 12 is on the way, and it promises to seriously shake things up, just like the last two whole-number releases out of Norway.
Microsoft Internet Explorer has been stagnating for several months, and it's really starting to show. Last year, IE9 won two consecutive Web Browser Grand Prix championships and stayed near the top of the pack for some time afterward. The browser now resides at the bottom of the heap, tied for last place Apple's offering in Windows 7.
While the Windows version of Safari moved forward since our last look, the progress isn't enough to move the browser out of last place. In Windows 7, that is...
Web Browser Grand Prix Champion, The Mac OS X Circuit

Despite the best efforts of Google, Mozilla, and Opera, Apple Safari retains its OS X Web Browser Grand Prix crown. With a staggering number of wins and an equally impressive lack of weaknesses, Safari 5.1.2 simply owns on its native platform.
The OS X runner-up, on the other hand, is highly debatable. We're going call it in favor of incumbent number two, Google Chrome. Firefox 9 really pulled ahead from the last-place finish it received back in August, though.
Unfortunately, the Mac version of Opera is a mere shadow of its Windows version, landing the Norwegian powerhouse in last place.  
Operating System Comparison
The red bars that occasionally appear in our charts denote when an OS X-based browser beats all of the Windows 7-based competition. We use the word occasionally because we only had to switch the Mac OS X green bars to red four times. That's four out of 35 eligible charts, as opposed to the 10 out of 29 OS X earned on the Hackintosh system we used in Web Browser Grand Prix VI: Firefox 6, Chrome 13, Mac OS X Lion. While many Mac fans expected to see OS X really hammer Windows 7 on a genuine Mac, the home court advantage didn't do Apple any favors.
So, Redmond wins yet another Mac versus PC Web Browser Grand Prix, this time on a mobile system (and a brand new Core i7-based MacBook, to boot). Ouch.


With the Firefox 10, Opera 12 and Internet Explorer 10 releases just around the corner, guys from TomsHardware have decided to test the latest stable builds of the top 5 web browsers on both Windows 7 and Mac OS X Lion.
How did your favorite web browser perform? Let’s find out.

Tested versions
Internet Explorer 9
Firefox 9
Google Chrome 16
Opera 11.60
Safari 5.1.2

Startup Time Performance Benchmarks

Google Chrome 16 vs. Firefox 9 vs. Internet Explorer 9 vs. Opera 11.60 vs. Safari 5.1
Google Chrome 16 vs. Firefox 9 vs. Internet Explorer 9 vs. Opera 11.60 vs. Safari 5.1
Google Chrome 16 vs. Firefox 9 vs. Internet Explorer 9 vs. Opera 11.60 vs. Safari 5.1
Google Chrome 16 vs. Firefox 9 vs. Internet Explorer 9 vs. Opera 11.60 vs. Safari 5.1
Google Chrome 16 vs. Firefox 9 vs. Internet Explorer 9 vs. Opera 11.60 vs. Safari 5.1

JavaScript Performance Benchmarks

Google Chrome 16 vs. Firefox 9 vs. Internet Explorer 9 vs. Opera 11.60 vs. Safari 5.1
Google Chrome 16 vs. Firefox 9 vs. Internet Explorer 9 vs. Opera 11.60 vs. Safari 5.1

HTML5 Performance Benchmarks

Google Chrome 16 vs. Firefox 9 vs. Internet Explorer 9 vs. Opera 11.60 vs. Safari 5.1
Google Chrome 16 vs. Firefox 9 vs. Internet Explorer 9 vs. Opera 11.60 vs. Safari 5.1

Harware Acceleration Performance Benchmarks

Google Chrome 16 vs. Firefox 9 vs. Internet Explorer 9 vs. Opera 11.60 vs. Safari 5.1




Source: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/macbook-air-chrome-16-firefox-9-benchmark,3108.html