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Mozilla have released the final version of Firefox 11.0 for Mac and Windows. The most notable change in Firefox 11 is add-on syncing which means that you can sync your add-ons across machines.
This means that if you install Firefox on a different computer and need the same add-ons that you usually use, Firefox will sync them automatically so you have identical browsers. You can toggle it off and on via the Sync tab in the Options window.
Microsoft have today announced the release of their Windows 8 Consumer Preview, at the Mobile World Congress, available in 32 and 64 bit versions. We saw the developer’s preview last year, but this is much improved – more stable and with more features. It’s the ideal opportunity for Windows users to check out the new Metro interface and apps, which are a radical departure for Windows.
Read on for screenshots and my impressions of Windows 8.
Continue reading “Windows 8 Consumer Preview released”
When Microsoft closed the studio responsible for its Flight Simulator series, it looked like the end for the much loved game. However, soon afterwards Microsoft Flight was announced, and today it has been released as a free to play title.
I took a look at the closed beta last month, and while there are plenty of changes, I came away impressed. Microsoft Flight is great for new players, with excellent tutorials teaching you everything you need to know about flying. At first glance ‘hardcore’ sim fans might be put off, but I think there is enough depth once you get into it.
Apart from releasing a developer preview of OS X 10.8 “Mountain Lion”, Apple has also released Messages – the successor to iChat.
If you install Messages, it replaces iChat although Apple has assured that iChat services will continue to work.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is one of the most popular online multiplayer games around. When the game launched, Activision started an online service that aggregates multiplayer data from matches played. Called Call of Duty ELITE, it is now available on iOS with an Android version set to be released in the near future.
As you can see in the screenshot, the iOS version of Call of Duty ELITE features the same information you can get on your browser or console, but rearranged to fit the touchscreen better. Read our Call of Duty ELITE review and download the app here.
Mozilla has released the latest Alpha version of Firefox – Firefox 11 Aurora. Most of the major changes in Firefox 11 Aurora are in the Android version, which now finally supports Adobe Flash and has a native Android interface. Syncing has been temporarily removed, however.
For Windows and Mac users the User Account Control panel has been withdrawn after installation and you can now import bookmarks from Chrome.
Other changes are mainly under the hood, including more support for HTML5 and Google’s SPDY protocol for faster site loading can now be tested. In addition, there’s support for 3D web page visualization and HTML5 video controls have been redesigned. There are no major changes to the appearance.
Note that Firefox 11 Aurora is an developmental release and therefore can be unstable and may not work with many add-ons. If you want the stable version (version 9), you can download it here for Windows and Mac.
Facebook has launched a beta version of Facebook Messenger for Windows which allows you to chat with your contacts from your desktop. At the moment, it is only available to a small number of selected beta testers.
Facebook Messenger for Windows not only lets you communicate with your Facebook contacts but also gives you access to your news feed and message notifications giving you access to all the essential tools of Facebook.
The interface of Facebook Messenger for Windows is very clear and divided into two separate windows. One is dedicated to contacts and feeds like the right column of Facebook and the other opens chats. Any notifications appear as pop-ups on your desktop.
Note that although this is the first official Facebook desktop app, there are already several programs that allow you to chat with Facebook contacts including Digsby Trillian Astra, Nimbuzz and Skype.
It’s been a long time in coming but the beta version of XBMC 11 has now been released. Version 11 “Eden” adds lots of new features and improvements to the open source home theater software for both Mac and Windows.
The most notable changes are Addon Rollbacks and vast improvements to the default skin Confluence.
There are also significant speed increases thanks to what’s known as “Dirty-region rendering”, a new JPEG decoder, a simpler, better library, additional protocol handling, better networking support, better handling of unencrypted BluRay content and structures, adjustable display refresh rates in OSX (to match the already available feature in Windows and Linux), AirPlay support, an upgraded weather service, and much more.
You can find details of all the new additions and changes to XBMC in the changelog.
Although not finished yet, there are also important changes in progress to XBMC Live to make it more like a full “*Buntu” version of XBMC with major changes to the boot and install process.
Mozilla has released the final version of Firefox 9 beta meaning it won’t be long before it is confirmed as the next stable version of Firefox.
The latest update features improvements to Javascript that Mozilla claims boosts performance by over 30 percent. Mozilla has also tweaked Javascript with something called Type Inference for faster loading times. The other improvement is greater theme integration and swipe navigation for Mac OS X users.
Mozilla’s frequent update policy still isn’t popular with users – especially because they don’t seem to deliver major improvements and break add-ons. Let’s hope when the final version of Firefox 9 is confirmed, the transition will be smoother and the improvements more noticeable.
You can download Firefox 9 beta final for Windows and Mac or just wait for it to update automatically.
Grand Theft Auto 3 has been released today for mobile devices, promising iOS and Android users all the fun, action-packed gameplay of the controversial original game. Its release is designed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the original launch.
As you can see from the trailer, GTA 3 for mobile is a very faithful conversion of the original for the small screen. You play as Claude, a career criminal who must work his way up the crime ladder of Liberty City in order to get revenge on his ex-girlfriend who betrayed him during a heist.
Full of great 3D graphics, fast cars, fun storylines, and brazen violence, Grand Theft Auto 3 is well worth the five bucks it costs from the app store. Find out more by reading our review of GTA 3 for iOS and Android.
