Tag: chrome

Neverware and CloudReady – Now part of Google

Some of you may remember my love for the ChromeReady Operating System. After working with Windows Server and Windows Desktop machines for some 20+ years, I like to come home to a laptop which I can just open and use quickly without worrying about viruses, updates and intrusive …

Why is Google Chrome taking so much memory?

Writing about smartphones is kinda my thing, but you’ll find me doing that within the Chrome browser on a laptop. Despite the rather respectable competition (Firefox, Safari, Opera, Edge etc), you’ll find that Chrome is my default choice of browser. It’s by far the most popular way to …

Google Stadia on lockdown

Whilst my son continues with his PS4 in the Gaming Room I created, I’ve been demoted to other areas of the house during the coronavirus lockdown. Today though, I made use of that free Stadia Pro offer and pinched his PS4 controller. I’m using my “half price Pixelbook”, …

Home Office / Gaming Room Project – Part 6. The Finale!

The task seemed simple. Sort the box room out and make it into a place where my son could do his gaming and his homework. The requirements seemed easy enough, but doing it “without any cables showing” and a minimalistic finish? Well, that was a bit of a …

Chrome OS to get Android 10 Gestures.

Lots of us here at Coolsmartphone use Chromebooks as our primary computing device, and now we’re hearing from the folks over at Android Police that they can be used in “tablet mode” with a gesture input. This is very similar to the one you’ll use in Android 10. …

Chromebooks – Now showing Bluetooth device battery level

Here at Coolsmartphone towers, a number of writers use Chromebooks as our primary devices. But one thing thing I find annoying when using my Chromebook is guessing at the battery level of my headphones, keyboard and mouse, but a few months back, it was discovered that Google was …

Top browser extensions for 2019

On your “regular PC” (or laptop), you’ll no doubt have a range of your favourite extensions in Chrome. Regardless of whether you’re an easygoing or avid user of the Internet, there are some must-have browser extensions that you’ll be using on a daily basis. However, when you’re on …

Huawei faces a Mate 30 launch without the all-important Google apps

Like Brexit. Huawei is now facing the unbelievable reality that things are about to go very wrong indeed. Their newly-announced handsets will lack the default Google apps that people use on a daily basis. Despite several reprieves, Google has has now confirmed that the Trump Trade Termination will …

Google Pixelbook Review

The Introduction I must admit, I wasn’t planning to get hands-on with a Pixelbook. That was mainly due to the price of the thing. However, when I dropped the Pixel Buds back to Google UK, I was excited to find that they would loan me a Pixelbook. This …

Festive Feature #11 – Google Chromecast down to £20

I’ve got the old version of this and I really wouldn’t do without it now. Watching a YouTube video, playing something on the iPlayer Radio app, iPlayer TV, All 4, NOW TV, Netflix, Spotify, Wuaki and YouTube. Just don’t mention Amazon Prime. Anyhoo, if you want to beam …

The perfect convertible? A left field choice. (Part 1)

Laptop PC sales are falling, Tablet sales are dropping, and even the mighty smartphone might be plateau-ing. Wearables have been a bit of a damp squib, and VR is just starting out. In the midst of all this, one area does seem to be (anecdotally at least) doing …

Android apps finally heading to Chrome OS?

When we cover live events you’ll usually find that a Chromebook is involved. We do pretty much everything on the web now, and the little Samsung we tend to take has a battery life which will see us through even really long launches. Getting Android apps to work …

Skype on a Chromebook in minutes

Gah. The amount of emails I’m getting about this is insane. I updated my instructions on how to get Skype working on a Chromebook earlier this week and I’ve already got people saying that I’ve hacked my Chromebook or done some other weirdness. Others have stated that this …

Skype on a Chromebook. Things have changed

Update – We’ve now got a fix, click here to read the update! I added a post back in October which detailed how to get Skype working on your Chromebook. It got a few hits, as did the video demo, which was recorded on the floor in my …

Chromecast app updated, now add your own backdrops

If you went ahead and bought a Chromecast then you’ll probably be familiar with the rather beautiful images that appear if nothing is actually being “cast” to the screen. It’s all very lovely, but they’re not your images are they? Now you can correct that with the latest …

Google Cardboard. Get yourself one!

Fancy getting yourself some of those low-tech but still pretty cool virtual reality specs from Google? How does £2.34 sound? Google Cardboard is basically a headset containing your phone that you strap onto your bonce. Some assembly is required here, but once you’re done you can strut around …

Tips to speed up the Chrome browser on Android

Are you a Android phones user? Do you use the Google Chrome browser on your device? I do and to be honest there is a lot of functionality but it certainly isn’t the fastest browser out there. I’ve found a couple of tips that you can use on …

Chromebook owners to be able to hook into Windows

I’m thinking about dabbling in the whole Chromebook world at the moment. I used to have a Notebook because I loved the battery life and the portability. The Windows OS, though, can slow things down. The Chromebook alternative relies on the Chrome OS, which is pretty much just …

Chrome bandwidth reduction system breaks geolocation

Yesterday I pointed out that the new Google Chrome browser had received an extra feature to help reduce your data usage. The system pushes websites through a data compression proxy to squash down images and compress HTML, JavaScript and CSS. However, there’s a bit of a problem which …

Chrome updated, now adds data compression

You may have seen something very similar in Opera for years, but now Google are packing in their Pagespeed and SPDY technology into their browser too. After updating to the latest version we had to reboot to get the promised bandwidth reduction system, which can be turned on …

Chromecast gets loaded with new apps

Chromecast has now been available in the US for a number of months and has slowly seen more functionality added as time passes.  This slow increase has now seen a major step change as Google today revealed that 10 new apps have been made available right now. The …

Chromecast App available in the UK, is Chromecast imminent?

Google released the Chromecast in the US back in July where it has been rather well received and as such it is a point of consternation that it cannot be obtained worldwide direct from Google. That however could be about to change, at least here in the UK, …

Chromecast now available for international orders

  One device that is hotly anticipated here in the UK that has been available in the US for months is Google’s Chromecast. The media streaming device that connects directly to your television’s HDMI port and is controlled by your Android, iDevice or Chrome browser has been generally …

Chrome for Android updated with Gesture Support

Google has announced an update to the stable channel of Chrome for Android which brings gesture support to the browser. According to the latest Google blog post, in Chrome for Android, you’ll be able to: Swipe horizontally across the top toolbar to quickly switch tabs. Drag vertically down …

Chrome stored passwords vulnerability exposed

Aren’t modern browsers great? They have loads of great features, like remembering your passwords and auto-filling them in for you whenever needed. But what if those stored passwords were easily discoverable by anyone with access to your computer?  That’s the situation with Google Chrome. Going through the Settings …

Chromecast announced

The Google Chromecast was just unveiled at today’s Google event. Running a modified version of Chrome OS, It allows users to stream from the cloud directly to a TV with support for 1080p and 5.1 surround sound. Notably, the Chromecast allows users to control the stream from any …

Live with Coolsmartphone: Google’s Breakfast with Sundar Pichai

Join the Coolsmartphone writers at 5PM British Summer Time for today’s Breakfast with Sundar Pichai event by Google. We’ll be bringing you all the news, opinions and reactions from this event. We expect to see some more information on Android and Chrome, particularly Android 4.3, a new Nexus 7 …

Google Babel launches as the new Hangouts

  Google finally took the wraps of Babel yesterday with the relaunch of Hangouts, a cross-platform unified messaging service to take on the likes of iMessage, Facebook Chat and WhatsApp. Users no longer have to contend with separate Google Talk, G+ Messenger, G+ Hangouts and Google Voice apps. …

Coolsmartphone predicts……Google I/O

So the time is nearly upon us once again, Google is about to hold its annual developers conference, better known as Google I/O. This time last year at the Moscone Centre in San Francisco, Google announced not only the Nexus 7 but also Android 4.2 (jellybean) and Google …

Why I think Andy Rubin left Android [Opinion]

By now the news is everywhere. Andy Rubin is leaving Android, the project he brought with him to Google in 2004, to work in their famous Project X department (responsible for Google Glass). There are many theories as to why Andy Rubin has left the effort – some …

Chromebook Pixel announced

Google have announced the latest in Chromebook series called the Pixel.  However this no ordinary Chromebook both feature wise but also unfortunately price tag wise as it will set you back a pretty penny. Here in the UK if you want to purchase a Pixel you will have to shell out …

Opera reveals a new browser; WebKit-based

This is actually bigger news than you’d think.  The new browser, Opera Ice, was showed to PocketLint.  You see, Opera Ice has go a new Interface and a new Rendering Engine.  New to Opera, anyway.  It’s a WebKit browser. Opera has always been based on the Presto (or an …

Acer UK launches new C7 Chromebook for £199

The Chromebook is something that is garnering more and more attention. Google have now introduced two new models to the market. The latest being a slightly lower spec model from Acer. But the price has just crept beneath £200 meaning it is almost as cheap as some tablets. …

Lookout Mobile Security for Android undergoes major update

Ok, so you have spent months looking forward to getting a new handset, weeks agonising over which OS, which handset and then even more time haggling with your network for a decent tariff. Finally your brand new device arrives and there it is looking all nice and shiny, …

Chrome for iPad – first impressions

As reported yesterday, Google Chrome is finally available for iOS now and I’ve had a quick look to let you know what I think. I use Chrome on Windows, Mac and Android so this for me has been a great way to finish off browser convergence across all …

Google Chrome + Drive Coming To iOS

Google have announced at Google I/O that they are releasing Google Chrome Today, the 28th June for iOS. Not only are we getting the long awaited browser but we will also be getting the long anticipated Google Drive app. Some iOS users have been waiting for the Google …

Chrome for Android set to leave beta…

Google released a beta version of Chrome for Android back in February, but according to the Senior Vice President of Chrome and Apps for Google, Sundar Pichai, Chrome for Android will leave beta status “in a matter of weeks”. He didn’t reveal anything more precise about this date, but its …

Chrome for Android now available

In something of a surprise move, Google have today released a beta of Chrome for Android onto the Market. Unfortunately for you non-Nexus/non-flashing folks, it’s only available for ICS. At least for now. I’ve been having a play around with it and am really liking some of the …

Samsung Chromebook available to buy in the US soon

Samsung have added the Chromebook to their US website. Choose from the 3G model with an Intel ATOM N570 CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 16GB SSD for $499 (around £307.37) or the WiFi-only version for $429 (£264.25). Specs include a 12.1″ display, 8.5 hours of battery life and, …