Chrome Engineer Mike Pinkerton has tweeted that he is working on Core Animation Support for Mac Chrome. This is a very important development in light of the information which Adobe has released about the upcoming Core Animation support in Flash for OS X. Core Animation support in Flash Player 10.1 brings some incredible performance improvements to Flash for Mac. According to Adobe Chief Technology Officer Kevin Lynch

In Flash Player 10.1 we are moving to CoreAnimation, which will further reduce CPU usage and we believe will get us to the point where Mac will be faster than Windows for graphics rendering. With Flash Player 10.1, we are optimizing video rendering further on the Mac and expect to reduce CPU usage by half, bringing Mac and Windows closer to parity for video.

Currently Safari is the only browser which supports Core Animation on Mac. For more details on Core Animation support for Flash, read this detailed blog post by Flash Engineer by Tinic Uro. One interesting tidbit is that the support for Core Animation was a joint effort between Apple and Adobe engineers.

Flash is the bane for those of us using Mac Chrome. The end may be in sight. According to the Adobe CTO

As I’ve been using the Chrome beta it appears to be throwing errors in hosting Flash content a few times a week now and if you are using this browser on the Mac you are likely also seeing this problem — Chrome is in *beta*. There are issues in the hosting code that is used to run Flash (and other plug-ins), and we are working directly with the Chrome team to help address these.

Related posts:

1. Dev Channel Updates, Mac Chrome gets Extension Support Again
2. Kill-Flash (FlashBlock) For Chrome
3. Chrome For Mac Beta

Sorry for the long hiatus!  I was neck in deep in professional and personal projects. One of the personal projects, ReviewGang (RG) is now ready and was launched yesterday.  Reviewgang offers  consolidated hindi movie reviews, helping you in deciding whether a movie is worth watching. Here is the pitch :)

Do you compulsively check reviews before watching a movie? Ever wished, there was one single place which provided you the information required to help you make an informed decision on what to watch and whether it is worth spending your money and time on?

ReviewGang aims to help you make that decision. We’ll give you all the low-down – Critic reviews and ratings, user reviews and ratings, videos and trailers – all in one place!!!

Do you have lot on your mind about how the latest movie could have been better? Or are you simply overjoyed that the movie you chose to see was worth every bit? Share your thoughts. Write in or post a link and we’ll make sure the rest hear about it.

So, what are you waiting for? Light… Camera… ReviewGang!!!

Shovebox for Mac, is an unobtrusive menubar app which acts a collection bin for snippets of text, webpages and iSight images. Evernote is the giant in this space but after using evernote for some time I realized that the effort required to use evernote effectively was more than what I was willing to spend. With evernote there was always a little hesitation before saving something and I would ask myself whether the effort would be worth it. I was too lazy :)

Shovebox enables my laziness. Saving items are so easy that I do not think twice about doing it. Saving a webpage is as simple as dragging the URL to the menubar icon. Shovebox saves webpages in an archive format with the styling and images intact. In browsers where it is not possible to drag the URL like Mac Chrome, you can copy the URL into clipboard and then use the import clipboard function.

Shovebox offers some basic organizing capabilities. Snippets can be placed into folders. Folders can be only one level deep so this works more like categories.  Labels are also limited. You can edit the names but you are limited to just 7. But I have no problems with that because I don’t feel the need to tag and label every piece of content.  Shovebox also comes with an integrated search which searches the entire contents of snippets and this is my preferred way to retrieve information.

The biggest downside of shovebox vis a vis evernote is that your data resides only in your computer. With evernote it gets synced to evernote servers and is accessible in multiple ways. But I’m willing to overlook that because shovebox takes the friction out of saving snippets of information and suites my work flow better. If you need the shovebox content to be synced to your iPhone, shovebox also comes in an iPhone avatar.

Related posts:

1. iStat Menus Review
2. iPhone: Simplenote Review
3. Google Chrome for Mac – A Review

Hot on the heels of iPad announcement, Google has released visual concepts of Chrome OS running on a tablet PC. During the mania around the iPad announcement, a few had noted the similarities between the iPad philosophy and Chrome OS. A limited platform aimed at simplifying the computing experience of the masses and positioned as a companion device to an existing laptop/desktop.

Unlike Apple, Google still hasn’t decided on the exact user interface for the Chrome OS Tablet. The possibilities are

• Keyboard interaction with the screen: anchored, split, attached to focus.
• Launchers as an overlay, providing touch or search as means to access web sites.
• Contextual actions triggered via dwell.
• Zooming UI for multiple tabs
• Tabs presented along the side of the screen (see Side tabs)
• Creating multiple browsers on screen using a launcher

Google has also released a video which shows the Chrome OS in action (via neowin). The video shows the OS running in a device much larger than a tablet – something like Microsoft surface

There are significant differences between iPad and Chrome OS. In fact the only similarity between them would be the  market they are trying to address. While iPad has the entire App Store ecosystem behind it, Chrome OS has only web applications to depend on. And a lot of these web applications will work perfectly fine on iPad too. Even a price advantage in Chrome Tablet’s favour is unlikely as iPad has been priced aggressively. So it seems Chrome OS is starting out with severe disadvantages. It will be interesting to see  how this plays out.

Related posts:

1. Apple Tablet Predictions
2. Google Chrome OS : A Speculative Analysis
3. Download Updated Google Chrome for Mac

iTunes has been updated to 9.0.3. It is available through Software update and weighs in at 93.6 MB. Changelog as usual is brief

• iTunes no longer ignores your “Remember password for purchases” setting.
• Addresses problems with syncing some Smart Playlists and Podcasts with iPod.
• Resolves a problem recognizing when iPod is connected.
• Addresses issues that affect stability and performance.

Thank god that they fixed the password bug! It used to drive me nuts!

Related posts:

1. Download Updated Google Chrome for Mac
2. Chrome for Mac Updated: First Cut of Omnibox
3. Fix iPhone OS 3.0 Battery Charging Problems

Google pushed out another dev channel update on Jan 29th with versions jumping from 4.x to 5.x. This update brings plugin stability, more accuracy in task manager and various performance and stability enhancements.

I have been using this version from the day it came out and the flash plugin has not crashed a single time. In the previous dev channel build flash plugin crashes were a common occurrence. The flash plugin performance is still dismal and the flash plugin can easily use 100% of one of my CPU cores. I hope chrome developers tackle this next.

With the version bump, Google may be signalling another beta release. Most of the high profile wish-list features for the mac chrome like Bookmarks manager, Task manager, Full Extension support have already been completed or are near completion. Chrome developers had promised a beta update some time back and my guess is that it should be right around the corner.

Related posts:

1. Chrome For Mac: An Update
2. Mac Chrome Gets Task Manager
3. Dev Channel Updates, Mac Chrome gets Extension Support Again

Gaia is an accidental winner for me. The primary focus of the app – “GPS”, does not hold attraction beyond curiosity for me. The killer feature of this application is the ability to download and store maps for offline use. I have been in several situations where access to maps offline would have come in handy.  Google maps is awesome but is useless without a data plan/wifi access. Gaia is the (partial) answer to my prayers.The maps provider Gaia uses pales in comparison to Google maps in detail, especially for international users. This is the biggest downside of Gaia.

When you open the app, it will will try to acquire your location through GPS. This can happen instantaneously or can take several minutes. On acquiring a GPS signal, you will be presented with  a busy screen and it can be intimidating :). The (i) button, below the lock icon, will explain the functions of each button. The primary function of this screen is to save a track. Upon pressing the (+) button, you will be asked to name the track, completing which the recording of the track begins. The recording can be paused/resumed and waypoints can be attached to the track  using the “flag” button.The saved tracks can be viewed later. You can also lock the screen using the lock button if you want to avoid accidental inputs.

The circle in the center, shows the map. Since I was not in a big city, the maps Gaia uses had just the major roads marked and hence the lack of detail in the map shown. Fear not, it is not always like that. On the right  you can see a pretty detailed map of Chennai India.

Map Download

The app doesn’t come with pre-loaded maps. You need to download the maps you need individually. So you will need a data connection/wifi to view the maps you haven’t downloaded and to download them. Upon pressing the download button, you will be presented with the screen above sans the selection.  switching on “High Detail” will make the app download tiles at every available detail. With it switched off, the app will download only minimal tiles and you won’t be able to zoom much. Selection is easy and requires the use of just one finger. You can also expand the viewing area by hiding the bottom and top menu bars. The space thus saved is substantial considering the iPhone’s small screen size.

Overall, Gaia is a decent app if you require offline maps and advanced GPS  functions like tracks, speeds etc. Since the maps are clearly inferior to Google Maps and dedicated navigation apps like TomTom Gaia cannot be the sole navigation app. But for those people who live in areas where the Gaia map coverage is good and need offline maps, this is a good buy.

Related posts:

1. iPhone: Simplenote Review
2. Fix iPhone OS 3.0 Battery Charging Problems
3. Shovebox Review

Even before iPad was announced one of the hottest topics of discussion was how it would affect Amazon Kindle. Virtually everyone expected the Apple Tablet to ship with an ebook reader and for Apple to position it as a better alternative to Kindle. So  is iPad a Kindle Killer?  In one word: No. I think, in the short term Kindle sales will be cannibalised.  But Amazon is in this game for the long term and they are not going to concede defeat that easily. Amazon is smarter and more nimble than Nokia and other mobile manufacturers who didn’t know what hit them when the iPhone was introduced. At the very least expect to see some drastic Kindle price cuts and  newer devices with more capabilities. This is just the start of a long war between Amazon and Apple.

Apple iPad vs Kindle

Kindle has two major advantages over iPad: Screen and Battery Life. Though reading on LCD is much more comfortable than a CRT, it does not hold a candle to Eink (Kindle’s Screen Tech) which is as comfortable as reading print.An LCD screen is fine for short bursts of reading like web pages. But when I read ebooks on my macbook LCD screen I end up with a slight headache and bleary eyes even after reducing the display brightness I think it is because while reading an ebook we are less distracted and tend to read continuously, increasing the strain on eyes. I have never met anyone who raves about how easy it is to read on the computer compared to print. Whereas Kindle owners raves about how pleasant the reading experience is. It catches them by surprise.

iPad is a decent general purpose media consuming device. But as a dedicated ebook reader, I think it falls short of the mark. With just 10 hours of battery life, charging it is another chore you would have to remember to do. this would be fine when you are at home but on a vacation would your rather have a kindle with its fantastic 7 day battery life or and iPad which you need to recharge daily ? Kindle offers worldwide global coverage with well publicized rates whereas with the iPad you have to buy a data plan. If you are on a overseas vacation, the iPad 3G may not work or maybe expensive (rates haven’t been publicized yet) but Kindle is guaranteed to work in almost anywhere and the rates are fixed.

If you are an avid book reader and is looking at iPad as a kindle replacement, think a little more about it after the iPad buzz dies down. As a dedicated ebook reader I think Kindle wins hands down. If you want a general purpose tablet, iPad is the best choice available right now.

What Amazon Should Do With Current Kindle

1. Bring down the price: With iPad priced at 499$, Kindle DX suddenly looks overpriced. Drop the original Kindle price to a level where impulse purchases are possible. Possibly 149$.
2. Introduce a decent way to organize the content library in Kindle. And while you are at it make it a little pretty please. Apple gets it. That is the reason why the iBooks bookshelf is functional and visually appealing.
3. Eliminate the hardware keyboard and introduce the software keyboard.: It is a reading device and text input is a very secondary function. A software keyboard is more than sufficient. This will also reduce the overall size of the device and may help in bringing down the price.

Kindle Advantages

1. Screen: EInk is well suited for long reading. LCD screens are strenous
2. Battery Life: At 7 days, there is no need for you to fret about battery life. iPad will most likely need daily recharges
3. Ebook collection: Kindle library has a larger collection of ebooks than the iBooks store. But Apple will most likely catch up soon.
4. Free wireless in home country. Global Wireless available with downloads charged
5. Size: The smaller kindle is a perfectly adequate ebook reader
6. Ebook prices: Amazon is currently pricing them at below cost at $9.99

iPad Advantages

1. Multipurpose device. Can play video, browse web, play music, read ebooks,browse photos and more.
2. App Store: Expect developers to come up with some amazing apps aimed at iPad. Kindle platform is limited in capabilities and will not attract even a fraction of iPhone developers
3. Better designed and has slick software. Kindle  does not even have a way to organize books and other content.
4. Multi-Touch screen

I think Amazon should focus on making the best ebook reader there is. It will be almost impossible for Amazon to make a better general purpose tablet than iPad. Apple’s expertise in mobile computing is now almost insurmountable. They have in-house capabilities right from chip design to User Interface and fully own the stack.

Related posts:

1. Apple iPad Predictions Score: 9.5/12
2. Apple Tablet Predictions
3. Amazon vs Apple Black Friday Deals

The one major blooper in the original iPad predictions is the price . I’m shocked!!. 499$ is lower than an unlocked iPhone and even mac mini!!

1. It will run some form of iPhone OS : True
2. iPhone apps will run like widgets occupying only part of the screen. Unlike iPhone, there will be multitasking: True. The apps can also go fullscreen. Looks like it can multitask. Not sure
3. It will not be using e-ink. Instead the screen will be a conventional LCD with full color support. True. LCD is IPS panel which gives better viewing angles
4. The battery will be non-removable. Apple will make bold claims about battery life :): True. Built in battery. Apple claims up to 10hrs of battery life.
5. A major focus will be on consuming content like books and newspapers. Expect an app store where you will be able to buy books or subscribe to newspapers. True. Apple introduces iBook store
6. Tablet will of course have and will come with 3G support most likely on Verizon. Free usage is unlikely and if offered will be limited to books and newspapers: Half True. 3G support is optional and official 3G partner is AT&T. It is unlocked. So you can ofcourse user a Verizon 3G card
7. The UI will be similar to Palm webOS cards: Note sure. Need to see if it can multitask.multitasking apps might behave like webos was my guess
8. It will be called iCanvas or iPad: True. Horrible name. iCanvas would have been much better
9. Will be using a customized CPU based on an ARM core developed by PA Semi, the company Apple acquired. True. Powered by 1GHz Apple A-4.
10. Will be priced at 999$: Horribly wrong. Just 499$. Price is lower than an unlocked iPhone. Carlo Gandolfi predicted it exactly.
11. There will be no hardware keyboard but you should be able to use an external keyboard and mouse: True
12. Might come with an optional iMac like stand which doubles up as a charging dock. This stand will also have support for peripherals like external keyboard: True. Though not iMac like, a keyboard + charging dock is an optional accessory

Related posts:

1. Apple Tablet Predictions
2. Apple iPad vs Kindle: Is iPad a Kindle Killer?
3. Amazon vs Apple Black Friday Deals

Infibeam has announced the launch of Pi – an ebook reader for Indian market. The device is priced at 10,000 Rs (approximately 220$) and  is pretty similar to the original kindle in its capabilities.

Kindle vs Pi

The major difference is that kindle comes with free wireless but with Pi you will have to use a computer to sync your purchases. Amazon wanted to position kindle as an ultra simple standalone gadget with no dependencies and went with free wireless to realize that goal. Syncing with a computer is not a difficult task but it is often cumbersome. Cutting out the wireless might explain the 40$ difference in price between Kindle and Pi.

The selection of e-books offered at this point veers more towards the unknown than the popular. Infibeam claims to carry all the best-sellers in the ebook store but none of the top ten books featured in infibeam’s bestseller list is available in the ebook store. Hopefully this content gap will be filled soon.

Though Infibeam is touting the low cost of e-books, a brief search through the e-books store found them to be more expensive than paperbacks.The pricing seems to follow international pricing of e-books and I wonder how successful that strategy is going to be in India. Even Amazon, with all its might was not able to convince publishers to reduce the cost of ebooks. maybe Infibeam will be able to do it since India is a price sensitive market. Maybe the target audience of a 10,000Rs ebook reader won’t mind the high price for the books but I think Pi will find better success if it has ebooks priced lower than paperbacks.

Though ebooks are convenient, I’m not comfortable locking up my book collection in a DRM encumbered format. The ebooks Infibeam sell are in the epub format and most ebooks come with various restrictions. You cannot print it, copy it, share it and the ebooks bought cannot be re-downloaded more than 3 times. These restrictions are not Pi’s alone. World over, ebooks are typically sold with such restrictions as publishers are weary of privacy. Kindle is even worse because the ebook format kindle uses is proprietary and the ebooks can be read only on kindle or kindle software. In case of Pi, the epub format is an open standard and there are free readers available from Adobe for Windows and Mac.

Interestingly, Infibeam’s inspiration from amazon extends much beyond their site design and logo. Even the product shots of Kindle and Pi share a striking similarity. They could have done without this. If you can launch a cutting edge device, surely you can make original product shots ?

Pi vs Kindle

I’m happy to see an Indian company take the bold step of introducing a cutting edge gadget in a market which is still small and maturing. I don’t think Pi will be a runaway hit  as a general purpose ebook reader but if Infibeam is able to get textbooks into the device, then they might find greater success.