Chrome 11 beta adds new experimental APIs for proxies, Web navigation

google chrome 11 proxy
Google Chrome 11 -- which just recently made the move to the browser's beta channel -- has received a minor update that gives developers access to two new APIs.

The first is a full-featured proxy API, which will, for example, allow users to set different proxy servers for normal browsing and Incognito mode. Proxy auto-config scripts are also supported by the API.

The second -- Web Navigation Extension -- is a bit more expansive. This API will allow devs to build everything from more powerful safe browsing extensions -- like Traffic Light -- to data analysis and reporting extensions.

Both APIs are currently experimental, so you'll need to enable them on the about:flags page to try out any relevant extensions. Apart from a proxy example built by Google and shipped with the Chromium source, we're not aware of any examples just yet, however. We'll let you know when we spot any slick, new extensions which do surface.

Chrome 11 beta adds new experimental APIs for proxies, Web navigation originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/chrome-11-beta-adds-new-experimental-apis-for-proxies-web-navig/

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Google Latitude check-in deals now available across the US

Recently, Google has been busy beefing up Latitude to make it more competitive with other location apps -- and more fun to use. Location history was added recently, iOS users can post check-ins via Latitude, and now Google has begun rolling out location-based deals which are tied to the service.

If you're in the U.S., you can now score local savings at participating merchants by checking in with Latitude. Google will also be offering "status deals," which users can unlock by visiting a particular merchant on a regular basis. Mashable notes three status levels: regular, VIP, and guru -- though partners can apparently customize those titles if they choose.

Right now deals are available from merchants like American Eagle Outfitters, Arby's, Finish Line, Macy's, Quiznos, and RadioShack.

Google Latitude check-in deals now available across the US originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 08:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/08/google-latitude-check-in-deals-now-available-across-the-us/

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How Your False Sense of Security Might Get You Killed During Irene [Hurricane Irene]

Tarzan Ball is a tricky hook-and-pull physics game

tarzanball
So, you're a ball. A Tarzan Ball, to be precise. You've earned the nickname thanks to your astonishing ability to shoot out a lengthy 'vine' (I hope it's a vine) at objects, and then pull yourself towards those objects.

That's a handy ability to have, especially since you've got no legs, no arms, and no other means of transportation. In Tarzan Ball, the rope is everything. But you don't just swing around the screen aimlessly - that wouldn't be much of a game now, would it?

Instead, your goal in life is to collect "targets". Each level has one of these "targets" hidden away somewhere on the screen, usually behind some kind of barrier. Once you navigate close enough to the target, you can shoot your rope at it and just reel it in. That's when you pass the level.

You can't die in this game, but it can still be very frustrating. It's actually one of the tougher games I've posted recently. Still, if you enjoy physics games, this one is quite nicely made.

[This is actually the sequel to IQ Ball, which we covered last year! -Ed]

Tarzan Ball is a tricky hook-and-pull physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/21/tarzan-ball-is-a-tricky-hook-and-pull-physics-game/

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'Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark': The Reviews Are In!

Guy Pearce, Katie Holmes and Bailee Madison star in Guillermo del Toro's reimagined horror flick.
By Terri Schwartz


Katie Holmes in "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark"
Photo: Miramax

There are few childhood fears more common than being afraid of the dark, but Bailee Madison's character, Sally, in Guillermo del Toro and Troy Nixey's reimagining of the '70s horror flick "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" certainly has good reason to be scared. And she'll likely never want to leave anything for the tooth fairy again.

Del Toro loved the 1973 TV movie of the same name that terrified him as a small child, and set about remaking it. Hoping to scare the pants off a new generation, the "Pan's Labyrinth" director co-wrote the screenplay and produced the film and handed it off to director Nixey.

So will "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" have you leaving the lights on all night, or let you sleep like a baby this weekend? Here's what the critics had to say:

The Story

" 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark,' which puts Guy Pearce, Katie Holmes and young Bailee Madison in some serious stomach-churning, can't-bear-to-watch-it jeopardy, is really, truly, very scary. ... At least until about 30 minutes in, when you start to be distracted by the lack of logic in the storytelling and the fact that the nasty little gremlins responsible for all the bumps in the night can be offed pretty easily. Possibly a good sturdy broom would have been enough to clean them out along with the cobwebs in the corners of the Gothic manse where the film is set." — Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

The Cast

"There isn't much for Guy Pearce to do as the tone-deaf, perennially irritated dad, but Holmes — whose acting is often overwhelmed by her Mrs. Tom Cruise fame — delivers a sensitive performance as Kim gradually builds a tender, hesitant rapport with Sally. Still, there are problems with the characters and story here that the cast can't fix. It feels as if del Toro and Robbins never clearly chose between leaving the film in the cruel, manipulative horror idiom of the '70s — in which telephones never work, cars never start, and minor coincidences and catastrophes keep the family inside the house long past the point when any ordinary idiot would have fled — or uprooting it." — Andrew O'Hehir, Salon

The Scares

"Nixey provides us with a very gradual introduction to the inhabitants of the flue, which opens over a dark, deep space. Into this space we earlier saw Emerson Blackwood fall. Or was he pulled? Exploring the area, Sally innocently checks out the grating, and we hear ominous whispers and rustlings, and glimpse the body parts of ... something. These creatures are eventually seen more clearly, which I must say is a disappointment. The mastery of CGI allow filmmakers to show just about anything they can imagine, when sometimes it's scarier to show nothing at all. Consider the timeless 'Cat People' (1942). We never saw a thing. But when the heroine goes alone for a late-night plunge in a swimming pool, she hears something growl, and pace, and nothing we could [possibly] see could improve on that scene." — Roger Ebert, The Chicago Sun-Times

The Comparison To The Original

"Reimagining the 1973 television movie that terrified him as a boy, the producer, Guillermo del Toro — who wrote the screenplay with Matthew Robbins and who has made a career transforming childhood trauma into art house shivers — may have entrusted directing duties to Troy Nixey, but his fingerprints are all over the screen. The child's-eye view (the original Sally was an adult), the mash-up of history and fairy tale, the overly fussy story — all bear his stamp, as do the richly detailed visuals and prolix tension. None of Mr. del Toro's classy fiddling, however, can improve on the original's marvelously economical scares." — Jeanette Catsoulis, The New York Times

The Final Word

"Pearce and Holmes, often fine performers, here stoop to the kind of 'Amityville Horror' acting in which every line gets highlighted and overstated. (And why is Pearce wearing a scruffy dark brush cut that looks like a wig?) Of course, it's the kind of cheesy acting you can forgive when a horror film delivers, but 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark' grows less suspenseful as it goes on. The spirits, heralded by echoey whispers ('Sall-eee! Now you'll see what it's like down here!'), are a small, scurrying army of 10-inch-tall, humpbacked simian beasties who look like they came out of a CGI demo reel. There's no mystery to them, which may be why there's no fear." — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Check out everything we've got on "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669745/dont-be-afraid-dark-reviews.jhtml

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BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 screenshots leak

bbm 6
A leaked early version of RIM's upcoming BlackBerry Messenger 6 has been making the rounds since late February, but images of the new app are just now beginning to appear. Over at CrackBerry, the crew has shared a handful of images of BBM 6 in action. Unfortunately, you won't get a glimpse at a chat or file transfer -- only the profile screens (after the break) and what you see above. All that's really revealed so far is the option to set custom contact and chat colors and BlackBerry OS 6.1-style icons.

CrackBerry also warns against installing the leaked BBM 6 app. There's no guarantee this app hasn't been tampered with, and BlackBerry devices are becoming a more common target for cybercriminals.

Continue reading BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 screenshots leak

BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 screenshots leak originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/blackberry-messenger-6-0-screenshots-leak/

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Lady Gaga Surpasses Oprah, Beyonce On Forbes' Most Powerful Women List

Pop singer nabs the #11 spot, the highest celebrity placement in the lineup.
By James Dinh


Lady Gaga
Photo: WireImage

Lady Gaga is officially the world's most powerful female celebrity, at least according to Forbes, which released its World's 100 Most Powerful Women list on Thursday (August 25). On a list primarily dominated by politicians and CEOs, Mother Monster grabs the #11 spot on the coveted ranking, besting all other celebrity figures including friends and collaborators Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé Knowles.

While familiar faces like Hillary Clinton (#2) and Michelle Obama (#8) fill up the top 10 tier of the ranking, the Forbes list remains slim on entertainment bigwigs. Former queen of daytime talk Oprah Winfrey appears shortly after Video Music Awards opener Gaga, ranking at #14, followed by Beyoncé at #18.

Other celebrity power runners include: Angelina Jolie (#29), Diane Sawyer (#47), Queen Elizabeth II (#49), Ellen DeGeneres (#55), Gisele Bündchen (#60), Anna Wintour (#69), J.K. Rowling (#61) and Ann Curry (#66).

With her colossal first-week sales for Born This Way, prominent social media presence and avalanche of endorsement deals like her just-announced partnership with Barneys New York, it's hard to deny Gaga's recent reign.

In an interview with Howard Stern earlier this summer, the "You and I" singer opened up to the famed Sirius radio host about her influence in the industry, saying, "Do I feel like a powerful person in show business? Yeah."

Gaga also touched on the financial perks of her hard work, saying, "I really don't give a f--- about money at all. ... The Monster Ball was really expensive and the next show will be really expensive, and I will pay for it."

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669646/lady-gaga-forbes-most-powerful-women.jhtml

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In-app payment support arrives on Android

Right on cue, Google has launched in-app payment support for Android applications. Developer testing began last week, and now many popular apps -- like the ones pictured above -- can begin charging users for add-on functionality, content, or whatever the heck else they feel is worthy of additional bits of your pocket change. If you were wondering, Google will take the same 30% cut that Apple takes from in-app purchases.

At last we can buy individual issues in Comics with minimal fuss!

In-app payment support arrives on Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/in-app-payment-support-arrives-on-android/

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Xbox 360's ESPN3 app updated with more voice control, split screen and more

The PlayStation 3 may have NFL Sunday Ticket but the Xbox 360 still has exclusive access to ESPN3's slate of games, shows and replays, and today the app was updated with a new look and a few new features. Viewers can designate their favorite sports and teams to bring related content right to the front, while a new mini-guide gives easy access to other streams while you watch. If you're trying to keep track of more than one game there's also support for split screen viewing (with independent control of each stream) and upgraded voice control for Kinect owners. Other tweaks include a college football scoreboard to keep track of all the games at once, reminders, live alerts on score changes and the addition of ESPN's BottomLine. Unchanged is the restriction that you need to subscribe to a TV provider that includes ESPN3 in its package, but if you do have the service (and shell out for XBL, of course) it should be available the next time you load up your console. Check out the YouTube videos embedded above and after the break along with a press release for a runthrough of some of the new features.

Continue reading Xbox 360's ESPN3 app updated with more voice control, split screen and more

Xbox 360's ESPN3 app updated with more voice control, split screen and more originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 23:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/25/xbox-360s-espn3-app-updated-with-more-voice-control-split-scre/

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Original Apple TV Becomes Elegant Nixie Clock

Way back in the misty depths of 2009, we brought news of Daniel Kurth’s concrete Nixie clock. Now Kurth has been at it again, only he’s using an even more dead and useless base for his clock than the original concrete: Behold, the Apple TV Nixie Clock. Kurth’s project uses the original, giant-sized Apple TV with [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/08/original-apple-tv-becomes-elegant-nixie-clock/

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