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| Google Chrome Update Brings Faster Browsing | |  The new stable release of Google's web browser Chrome brings several improvements, most importantly faster browsing and more protection from malicious downloads. From now on, when you start typing in Chrome's address box (or omnibox, as Google calls it), as soon as Chrome autocompletes the URL you're likely to visit, it will prerender the page, making your overall browsing experience faster. As far as security goes, Chrome now does checks on executable files you've downloaded from the net. It matches the executables against a whitelist - a list of programs known to be safe - and if it can't find the file there, it does some additional checks. For example, if the site you're visiting hosts a high number of malicious downloads, Chrome will let you know. The update comes just one day after Google announced Chrome for Android mobile devices. Google also promises some updates to Chrome OS for the "near future," including a new image editor and an improved Verizon 3G activation portal. You can download the latest version of Google Chrome here. |
| Connected Cars: How to Accelerate Mainstream Adoption | | Wednesday, February 08, 2012 9:20 PM | Steve Tengler |
|  Steve Tengler is a user experience (UX) director at Altia, Inc. He spent over 20 years in automotive design at OnStar, Nissan and Ford. Every so often, the media tells us about an automotive manufacturer on the cusp of delivering wireless, cooperative systems. The reader immediately thinks of Knight Rider, and wanders through a fantasy of connected car heaven. However, this type of news is often miles from accurate; connected car offerings in the near-to-distant future are a different reality. This article examines the delays behind that "nearly done" automotive technology, and analyzes the value of our research dollars. In 2005, several automakers introduced cooperative, wireless systems at the Intelligent Transportation Society World Congress in the parking lot of the San Francisco Giants's then SBC Park. Messages were sent vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure via dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) or, as it would later be renamed, "IEEE 802.11p (5.9 GHz)." Most of the applications were safety-related systems that offered a seemingly futuristic understanding of position, speed and road conditions. But that was six long years ago - so, what has changed? Apart from the Giants stadium name-change, not much. Technology is no closer to the marketplace. Let's explore why. The "Co" in Cooperation If you've heard the saying "the second mouse gets the cheese," then you understand the fate of the first mouse -- snap! Similarly, no company has succumbed to the lure of the first-to-market-cheese since each has foreseen the trap: producing a cooperative system with no cooperation. Let's imagine you are a leading automotive manufacturer that holds 20% of the U.S. market. That market is projected to reach 14 million vehicles in 2012. Considering there are over 250 million vehicles on the road, you could potentially communicate with 1.1% of the vehicles after just one year, assuming you installed the $200-$300 worth of equipment on all of your vehicles. The first customer to purchase a wireless device creates the equivalent of a tree falling in an unoccupied forest. How satisfied will he or she be? If there's no one else with whom to communicate, then not very satisfied at all. And how differentiating will that system be when all other automotive companies introduce systems that communicate the same information as your breakthrough device? Again, not at all. The moral to this story? In this case, being first has few rewards. The Technology Hurdles There are still four hiccups in the technology that, surprisingly, don't make it to the media all that often. Security: If someone hacks into the system, there needs to be a means of crime identification and removal (e.g. law enforcement, disabling hardware, ignoring false broadcasts, etc.). Otherwise, Joe Hacker could ease his commute by diverting traffic or creating city-wide chaos. However, this level of security management requires a backhaul system to a centralized certificate authority (someone who manages the system). At one point, the government considered making this a series of installed roadside or intersection locations, but that was too expensive and fraught with state-to-state complications. The individual OEMs could seek an embedded or accommodated cellular connection (e.g. OnStar or SYNC), but those require cuts in penetration, depending on the actions of the customer, who could cancel his OnStar subscription, forget to connect, or turn on a Bluetooth cellphone. So, right now there's no easy one-size-fits-all solution to security. Positioning: Any semi-autonomous system currently provides lane positioning by white-line monitoring (i.e. lane markers), but according to AASHTO, the likelihood of a lane departure fatality is twice as high in rural areas, where lane markings are less common and also tend to have inferior lighting and snow removal. To overcome that challenge, the vehicle must have highly accurate, autonomous positioning. This can only be achieved with one of several expensive solutions. Packet Collisions: Imagine being on the floor of the stock market -- lots of people screaming, no one can effectively hear everyone all at once. During the initial phases of cooperative research on platooning done by the automotive manufacturers, this is exactly what the investigations determined. In congested multi-lane highway situations, each vehicle would be trying to broadcast its location, but no one would be able to "hear" it. Therefore, platooning would not be successfully (or safely) achieved. Intelligence: As artfully described by Hotchkiss in "Understanding the Human Part of the User Experience," we humans are unbelievably adept decision-makers. Replacing us for even simple, predictable tasks like chess has taken decades and serious processing power. Driving is a complex task that requires thousands of decisions and reactions every mile. Implementing humans' complex, dynamic decisions and observations to create an autonomous system is an enormous task. The Business Case How does the automotive manufacturer make a profit on these cooperative, non-differentiating systems? How can an automotive manufacturer easily charge for the hardware? If infrastructure must be supplied, how is it governed? The question of collective business was mentioned by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at the 2011 Transportation Research Board's annual meeting, despite nearly a decade of investigations into cooperative technology. Until a means of making money is clearly delineated, no companies will be lining up to platoon, regardless of the societal benefits. The solution occasionally proposed is that Wi-Fi could provide the accident avoidance systems, along with non-safety Internet connectivity at intersections. This plan is fraught with technological issues (the latency to join the intersection group -- known as association timing -- is too great) as well as business issues. Who pays to install Wi-Fi at millions of intersections? If the government gets that bill, how does it avoid competing with the private sector? Regardless of public or private, how does today's car count on the infrastructure 10 years from today? Who co-pays for maintenance? Maybe Google will provide free Wi-Fi, or maybe it will fizzle like some of the company's other beta releases. Some Potential Solutions Now, we're not expecting a Jetsons-type car, but a few key companies could help realize basic wireless functionality. The solutions, though, require the following strategic elements. Creative User Experience: To differentiate from the cooperative systems competition, the user experience (UX) must be unique in some fashion. For safety systems such as intersection collision avoidance and platooning, it is actually undesirable to have non-standard interfaces, since a common warning is more likely to elicit a common reaction. To differentiate, the OEM must create non-safety applications with unique UXs that provide value using the same technology. Be it a local chat room, an automated license plate game, or a quasi-classified information exchange, the human-machine interface that provides the unique customer experience in a safe manner will justify or subsidize the costs. Sleeping with the Enemy: Entering the market via only one OEM is insufficient, but co-launching the system with one or two other vehicle manufacturers could easily result in 50-60% market penetration. This would require a coordinated launch, which is difficult enough with one OEM across multiple vehicle platforms, but is especially challenging between competitors. As crazy as it sounds, GM and Toyota have already discussed the opportunity, but reportedly struck no deal for co-distribution. Some OEMs are awaiting a mandate from the U.S. government that requires companies to install DSRC equipment, but that's the best way to arrive last to the party with little to no differentiation. The Alpha and the Omega: To launch the system, the vehicle and the infrastructure must exist first. The only ways for an automaker to ensure this is to either use something existing or provide the enabler on its own. Be it an embedded cellular system (e.g. Lexus Enform, GM OnStar) or an integration solution (e.g. Ford SYNC), the backhaul must attach to a privately-run security system. Otherwise, the design is fraught with risks that no manufacturer will accept, unless mandated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. If embedded, though, the UX must provide a flexible interface that will allow additional safety and non-safety applications to be added and removed as risks are determined. Customer Reaction: Research notes that 57% of people consider themselves better than average drivers. Human behavior studies have proven that people are only willing to trust an autonomous system in hazardous situations if it is familiar, and has a proven history of reliability. To launch anything successfully requires a commitment to marketing and usability demonstrations so that the public becomes comfortable with the new features. Last, but not least, I want to leave you -- the reader, the taxpayer, the automotive buyer -- with this thought: Consider a technology investment no different than any other investment: value vs. cost. The government believes wireless systems could address 81% of all light-vehicle target crashes, but that's on paper, with no mitigating circumstances. What's the real number? As for the cost, various government programs, like IntelliDrive, have spent over $100 million. A study by the Vehicle-Infrastructure Integration (VII) program estimates a piece cost of $50 per vehicle, with infrastructure deployment costs of $3.2 billion, and operating costs of just under $200 million per year. What is the acceptable prevention-to-investment ratio? Does money matter when it's your spouse or child saved? Will the slick UX of non-safety apps offset that cost? Whatever your thoughts, these decisions are being made nationally. Try to understand the reality of the situation before the industry takes off. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, alubalish, Flickr, colinbrown, mrlerone |
| Cloud Technology Lets Doctors View Internal Organs on an iPad [VIDEO] | | Wednesday, February 08, 2012 5:28 PM | Alissa Skelton |
|  Doctors can now save lives and office space with the latest cloud-based technology that will let them view live medical endoscope scans (medical images of internal organs) on their Apple iPads. Current endoscopic images are generally viewed on bulky video monitors plugged into the wall. The new wireless endoscopy tools created by Envisioner called Endosync will mobilize doctors and maybe help them better diagnose illnesses in patients. Here's how it works: A wireless endoscopy transmitter hooks up to a traditional endoscopic camera that goes inside a person's body. It transfers live video footage of internal organs through an encrypted Wi-Fi network to an iPad app called eGoPad. Doctors can view the footage live on their iPads and make audio notes. SEE ALSO: 5 Useful iPad Apps for Doctors, Patients and Med Students The technology is in its final stages of development and should be released in March. What do you think of Endosync's innovative medical technologies? Tells us in the comments below. Image courtesy of Envisionier Medical Technologies, Inc. |
| Windows 8 Consumer Preview Event Set for Feb. 29 | | Wednesday, February 08, 2012 4:01 PM | Lance Ulanoff |
|  Microsoft chose a special day -- Leap Day -- for its special event: the official unveiling of the Windows 8 Consumer Preview. The Redmond software giant began seeding invites for its exclusive event in Barcelona, Spain, where the Mobile World Congress trade show is also being held. There were virtually no details beyond the invite, but it's expected Microsoft will open Windows 8 downloads to consumers who will be able to install and preview the new OS on current hardware. Typically, these previews cease to function sometime after the final operating system ships, which will likely be this fall. The Consumer Preview should also represent the first major update since Microsoft delivered the Developer's Preview at its Build conference in September of last year. Response to this anticipated update should be big: millions downloaded the Developers Preview last fall. SEE ALSO: Windows 8: Can Two Interfaces Survive Side-by-Side?/a> Mashable has been running that first preview for months and reading the steady stream of posts from the Windows 8 team on its Building Windows 8 Blog, which outlined how Windows 8 will handle everything from memory- and power management to virtualization, password protection and sign-in. With its cubist, Metro-style interface, Windows 8 represents one of the most fundamental changes in the platform's 27-year history. Microsoft sold 450 million copies of Windows 7, so there is a vast, built-in audience for Windows 8. Still, the company reported in a recent earnings call that PC sales were flat (mostly because of declining netbooks sales). Clearly, Microsoft wants to get consumers excited about the next version of Windows and help reignite Windows sales across desktops, laptops and, now, tablets (the category that ate the netbook's lunch). The event is scheduled to last two hours, which means we should get a complete rundown of all the differences between the Developer and Consumer builds, the ecosystem Microsoft wants to build around the Metro interface platform and, finally, see some new hardware running Windows 8. We have, of course, briefly seen a laptop or two, like Lenovo's Yoga, running Windows 8, but we're still waiting for the anticipated parade of ARM-based Windows 8 tablets. Mashable will be reporting from the event later this month. Bonus: A Closer Look at Windows 8 |
| New Google Project Asks Internet Users to Forgo Privacy While Surfing the Web | | Wednesday, February 08, 2012 3:53 PM | Mashable Video |
|  A new project from Google is trying to learn "how everyday people use the Internet" -- by looking over their shoulders while surfing the web. The project, called Screenwise, is accepting volunteers to install a browser extension that will share browsing information with Google. "What we learn from you, and others like you, will help us improve Google products and services and make a better online experience for everyone," Google says on the Screenwise site. Volunteers earn a $5 Amazon gift card just for signing up and can earn up to $25. Google requires volunteers be at least 13 years old, have a Google account and be willing to use Chrome. Google told Search Engine Land: "Like many other web and media companies, we do panel research to help better serve our users by learning more about people's media use, on the web and elsewhere. This panel is one such small project that started near the beginning of the year. Of course, this is completely optional to join. People can choose to participate if it's of interest (or if the gift appeals) and everyone who does participate has complete transparency and control over what Internet use is being included in the panel. People can stay on the panel as long as they'd like, or leave at any time." Check out the video above to learn more. Would you be willing to let Google watch how you use the web? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Thumbnail image courtesy of iStockphoto, alija |
| Hands On With Google Chrome for Android | | Wednesday, February 08, 2012 2:54 PM | Chelsea Stark |
|  Google announced its signature Chrome browser would start to roll out to Android phones on Tuesday. If you're one of the lucky ones running Ice Cream Sandwich, also known as Android 4.0, you'll be able to download Chrome on the Android Store. As you can see from the above gallery of screenshots taken from both Google and our experience running Chrome on a Galaxy Nexus, tabbed browsing is a big highlight of Chrome for Android. It also boasts the ability to have simple private browsing sessions. Most importantly, Chrome for Android blends in with other Google services seamlessly, such as Google Maps and YouTube. It was easy for us to import tabs from our computer browsers as well. Have you downloaded Google Chrome on your Android yet? Tell us what you think in the comments. |
| 10 Classy Speakers to Match Your White iPhone | | Wednesday, February 08, 2012 2:27 PM | Amy-Mae Elliott |
|  If you opted for a white iPhone, you're not going to want to compromise those cool, classic Apple looks by sticking it in a generic black speaker dock. We have found 10 speaker solutions -- docks, speakers and clocks -- that come in a ice-white finish to match your favorite handset. Take a look through the gallery for our choices. Let us know in the comments about any other white accessories you've found to match your iPhone. |
| Path Controversy Renews Social Media Privacy Debate | | Wednesday, February 08, 2012 12:57 PM | Peter Pachal |
|  UPDATE: Path has posted an apology to users and says it has deleted all address-book information from its servers. The iOS update, which has an opt-in for sharing contacts, is now available. Read the full story here. For users of the social network Path, a recent discovery is causing a lot of concern about privacy. A developer working on a Mac OS X version of the mobile app found out that Path, once installed, will send a user's entire address book to Path's servers -- without telling the user. Like many privacy issues, the news spread quickly over the Internet. Path CEO Dave Morin replied to the developer, Arun Thampi, saying that the issue was "an important conversation" that Path took very seriously. The contact information that's uploaded to the company's servers is only used to help a user find friends and family quickly, Morin said. He further explained that Path has an opt-in for its Android app, and that one would be added to the iOS version as soon as Apple approves it. Of course, that wasn't the end of things. A commenter on Thampi's original post pointed out that Path needn't upload an entire address book to find a user's contacts. Matt Gemmell suggested that the app could analyze a user's address book locally on the phone itself, only uploading data essential to identifying friends on the network. Morin replied saying it was a good idea. SEE ALSO: 5 Privacy Tips for Location-Based Services When asked why the app wasn't opt-in in the first place, Morin deflected, saying that Apple's App Store guidelines "do not specifically discuss contact information." Another commenter disagreed, saying that Path, without the opt-in, violates section 17.1 of the guidelines, which read: Apps cannot transmit data about a user without obtaining the user's prior permission and providing the user with access to information about how and where the data will be used In addition, a commenter on The Verge pointed out that Path's practice of uploading address-book information appears to be at odds with its own privacy policy, which states that the app collects only information users voluntarily provide, and does not include a user's address book in a list of information types it collects. Although the wording is opaque, it could be argued a user agrees to provide that information just by installing the app, and the list of information collected doesn't appear to be comprehensive. Once all versions of the app become opt-in, it'll be more in line with the policy. Regardless of Path's fix, many users have left negative reviews on Path's App Store page in the past 24 hours, with some promising to delete the app. "Privacy invasion" and "shame on Path" are typical comments and reviews, most giving the app just one star (out of five). Reps for Path didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. What do you think of Path's privacy mess? Is it much ado about nothing, or is it seriously violating its users' trust? Have your say in the comments. |
| How to Get More Value From Your On-Site Search Data | | Wednesday, February 08, 2012 12:45 PM | ClickZ |
|  When we work on search engine optimization (SEO) or pay per click (PPC) campaigns, be it keyword research to user experience to identifying missing content, it seems that we can never get enough data no matter how many tools we use. At the same time, I've noticed that not many companies were using on-site search as a data resource. On-site search data is very much underrated in my opinion. It gives you the actual user data on your site instead of general data that are often standardized or averaged. The signals you get from on-site search data are far more valuable than stats and trends you read from other sites or businesses since it reflects actual user wants and needs as well as navigation and content gaps. Here's a list of valuable data that you can get from the on-site search, and how you should utilize them to improve on-site search experiences and your search marketing. Search Queries Considering the fact that majority of the site visitors on most websites come from the search engines and land on a specific page, we'd expect to see more long-tail search queries happening with on-site search. The most common being product numbers and spec (size, color, price range, etc.) related queries. You may also see some customer-support related queries. These support queries can often be an early warning sign to new bugs or problems with your product. First, you should check to see what search results come back for some of the popular search queries to ensure that you are providing the best list of content available on site. You should generate a report monthly to see what words are being searched and not producing any results or results that are not being clicked. Both these reports will help improve performance as well as identify content problems. Many queries could be great candidates for the PPC campaign keywords. If you keep seeing certain queries showing up again and again, consider adding them to the SEO target keyword list, select a preferred landing page (PLP) for them, and optimize them for the keywords. On-Site Ranking Results One of the goals for investing in SEO is to bring people to the best possible landing page that provides the information the searchers are looking for from the search results. This increases visitor retention and decreases bounce rates. The same idea applies to on-site search. Have you checked to see if your SEO PLP ranks for each SEO target keyword in your own on-site search results? A lot of work goes into PLP identification and optimization so why not maximize it? Unlike the external search engines such as Google and Bing, you realize that you have control over the on-site search results. Using "Top Page Biasing" function in most applications you can actually specify which page should rank number one for certain search queries. I suggest to all web site owners to adjust their on-site search results by setting all of the key SEO words and their PLP's as the preferred page for the same phrase on on-site search. You can also remove the pages that you don't want to show up in the search results. Missing Content On-site search queries tell the story about the site user behavior and the goals of their visits to the site. If you see one visitor using on-site search within a short period of time entering similar queries, it probably means that the search results weren't providing what he/she was looking for. If you see the same queries used again and again by multiple visitors, you may want to add that to the taxonomy and in the navigation menu to help them find the page easily. This user behavior may also be caused by the fact that you don't have quality and relevant content for that topic on site. Review the list of related on-site search queries to identify the information they are looking for, and add that content to the site. Depending on the content, it may not be suitable for the company website. In that case, use blogs, forums and other social media to create related content. User Feedback User feedback provides valuable information for improving the on-site search experience and overall site experience. You should always keep it to two to three short questions, and ask very specific questions to obtain the exact types of feedback that you hope to collect. The examples of questions related to on-site search would be: What search query did you use on site search? What information did you hope to find with that query? Did you find the information in the search results? The feedback should be reviewed to improve: SEO and PPC keywords On-site search results Missing content Site navigation and webpage wireframe In 2012, social media will increasingly have impact on the site visitor profile. Unlike PPC and SEO traffic, social media visitors are not always taken to the best page. Accordingly, on-site search data would become one of the strongest weapons for the site owners to stay relative to the visitor and their customer base. -- Motoko Hunt, ClickZ Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Goldmund |
| Sleek iPad Case Features Powerful Built-In Speakers | | Wednesday, February 08, 2012 11:48 AM | Samantha Murphy |
|  Do you love to travel with your iPad, but aren't into lugging around speakers? A new Kickstarter project features a smart cover for the iPad with powerful built-in speakers that can boost the device's volume up to 300%. Sound Cover by Hong Kong-based entrepreneur Petur Olafsson is an ultra-thin and lightweight cover that includes flat NXT stereo speakers. Olafsson -- an avid iPad user who travels a lot for work -- came up with the concept when he became frustrated with the device's sound quality while on the road. "The audio quality of iPad cannot meet my needs while I'm giving presentations, doing conference calls with my remote teams or simply listening to music and movies," Olafsson told Mashable. "I wanted to create a versatile iPad speaker that can provide high quality sound and great portability." To help fund the project, Olafsson initially turned to Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform that helps hundreds of projects raise money for production. Although Sound Cover isn't available yet, it can be pre-ordered on the site. The standard Sound Cover is priced at $100, with an estimated retail value $129, while the wireless Sound Cover costs $155 (valued at $165). "We have received a lot of interest from backers," Olafsson said. "We're trying to get the word out that the Sound Cover will totally change the audio experience for iPad 2 and that backers can be part of that from the very beginning." The Sound Cover can be pre-ordered for the iPad 2 and for the next-generation iPad, which is expected to launch soon. BONUS: 25 Cases for the iPad |
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