Chrome for iOS Updated With Handoff Support, Material Design, iPhone 6 Optimization [iOS Blog]
Google today announced an update for its Chrome iOS app with several new features, perhaps most notably the ability to transfer from Chrome on your mobile device to a browser on OS X thanks to integration with Handoff.
The Handoff support works seamlessly, allowing users to continue browsing a mobile webpage on their desktop of choice, but the update also brings a couple of other updates to Chrome on iOS, namely a graphical overhaul in line with Google’s Material Design aesthetic and general optimization for “bigger phones.”
The Chrome team is excited to announce Chrome 40 for iPhone and iPad. Chrome 40.0.2214.61 contains a number of improvements including:
-New look with Material Design bringing bold graphics, fluid motion, and tactile surfaces
-iOS 8 optimizations and support for bigger phones
-Support handoff from Chrome to your default browser on OS X
-Stability improvements and bug fixes
The update is available now and Chrome can be downloaded for free from the App Store. [Direct Link]
NBC to Stream Super Bowl XLIX on iPad and Mac for Free, No Cable Subscription Required
NBCUniversal today announced that it’s debuting a new “Super Stream Sunday” promotion, which will allow all U.S.-based users to watch 11 continuous hours of NBC content through the NBCSports.com website and through the NBC Sports Live Extra app on the iPad/iPod touch without the need for a cable subscription.
Super Stream Sunday, which starts on February 1 at noon Eastern Time, will include Super Bowl XLIX, the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show with Katy Perry, and the Super Bowl XLIX pre- and post-game shows. It will also feature an episode of The Blacklist.
Accessing NBC content through NBC.com or within the NBC Sports Live Extra app typically requires a cable subscription and authentication through logging into the service, but for the Super Stream Sunday period, no logins will be required, allowing everyone to watch the Super Bowl for free. NBC is running the promotion in an effort to make people aware of its TV Everywhere offerings, which offer television content on a range of devices with a cable subscription.
While iPad and iPod touch users can watch the Super Bowl using the NBC Sports Live Extra app, NBC is not able to stream content to the iPhone as it does not have NFL live-streaming rights for smartphones due to an exclusive deal the NFL has with Verizon Wireless.
Verizon Wireless and the NFL plan to introduce a Super Bowl Stadium app that will offer “exclusive in-stadium video content” that includes commercials and replays shown from four camera angles. Users not in the United States or Mexico can access the Super Bowl through the NFL’s Game Rewind service.
NBC Sports Live Extra can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Kenu Stance compact tripod review
Is it possible for a tripod to be so compact even if it is holding just a smartphone? The people at Kenu would say absolutely. The Kenu Stance compact tripod manages to hold smartphones big and small in place with ease. It allows for the smartphone to be setup in various positions which can each serve a different purpose. If that’s not enough, the Kenu Stance doubles as a bottle opener.
The Kenu Stance is composed of a few different materials, none of which feel cheap. The overall body is constructed from zinc alloy. The rubber feet and other green-covered areas are thermoplastic elastometer (TPE) rubber. And the MicroMount piece connecting the gadget to a smartphone is what Kenu calls Grilamid. The Kenu Stance, like the company’s other products, features a simple design that has a premium look and feel. It measures 3-inches long and weighs 1.2 ounces: the footprint is smaller than a pack of gum.
There are four purposes that Kenu emphasizes with the Stance: watch videos, self timer, time-lapse, and video calls. None of them are bound to any particular position and users will likely find more purposes. You can thank the ball-and-socket joint for so much versatility.
Three legs, when separated, provide the support required to hold the smartphone in its portrait mode. The zinc alloy legs are sturdy and the rubber feet have a good grip on the surface underneath. I wanted to see how the Kenu Stance would handle smartphones of different sizes; therefore, I enlisted the Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S 4, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S 5, and One (M8) for help. As expected, the Kenu Stance kept each one upright at all times. One might think the Galaxy Note 3 would provide some trouble, but that was not the case. The ball-and-socket joint is tight and the gargantuan smartphone didn’t phase it.
Aside from using it for timed photographs and video calls, I found it perfect for stationary use. You can set up the Kenu Stand at your workstation and have something opened on the smartphone. Apps like Pocket Casts and Yahoo Weather suited me just fine as I did work for school and TalkAndroid. When a notification rolled in, I picked up my phone and pushed the legs back to return to conventional use. The Kenu Stance was also handy when cooking because you can view a recipe and have a timer going simultaneously. No need for an actual timer and expensive stand.
Bringing the three legs together are for Kenu Stance’s landscape mode. Make the Kenu Stance perpendicular to the smartphone and then angle it accordingly. Now watch videos with comfort rather than leaning the smartphone against something or holding it in your hands. Again, the ball-and-socket joint becomes valuable because of its freedom to angle the smartphone perfectly.
Did I mention it can open bottles, too?
Who knew such a compact gadget could be so versatile.
The Kenu Stance compact tripod is available online (and in select retail stores) for $29.95. It works with any phone that has a micro-USB charging port; therefore, all Android and Windows Phone devices are supported. Kenu also sells a Stance model for iOS devices. So anyone can use a Kenu Stance regardless of their operating system.
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