Google Chrome now third most popular browser

Google's Chrome browser has overtaken Apple's Safari browser to become the world's third most popular browser behind Firefox and Internet Explorer.

The feat, which has been achieved in just 16 months since its launch in 2008, comes as Microsoft's IE browsers continue to lose market share.



According to net measurement firm, Net Applications, Apple's Safari browser dropped into fourth place for the first time with 4.46% of usage compared to Chrome's 4.63%.

The uplift, no doubt thanks to the release of the Google created browser on the Mac and a big advertising campaign including on the search engines home page shows that Apple's Safari browser is still struggling to gain traction outside of the Mac Operating System.

The two browsers are still a long way off Mozilla's Firefox and Microsoft's IE offerings however.

Firefox sits currently at 24.6% while IE has fallen from an all time high of just over 90% to 62.7% with the company suggesting many defectors leaving in the last couple of months.

Opera Software's flagship browser also gained ground in December, and accounted for 2.4% of all browsers used in the month.

Source & Image:http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/30450/google-chrome-browser-third-popular

How to Make SMART New Year Resolutions

What an amazing time to be alive! This year has been so full of changes, challenges and openings. This is the time when many make resolutions and set goals about their health, finances, careers, family and spiritual life. It is our wish that, whatever your resolutions or goals, that you will all enjoy the success to which you aim.

Everyone love the week between Christmas and New Year's. It is always a time when things slow down. One can reflect on the past year and look forward to the new year. And all of us enjoy the time with our families and reconnecting with what's really important. It is quintessential to do this planning after reaching a considerable milestone. Otherwise, you end up procrastinating your incomplete tasks in to the next year.

New Year's resolutions can provide a powerful catalyst for change if they are done right. The problem with most resolutions is that they are little more than aspirations or wishes.

In order to make your resolutions stick, you need to employ four strategies:

1. Keep them few in number. Productivity studies show that you really can’t focus on more than 5-7 items at any one time. And don’t try to cheat by including sections with several resolutions under each section. This is a recipe for losing focus and accomplishing very little. Instead, focus on a handful of resolutions that you can almost repeat from memory. Mine fit on one 4″ x 6″ card.


2. Make them "smart." Resolutions are really just annual goals. But like all goals, they should be s-m-a-r-t:
   
   • Specific—your goals just identify exactly what you want to accomplish in as much specificity as you can muster.
   
   
   • Measurable—as the old adage says, "you can’t manage what you can’t measure."
     Actionable—every resolution should start with a verb (e.g., "quit," "run," "finish," "eliminate," etc.)
   
   
   • Realistic—you have to be careful here. A good resolution should stretch you, but you have to add a dose of common sense.
   
   
   • Time-bound—every resolution needs a date associated with it. When do you plan to deliver on that resolution. It could be by year-end (December 31) or it could be more near-term (March 31).


3. Write them down. This is critical. There is a huge power in writing your resolutions on paper even if you never develop an action plan or do anything else. Write It Down and Make It Happen.


4. Go public. Tell your family and friends what you are committed to achieving. You can also post your resolutions on your blog. Going public creates accountability and leverage.

Chrome Netbook OS; Tablet PCs; LBS; Open Source

2010 will undoubtedly be a year of technology innovation. In 2009, Twitter revolutionized the way we get news, it brought us closer to those who were a part of the news, almost making traditional media irrelevant. We don’t know who (or what) will be the Twitter of 2010, but below are a few predictions for the coming year.

Google’s Chrome Netbook OS will be a hit- Their OS will mostly be dependent on a Google Account. A Google Account opens up their full Google Apps suite, which includes email, calendar, word processing, and MS Office like functions. Google’s renditions of their current OS have been well received by the “blogosphere” especially it’s ability to fit on a 1GB flash drive. An OS that small is perfect for Netbooks and tablet PCs. The smaller footprint also gives the user more capabilities. A key part of the Chrome OS will be the Chrome brower (my browser of choice) and one that is noted for its speed and security. Google rarely has missteps and I don’t foresee that Chrome OS will be one of them.

Tablet PCs will dethrone the Kindle and the Nook – Recently, Barnes and Noble stated that they expected to ship 60k Nook handsets this year. Amazon stated that the Kindle was the largest gift ever sold this holiday season. Both devices are great at one thing – reading e-books. But who will be satisfied with a $250 E-reader, when a full fledged tablet PC can be had for $300? Many tablets on their way are going to be “subsidized” devices with 3G services. They will be capable of reading B&N e-books, Amazon e-books, and .pdf/.txt/.doc documents. Tablet PCs can offer the reading package side by side with Web-browsing, video and music playback, and video output to HDTVs/Monitors, or even use it as a full fledge PC when docked.

There will be no great Smartphone leaps in 2010 – Smartphones (iPhone/BlackBerry/Android/Windows Mobile devices) are in a bit of a rut. As telecom providers are rushing to roll out 4G/LTE (long term evolution) networks, there is not too much a cellular phone can do in the future that it cannot now. In my mind, the most limiting factor for mobile phones is bandwidth. Already they can be hacked to provide Wireless Access Points, use Google Voice, and be tethered to provide your computer w/ access. We already have Multi-Touch, OLED, 5MP, and other capabilities. Improved touchscreen interactions, standardizing tethering and VoIP will all be nice, but these are merely hacks, not innovations.

By :Bob Gourley

Source: http://web2.sys-con.com/node/1233371

Palm App Catalog is About to Reach 1000 Apps

The Palm App Catalog had about 800 applications by mid-December, those of us using a webOS phone were pleased, but wanted more. So Palm is giving us more, so far we have reached 946 applications, my guess is that we might get to 1000 before the end of this year.

There are a lot of people, like small business owners, that would like to get more specialized apps on their Palm Pre or Pixi handsets. So let’s hope Palm is paying attention about that, so we can all get more apps. Now, not all the apps on the Catalog are for all the webOS devices, some of those apps work only on the Pre.



Also, the webOS users outside the US, don’t have access to all the 946 apps that we have, so it’s going to be a while before they can get as much apps as we have. But don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of useful apps in the Catalog already, as well as many free and paid games to get you by while waiting for the bus or subway. Thanks Palm developers, and please, keep them coming!

Source: http://mypre.com/palm-app-catalog-about-to-reach-1000-apps-2009314121/