Learn a Language while you Surf

Ran across this video on CNet today. It gives a pointer to this language immersion extension for Chrome.



Essentially it allows the plugin to insert foreign words and phrases into the pages you browse. The context should help you learn the language quickly. Anyway, looks like it could be very cool and well worth sharing.

Google Chrome and Drive for iOS

At Google IO this week, Google announced Chrome and Drive for iOS. This is a pretty big deal in my opinion, but there wasn't that must coverage. So I have dug up some links if you are interested.

• Techrunch: Chrome for iOS Review


• CNET: Google Drive for iOS

Chrome on iOS

Why put Chrome on iOS? Well the short answer is money. Google make a lot of money from the Chrome browser as it doesn't have to pay to feature its search engine on the browser. In addition, Chrome uses the same HTML rendering engine, Webkit, that Safari does. So in the end, like all the other iOS browsers, Google is just re-skinning the UI.



So how did they do? Good but not great. They have come up with a very clean Chrome like UI. For me, the most annoying thing is no quick access to bookmarks. The iOS Chrome has an options button like the wrench you have on your desktop versions. So to get to your Bookmarks, you must click Options -> BookMarks -> Your Bookmark. That's 3 clicks every time you want a bookmark!!!! Annoying. Now the new Tab feature does show most commonly used pages so as you use your browser, that should be a good way to get to your favorite sites. But come on Google, three clicks? Give me a bookmark button somewhere and a bookmark bar. It is not gonna take up that much real estate.



Google Drive

Sounds like from the review, this app is pretty much read only. But really, at this point is that at all surprising? App integration will take a while and right now, you just don't create that much stuff on an iPad anyway. Read only should be fine.

How do I Block Flash Ads in my Browser?

What is the most likely cause of sudden bad performance on your computer? Generally, poorly written Flash ads. No other tool seems to max out my CPU and cause my poor little laptop to turn on its fans. So the question is how do I block these ads?



FlashBlock

The easiest solution is to simply block Flash in your browser. Firefox and Chrome share a common plug-in named FlashBlock. (FlashBlock for Firefox, FlashBlock for Chrome). Basically the plugin prevents Flash from running on a page. Instead, an icon is shown where the Flash would have run. Clicking the Flash icon allows you to run that Flash element on your page. In addition, you can choose whether to run all the Flash on a page and/or allow that page to permanently remember this decision.



For Chrome, a FlashBlock icon appears in the address bar. Click on it to set up a page to run Flash all the time, or temporarily disable FlashBlock.



For Firefox, the same capability is there. However, you must customize your toolbar and add the FlashBlock button to your toolbar.



What about Safari?

On Safari you can use ClickToFlash which provides the same functionality. However, Apples plug-in support is not as smooth as Firefox and Chrome. So setting up exception pages and disabling the plugin temporarily is much more clunky.





And Internet Explorer?

LifeHacker explains the options. Kind of clunky, but better than nothing I suppose.