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Google over the weekend unveiled the beta version of its Chrome Remote Desktop, a Chrome extension enabling users to remotely access another computer across a network through the Chrome browser. It's a web cum browser-based equivalent of the conventional  remote desktop software.

The Chrome Remote Desktop beta is fully cross-platform compliant, according to the release note, and can connect any two computers running any of these operating systems (Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebook) with Chrome browser.

The beta release version allows access to another machine by providing a one-time authentication code. And access is given only to the specific person the user identifies for just one time. The information sharing section is fully secured through SSL connection.

A given user-case been as employed in IT helpdesk, in which instance the helpdesk can use the Chrome Remote Desktop to help another user. And conversely, a user can also receive help by setting up a sharing section without leaving the desk.

The goal of this beta release is to demonstrate the core Chrome Remote Technology, according to Google. So, users feedback are thereby requested as future updates are expected.

Review: Chrome Remote Desktop

The recently announced Facebook new profile, Timeline has presented another twist in Facebook privacy concerns. Facebook has termed it 'frictionless sharing', a chronological archiving of a users life story right on the profile page. It aims to allow users to easily access the history of their activities on the social network.

Facebook Timeline is built on information from the most memorable events of your life recorded online through its algorithm, in other words, it accesses passed information, perhaps buried in your imagination, but still tucked-up in its archive. The Timeline changes the default profile from a list of recent updates to a users activities summary.

Timeline, also is built to work with third-party apps, thereby making such information available for their usage. The extent to which users can control the availability of these information remains shrouded in advanced settings, which an average Facebook user will find rather complicated.

Timeline has again iterated the level of contempt in which the social network holds its users, albeit, the social sphere is now saturated with great new prospects like: Google+ and Diaspora.

Critics claims that the Facebook Timeline seeks to capture more users data to make its service to advertisers more targeted. Whilst other privacy concerns includes the new features ability to surface hidden information about a user without collateral consent.

More than ever before, Facebook must get its bearing right as against the increasing agitation on its privacy stance. And make available an easy to understand settings to opt-in or out of such services as users deem necessary.

Facebook: Timeline And Privacy

Google has finally responded to the challenge on the online flight search technology introduced by Microsoft Bing late last year with the launch of Google Flights. Also know as natural language search, the technology applies to booking of flights online, and eliminates the need of manually selecting airports, destinations and fares, as the booking requirements are automatically included on search.

The new feature was made possible by Google's acquisition of ITA Software, developer of flight fare and traveling price system used by major airlines, a deal that nearly went sore, but later reconsidered to Google's favor.

An early view of Google Flight Search feature among other things promise to enhance users experience in booking of flights online, as the flight selection are not necessarily controlled by any paid relationship. The booking links point to airline websites, and preference is given to the best available information.

The overall advantage of the technology points to speed and accurate information as regards destination and flights schedule. It helps you to figure out most convenient time to travel, see most relevant flights and consider your destination options. The flight search shows you an easy-to-scan list to help you get to your destination quickly and inexpensively.

The Flight Search feature started roll-out Tuesday as a takeoff and will gradually be extended to every user. At the moment, U.S. cities alone are covered and only results for round-trip economy-class flights are shown.

Google Flights: Natural Language Search

The nature of the next generation web remains an intense debate amongst the tech world geeks, as to the former version fad web 2.0 continuum. And there is a varied controversy as to the actual programming elements to be involved in building the next web. The evolving aspect of the web, albeit, pointing to semantics and personalization, calls to bear on the need for more automatic availability of information tailored to individual needs.

The next generation web will be characterized by structured information: this critical concept, increasingly forms the basic mode of presentation of information on the web today. The key drivers of structured information are basically APIs, as it makes it easy to fetch information. And most APIs emit information as XML, which conforms to structured information.

Google's foray into structured programming in its purported new programming language, Dart, billed for launch at the GOTO developers conference in October, is a pointer to the trend. 

There are indications that the web of the future will include several technologies, however, all the technologies will remix through the evolution drivers into structured web. The future indeed is structured information, and many of the semantic tools will be able to take advantage of the structured information on computers.

Regardless of what the next generation web will be called, one thing is definitely obvious, information will be more automatic and tailored to individual needs.

Next Web: Structured Programming?

OpenDNS, an alternative provider of DNS and internet security services, announced earlier in the week a partnership deal with Google and leading Content Delivery networks (CDNs) to collaborate in bringing about a faster internet. A project it calls Global Internet Speedup Initiative, is aimed above all, to enhancing a more effective communication within the Domain Name System. 

DNS plays a key role in enabling web users get to their target resources, as often times, popular resources exist in different locations. It serves like a phone book for the internet, thereby converts readable domain names into an IP address that PCs can connect to. For instance, when a user tries to connect to a resources that exits in 50 different locations across the world, definitely you want prompt response and fastest or least congested location automatically.

But, until now, figuring out the location that is nearest to you is not possible with DNS alone. However, now using OpenDNS or Google Public DNS, and using a service provided by one of the participating networks (CDNs) in the Global Internet Speedup Initiative a truncated version of your IP address will be added into the DNS request. And the internet service will use this truncated IP address to make a more informed decision to connect you to the most optimal server.

This intelligent routing will ensure among other things that users have a better internet experience with lesser latency and faster speed.

Google's interest into positioning web apps to effectively take-on desktop apps has indeed found a resting place, albeit perhaps, making the internet faster will invariably benefit all web users alike.

DNS: Key To Faster Internet?

Microsoft's revolutionary positioning of Windows functionality continues with the introduction of native support for ISO and VHD Files in Windows 8. According to the 'Building Windows 8' blog, the next version of the OS billed for launch 2012 will let users open and view ISO and VHD files without the need for  third-party ISO utilities, which prior versions of Windows had required users to burn an ISO file to a CD or DVD before the program stored in that file format can be installed.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) file is a disc image composed of the data contents of the written sector of an optical disc. ISO image includes all the files contained on the archived CD, DVD or Blu-ray Disc. While, VHD files are virtual hard disk files used to store applications or an entire operating system.

These important storage formats (ISO and VHD) makes it relatively easy to store the ever increasing amount of data without the fear running out of capacity. While, the general usage is mostly in media, they are also useful as files within a file system. The facilities are especially handy for portability of system settings or to play back snapshot of a system.

The next version of Microsoft's OS, Windows 8, will allow users to read the contents by automatically creating a virtual disk drive of the file. It works as follows: Simply select 'mount' from the enhanced Explorer ribbon or double click on the file, a new drive is created, indicating that the contents are now readily accessible. And contents can be installed directly by clicking on the drive in Windows Explorer.

The ISO 'mount' feature definitely comes in handy for mobile device users, as data storage remains a critical requirement for tablets and other mobile devices.

Native Support For ISO And VHD Files

Tracking users online activities has taken a new dimension with the latest web tracking technologies, albeit, evading browser privacy add-on. The recent report on 'SuperCookies', extensively employed on MSN homepage to track users activities, had again brought to the fore the incessant concern on online privacy.

Microsoft admittedly employs ETag cookies to track the online behavior of visitors on its homepage; activities especially beneficial to its ads serving campaigns.

A group of researchers had earlier made available a white paper on their findings in relation to the above lines: whereby, many popular websites were circumventing users privacy settings by deliberately restoring previously deleted HTTP cookies using local storage outside the control of the browser.

The findings in part, iterated the porousness of most browser privacy settings, allowing persistent tracking of users, even when such users had taken steps to avoid web profiling.

The tracking vectors assessed in the report included the following: Flash cookies, HTML 5 local storage and Cache Cookies via ETags.

ETags, according to the report, represent tokens by a users browser to a remote web server in order to determine whether a given resource had changed since its last profiling. The Cache cookie method used ETags, and is still capable of unique tracking, even when all cookies are blocked by user and 'Private Browsing Mode' is enabled.

The safe web initiative must above-all call to respect the 'do not track' status of users, and necessary legislation put in place to check its default.

Web Tracking: Next On The Watch List

The Mozilla browser, Firefox, is perhaps notable for extensive add-on features which have greatly enhanced the open-source browser. However, malware programs have taken advantage of the feature to self-install on users PC thereby infiltrating such systems.

Mozilla in response to security threats posed by aggressive add-on that find there way into the browser without  users permission have scheduled two new features for launch in Firefox 8. The new features will serve basically two functions: The first been automatic disabling of add-on added to Firefox by other programs. And secondly, it kicks in at the initial Firefox run after upgrading to Firefox 8, and goes through programs installed and sort them into two categories: Self-installed add-on and user installed. While, on initial Firefox start after an add-on has been installed, a notification window prompts users to either activate or ignore such add-on.

The feature, additionally, will offer a confirmation lists of add-on you have ignored as another level of security. While, all third party add-on will be automatically de-activated unless you choose otherwise.

According to Mozilla blog post, about one and half million add-ons are downloaded daily, whilst some may booster performance and others, on the other hand hampers same.

Mozilla Firefox 8 is currently running on the Firefox nightly channel, but reports has it that its billed to move to the Aurora developer's build next week. And all things been equal, Firefox 8 may reach the stable channel around late September.

Firefox Add-On To Be Checked

The much expected search innovation, Instant Pages, announced by Google mid June is now live on the latest stable version of  Chrome 13, according to the Chrome Blog.  The Instant Search feature in Chrome renders top search results pages on Google even before a user clicks.

Chrome search page-rendering element begins from the top search results, where a user will likely click-on, its predictive-input, albeit not 100% accurate, definitely makes a top choice. The pages under the 'Instant Page' feature appears to load faster than without it, invariably meaning sacrificing accuracy for speed.

But, how much faster? Google had made available a video comparison of Chrome with and without the Instant Page feature on YouTube.

However, users that are worried about bandwidth cost can disable the feature by navigating to the tab settings/advanced and uncheck the 'predict network actions to improve page load performance' box.

Chrome's Omnibox, a combination of search box and address bar feature, is now even more smarter in the latest version. It now allows easier back and forth movement on pages visited.

The fact that Google is highly obsessed with speed remains visible in this search innovation. Also, following on the heels of its recently announced war against slow websites.

Chrome 13 Arrives With Instant Pages

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