Chris Pirillo » internet-explorer

Enter the Dev:unplugged HTML5 Contest

Chris Pirillo — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 22:26:55 +0000

The Internet is a beautiful thing, and the advent of HTML5 has made it more so. In conjunction with faster browsers, HTML5 is giving devs the tools needed to create amazing applications and experiences on the web. The team at {Dev:unplugged} wants to encourage this type of development by providing a pretty sweet contest, including a whole lot of cash in the prize packages. “The Grand Prize winner will receive $9,000 in cash and a fully-loaded trip with a Golden Ticket to the Future of Web Apps Conference in Las Vegas on June 27th.”

There are three main rules to this contest:

No Plugins – The submission must stick to HTML/CSS/JS on the client-side (no restrictions on the server-side).
Browser Compatibility – The submission must work in Internet Explorer 9, Firefox 4 and the latest stable version of Chrome.
Making the Web Native – The submission must be amazing! We will be keeping an eye out for submissions that push the envelope and blur the line between a web app and a native app.

You can enter in any of three categories: Games, Music and Innovation. Each of the categories will have a winner and runner-up with one project being chosen as the Grand Prize winner. There will also be prizes for each of these mentioned, as well as for a few people chosen to receive an Honorable Mention.

The Grand Prize is seriously sweet: You’ll receive a trip (airfare and hotel accommodations) to the Future of Web Apps Las Vegas Conference, along with a “Golden Ticket” pass. This ticket allows you access to a dinner with the speakers and more. You’ll receive $9,000.00 in cold, hard cash. And you’ll be prominently featured on the main page of the host website so that people from all over the world will be able to see how YOU pushed the limits of HTML5 on their behalf.

Each category winner will receive five thousand dollars and a mention / placement on the host website. Those who are a runner-up will receive an awesome laptop. The Gaming category runner-up will have a new Alienware M17x, and the Music runner-up will receive an HP Envy 14 Beats edition! All Innovation Award Winners will receive an ASUS Eee Slate. Those who receive Honorable Mention aren’t being left out in the cold! Each of those people will not only have bragging rights, they’ll also receive an Xbox bundled with Kinect.

Get your coding fingers ready, and submit your best effort. The deadline to enter is May 8th, 2011. A panel of expert judges will be choosing the winners.

Good luck to everyone who enters! If you decide to throw your hat into the ring, let us know so we can keep an eye on the outcome!

Enter the Dev:unplugged HTML5 Contest

Internet Explorer 9 Launch

Chris Pirillo — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:43:17 +0000

Internet Explorer 9 Launch

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Ari Bixhorn is the Lead Product Manager at Microsoft. We were fortunate to catch a few moments of his time during the Internet Explorer 9 launch party during SXSW. The browser launched today amidst much ,a href=”http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Enterprise-Applications/Microsoft-Internet-Explorer-9-Arrives-10-Reasons-to-Use-It-851132/”>fanfare from reviewers. I even happened to see a Tweet earlier which said “IE 9 isn’t your momma’s Internet Explorer. Give it a try!” Strangely worded, perhaps – but true.

The first major difference that Ari pointed out during the interview is the sheer speed of this iteration. It is noticeably MUCH quicker than any previous version, which is important in today’s browser wars. We demand that our pages load instantly, and we don’t settle for anything less. From all reports, IE 9 actually performs up to par. The browser has an improved JavaScript engine named Chakra and uses hardware acceleration to deliver Web pages to users sooner.

Microsoft also drastically changed the entire user experience this time around. They have placed the focus onto the web sites you are visiting and shifted the focus away from the browser itself. In past versions, Microsoft forced users to deal with too much clutter around a Web page. You’ll find that ugliness is gone now.

There are some hefty privacy and security updates, things that are crucial if the Redmond company is to survive amongst other offerings on the market. Some of the updated features include tracking protection and control over ActiveX filtering. The tracking protection function allows you to place a limit on which websites are allowed to communicate with your browser. The tracking protection list blocks certain sites from monitoring what you are doing online. Having control over your ActiveX filtering gives you the ability to select which sites you trust to access information to create your interactive features when surfing the web. Additionally, IE 9 introduces “hang recover” in this version, which will isolate a malfunctioning tab while letting other open tabs continue to work properly and independently.

Another important factor to note is that IE 9 was built from the ground up to support HTML5. This is good in that developers can build upon HTML5 across multiple browsers. Consumers can experience sites in ways they never could before using HTML5, such as with videos and games. This will have a huge impact on what you can do when you are online.

Believe it or not, the demo shown during SXSW proves that IE 9 can run with the big dogs when it comes to speed: several sites were demo’d which ran smoothly in IE 9 but were choppy and slow in both Firefox 4 and Chrome. Don’t believe me? Ask Dave Wolf – VP of Strategy at Synergy. They produced a neat little game in HTML5 and showed off a short demo of it in this video. It renders at about ten times the framerate in IE 9 as it does in Chrome. Again, don’t take my word for it – watch for yourself.

As already mentioned once – give it a try before you simply write it off. I think Internet Explorer 9 is going to surprise you.

Have you played around with the new Microsoft browser offering yet? What are your initial thoughts?

Internet Explorer 9 Launch

Internet Explorer 9 Thoughts

Chris Pirillo — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 21:00:39 +0000

Internet Explorer 9 Thoughts

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The IE 9 beta is definitely something you should try. We uploaded a screencast not long ago to much positive response. There are good things coming down the pike, and Microsoft is definitely getting back into the game.

In four earlier platform previews, aimed primarily at developers, Microsoft has already shown off some of what it’s delivering in IE9: dramatically improved performance, thanks to hardware acceleration and an improved JavaScript engine, along with a relentless emphasis on compatibility with modern web standards.

Even Ed Bott is happy with what he’s seeing. Nothing – and certainly no browser – is perfect, and this is no exception. However, I do believe that we are going to see Internet Explorer start to increase its hold on the market once again.

What are your thoughts?

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Internet Explorer 9 Thoughts

How to Convince Someone to Switch Web Browsers

Chris Pirillo — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:50:27 +0000

How to Convince Someone to Switch Web Browsers

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Someone in the live chat room recently asked how they can convince a relative to stop using Internet Explorer. The answer is that you really can’t – and you shouldn’t. They use what they use because they like it. It’s a matter of personal preference, folks. How would you like it if someone told you you need to stop using Chrome, Firefox or Safari? You’d not be a very happy camper.

If they aren’t happy and are looking for suggestions, then go ahead and give them your ideas. When you try to convince someone to change – whether it’s Web browsers or even religions – you’re superimposing your experiences onto them. You’re forcing your own opinions and perspectives on someone’s life.

If they’re using IE for all the wrong reasons (such as using a very old version), that’s a bad reason. Explain to them why it may not be safe. It may work well and look good to them, but it isn’t safe. Tell them the dangers, and help them understand why they should upgrade or look at a different browser.

If you are going to insist on trying to get someone to change, don’t simply say something is better or faster. You will never win them over. Point out specific features you feel they would appreciate and need that they cannot get in the browser they are using now. The same can hold true if you are talking about phones, gadgets or computers.

Show them something they will be able to do outside of the limitations of what they have now. Ask them what they want their browser (or anything) to do, then show them what fits best with their needs – even if it is Internet Explorer.

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How to Convince Someone to Switch Web Browsers

What’s New for Internet Explorer 9

Chris Pirillo — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:48:03 +0000

What’s New for Internet Explorer 9

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The beta for Internet Explorer 9 was officially released this morning during a press conference. This streamlined version has a better user experience and is far faster than any previous iteration of the application. With this release, Microsoft is asking us to “unlock the beauty of the web.” The team in Redmond feels that a browser should be focusing on a website – not the browser used to access it. IE 9 contains a lot of design changes and new features to make visiting websites an efficient process.

The new streamlined user interface features minimalized focus on the Home, Favorites and Settings menu buttons. They aren’t right in your face and larger-than-life anymore. There is a new position for Tabs and a new design for the URL bar. The speed is a drastic improvement, making it a competitor to other browsers once again.

The scrolling feature is a much smoother experience than in previous versions, assisted by new hardware acceleration. There is better Flash and HTML 5 integration. You will find that you now have the ability to easily see which add-ons might be slowing down the browser as it launches. There’s also a download manager to warn you if the code you’re trying to nab is potentially malicious.

Keep in mind that IE 9 will only work on Windows Vista or Windows 7. If you’re still using XP, you’re out of luck and unable to experience the actual goodness that we’re seeing out of the Microsoft camp today.

Thanks to Matthew for this excellent screencast and first peek at Internet Explorer 9.

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What’s New for Internet Explorer 9

It’s Time to Use a Different Browser When…

Chris Pirillo — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 04:38:58 +0000

It’s Time to Use a Different Browser When…

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Over on Lockergnome.net, Michael asked people which web browser they prefer, and why. This is something I am asked constantly. It certainly seems as though everyone has a definite preference: there are over a thousand views on that question alone, and several pages’ worth of answers. I’ve been using Safari for quite awhile, but I think I’m on the cusp of switching to something different.

The one I’m thinking of using is another webkit browser – Google Chrome. To be more specific, I plan on using the browser on which Chrome is based – Chromium. It’s very powerful, and it’s only getting better. It’s exceedingly fast, and there are a lot of extensions already available. Heck, there’s already five extensions that have been made by our community members that each have something to do with what we do on a daily basis!

It’s a big deal for most people when you switch primary browsers. There’s usually a good reason that you decided to make the change. Let’s face it – we hate change most of the time, even when it comes to our browsers. I’ve used Safari for nearly three years now, so yeah – this is a big deal for me.

With Chromium, I get nightly update builds loaded right onto my computer. That’s important to me… I’m always on the bleeding edge with the latest they have to offer. When you spend as much time as I do surfing the Internet, having the best browser available is critical.

Which browser do YOU use, and why is it your favorite?

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It’s Time to Use a Different Browser When…

Which Camera is Better?

Chris Pirillo — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:42:22 +0000

Which Camera is Better?

Over on Geeks, someone was wondering which camera is the best. The first thought that came to my mind was what the bot in our chat room will tell you if you ask “what is better.”

“Chris recommends you use what you want to use, download what you want to download, try what you want to try, buy what you want to buy. These choices are all personal in nature, so it’s always difficult to answer the question of “which is better” (so don’t be surprised if Chris doesn’t answer your impossible question).”

No one can answer this question for you. It’s one thing to ask which cameras (or whatever it is you’re looking for) someone uses, why they prefer it, and whether they’ve had any issues with it. That is called information gathering, and is an important part of the research you should be doing before buying anything new. Always ask questions of others. Find out what their experiences have been with their devices. Read reviews online. Ask for recommendations.

Don’t ask ME what the best is, or you’ll likely get a reply much like the one above from the Pixie bot. What’s best for me may not be what works the best for you.

I DO know that what’s best for your computer is to keep it updated with the latest and greatest software we can find!

Which Camera is Better?

Fliptop Makes RSS Feeds Work for You

Chris Pirillo — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 07:14:33 +0000

Fliptop Makes RSS Feeds Work for You

Fliptop was introduced at the DEMO conference this week in Florida. This application will make you sit up and take notice. You may even gasp loudly, and trip over your fingers in your rush to grab this for yourself. RSS feeds can be a pain to manage – we all know this. Additionally, normal RSS feeds only offer you a direct feed that you have to add to a reader of some sort.

Fliptop has several interesting features that normal RSS feeds do not. The application gives you the ability to filter content by keyword, follow only certain topics or categories that interest you, and allows you to receive email digests of only the things you want to see. The service is available in two different styles. One is designed with website owners in mind. The other, of course, is geared towards the users who visit those sites.

The interface for site owners will give you a button to embed on your site. When clicked, the button will ask the user which topics they want to follow. Below that there is the option to also filter by keywords. The user then chooses how they wish to be alerted to new content: via traditional RSS feed, email, Twitter, Facebook, or text message. If you want to receive email updates, you can also tell the application how often you want to hear from them.

After reading all about Fliptop, I can admit that I will be tripping over my own fingers very soon in my rush. What about you? How fast will you be typing this into your favorite search engine?

Don’t forget to see what’s new in the software center today.

Fliptop Makes RSS Feeds Work for You

Should School be Taught in the Cloud?

Chris Pirillo — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:37:53 +0000

Should School be Taught in the Cloud?

On March 5th, the U.S. Department of Education released its National Educational Technology Plan, which they named Transforming Education: Learning Powered by Technology. Some of the recommendations made in the report include things like having a computing device for every teacher – and student – so that they can access the Internet from both school and home, as well as wanting schools to embrace cloud computing, Creative Commons and open-source technologies.

The report focuses on what they are calling “21st Century Computing”. As a way to transform education, the department states that the plan is to “engage and empower learning experiences for all learners… by leveraging the power of technology to provide personalized learning instead of a one-size-fits all curriculum.” Overall, the plan calls for a challenge to the normal model of having an isolated teacher in every class. Instead, they want to promote the ideas of “always on” learning tools, with online communities for the teachers and students.

I know that this plan cannot possibly be enacted in schools across the country overnight. However, I’m excited to see things moving in this direction finally. What do you think? Is this a massive step forward for education in the United States?

Don’t forget to stop by our software center to see what we have for you today!

Should School be Taught in the Cloud?

How to Remove Internet Explorer 8

Chris Pirillo — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:40:56 +0000

How to Remove Internet Explorer 8

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Marques has been an excellent screencast contributor in the past months, and today’s addition is no exception. Many people prefer to never use Internet Explorer, instead choosing one of the many other browser offerings. Marques is using this screencast to show you how can you remove IE 8 from your computer entirely. Be forewarned, however, that doing so could possibly cause some Windows programs and files to not work properly. Another solution is to simply remove the IE icon from your Start Menu and desktop, and just don’t open it. Also, of course, you may need IE at some point for your Windows Updates (many ppl still use that method to get the updates).

To remove Internet Explorer, you first want to head into your Control Panel. Once there, go into your “Programs” area. Once there, you’ll notice a button near the top (under the heading Programs and Features) that says Turn Windows Features On and Off. Click on that to bring up a window that will help you do just that.

Uncheck the Internet Explorer box, and you’ll have it fully removed. There are also other things in the box that you can safely remove, such as the Tablet features (IF you’re not using a Tablet, of course!). Make sure you thoroughly research all of the things found in the list before you decide what you want to uncheck!

That’s all there is to it. Removing Internet Explorer is fairly quick and easy to do, and may help keep your system running a little faster without some of the previous bloat associated with it.

Thanks, Marques, for another outstanding screencast!

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How to Remove Internet Explorer 8

Does Internet Explorer Suck?

Chris Pirillo — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:21:24 +0000

Does Internet Explorer Suck?

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We all must browse the web. Unfortunately, the Lynx browser is no longer cutting it. If you don’t remember it, then you are not old like I am. PC PitStop community member James asks if Internet Explorer is safe yet. He’s been waiting to use the newest version, because he’s heard that it has a lot of problems. What are your thoughts on this? Is IE solid, and safe?

The consensus in the chat room was that Internet Explorer is just not there yet. However, the answer is both yes and no. Every browser has its own set of issues. Every browser is as safe as every other web browser… and as safe as the user. There’s really no way to guage if it’s safe enough of not.

Every browser is going to have bugs, and security flaws. If you connect to the Internet, then you have security risks on your hands. If you’ve heard that people have had issues, then by all means, wait if you aren’t ready to upgrade. However, I’ve been using the newest version and haven’t had issues.

You could also use IEs Compatibility Mode, or choose a different browser. You can use any one that you wish, you know. Just because you have that little icon on your desktop doesn’t necessarily mean that you are required to use it. That’s the beauty of the Internet!

My recommendation is always to upgrade to the latest version of any browser. If you arent happy with it, then simply try something else!

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Does Internet Explorer Suck?

Microsoft Security Updates

Chris Pirillo — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:35:20 +0000

Microsoft Security Updates

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Software is constantly evolving and changing. That’s a good thing, honestly. There are always new and better features being added, along with important security updates in some cases. David from PC PitStop asked about Microsoft Updates. He’s wondering if they’re really necessary, since it takes him so long to download them on his DSL.

At least they released them, right? Even Apple has to have updates. Software needs to be updated because there are exploits out there. Developers don’t see those things until they’re out in the field and have been taken advantage of. Microsoft has found that it’s usually better to release a full chunk up updates all at once, instead of in smaller batches. There are even some vendors who don’t release any updates at all, so you should be glad that Microsoft does!

You do have an option that might help though, David. You can always turn off automatic updates in Windows, and download them manually once per week – or per day! Choose which updates you need, and when to download them. You can easily manage this by opening up Internet Explorer, and going to Tools at the top, and selecting Windows Updates.

If you’re having problems with a particular update, you can always roll it back. However, nine times out of ten it’s better to keep your Windows install up-to-date. You’ll be far more secure and have less stability issues for the most part. If you do choose to roll back, be sure to keep an eye out for bug fixes and stable releases so you can jump on the update train once again.

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Microsoft Security Updates

Can a Tweet Get You Grounded for Life?

Chris Pirillo — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:28:15 +0000

Can a Tweet Get You Grounded for Life?

I’ve warned you before that you have to watch what you say online. Even when you crack a joke, you should likely step back and make sure it comes across the way you intended it to, prior to actually hitting that “send” button. In the case of Paul Chambers, it could have saved him a lifetime of hassle. Sadly, he will no longer be flying the friendly skies, thanks to a complaint he made on Twitter.

When a recent flight of his was canceled, he decided to vent his frustration on Twitter with a bit of dark humor, stating: “Robin Hood airport is closed. You’ve got a week and a bit to get your shit together, otherwise I’m blowing the airport sky high!!” . Unfortunately for him, the police don’t find it a bit funny. A week after posting the message on the Twitter, he was arrested under the Terrorism Act. He was then questioned for nearly seven hours by police officers who took his joke as a security threat. He has been suspended for work pending investigation, and been banned from the local airport for life!

This goes to show that once again, we really do need to step back once in awhile prior to speaking. What are your thoughts? Are the police taking this a tad too far, or are they right on the money? What else have you read around the ‘Net today that opened your eyes, or made you stop to think?

Make sure you don’t miss the hottest deals on the latest software… available today in our software center.

Can a Tweet Get You Grounded for Life?

Is a Virtual Friend a Real Friend?

Chris Pirillo — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:22:45 +0000

Is a Virtual Friend a Real Friend?

Recently, I asked you whether you had met anyone in “real” life who you had become friends with online. Today, I read a heart-wrenching post on Geeks. One of our long-time community members unexpectedly lost his mom two days ago. The poster talks about how he lives several hundred miles from his family. While waiting to travel home, he turned to his friends in our community for support.

The support was instant and unconditional. This reinforces the fact that you don’t have to necessarily meet someone face-to-face in order to form a true and lasting bond. Many deep friendships are made online, only to have the involved persons never lay eyes on each other (beyond webcams and photos). I see it happen every day. I witness the bonds that many of our regular community members share.

This is why I do what I do, folks… YOU. I love the community… the bonds that are formed… the lasting relationships that withstand time and distance. The community we have is why Kat loves her job so much, as well. She’s said it many times, and seeing the post from this community member just proves her point. In the twelve or so years she has been managing communities online, she has been fortunate to form friendships with people from all around the world. These people laugh with each other, cry with each other… get angry together and then become happy again together. They go through life’s experiences together… and that is such an amazing thing to witness.

What are your thoughts? Have you experienced the real power of friendship through a virtual friend? How has someone(s) you may only know online touched or changed your life? Feel free to share your own thoughts on one of our community sites. There are a lot of good things being posted on a daily basis by all of you!

Don’t forget to stop by our software center to see what new deals we have for you today!

Is a Virtual Friend a Real Friend?

No New Firefox Before the End of the Year

Chris Pirillo — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:19:25 +0000

No New Firefox Before the End of the Year

Mozilla had long been promising version Firefox 3.6 by the end of this year. According to their website, that goal has now been pushed back to early 2010. Also, version 4.0, which promises to be a major update, has been pushed back to late 2010 or early 2011. This is leaving some Mozilla fans with a case of the grumpies. However, they need to remember that all good things are worth waiting for.

Didn’t we learn any lessons from Windows Vista? Didn’t we all witness first-hand what happens when a company rushes a product out the door before it’s truly ready to be on the market? If the folks at Mozilla feel they need more time to deliver a solid product, then I say we give it to them and stop griping about it!

The big new feature in version 3.6 is incorporation of the Personas plug-in that lets people easily customize the browser’s appearance, though behind the scenes there’s also been work to speed up the browser’s launch time, improve security, and make some other changes. There have already been five beta versions released, but we’ve yet to see the release candidate. An RC signals to the masses that a final version is nearly ready.

There is a lot of competition in the browser wars these days, and releasing newer and better versions is always under a time-crunch. However, I repeat again that I’d rather wait a little longer for a high-quality product. I don’t want to see the Firefox team lose credibility by releasing something that won’t go over well.

What browser do you use, and why? What makes it better than others in your mind? If you’re a Firefox fan, are you happy to wait a bit longer for the new versions?

No New Firefox Before the End of the Year