The Google Chrome Experience on Mac OS X with CrossOver Chromium!

Following Matt Cutts’s tweet I am now writing my blog post using the CrossOver Chromium browser which is a Mac and Linux port of the open source Chromium web browser. Google Chrome (Windows-only so far) is built with open source code from Chromium that means I have now a functional Google Chrome clone under Leopard on my MacBook. This is almost the same experience just like 2 weeks ago. I can use the omnibox, the new home tab and the very clever tab arhictecture amongst others but first of all the browser is now more or less integrated into my customized OS X environment and that is a big advantage. There are of course, inconveniences like crashes and problems with the shortcuts due to the Windows – Mac crossover solutions (which can be modestly modified with Preferences).

What is Genentech CEO Art Levinson doing for biotech as a Google board member?

The title question is my million (not billion yet) dollar question for this year. Arthur Levinson is a board member of Google (Apple too) and in his leftover time he is the CEO of the most successful biotech company so far, that’s Genentech. I would be curious to hear about his biotech-related activity as a G board member from my readers even in the form of guesses. Maybe he is teaching biotech classes to Googlers after both Genentech’s and Google’s investment into 23andMe or just sitting around sometimes at the nice cafeterias at the Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View and explaining knockout technology to coders.

My iPhone 2.0 wish list: from the RFID reader/writer to the solar panel!

According to the Wikipedia approved rumor by the AT&T boss: “A new version of Apple’s iPhone will be introduced in 2008 that is capable of operating on faster 3G cellular networks.” Besides the 3G support I have some other expectations (at least 6 should be satisfied) too in order to become a next generation iPhone upgrader:

hardware:

- built in RFID reader/writer: because I’d like to buy and order without standing in line. Also a bit experimental RFID hacking with things around me, like opening the hotel room with a cream cheese box must be fun. (I would wire the RFID modul in the place of the Bluetooth modul on the motherboard) see: Will the Apple iPhone be RFID powered?

- video out to use the iPhone with projectors: giving presentations on science conferences and seminars with my SciPhone and watching movies back at home with my wife.

- GPS (although I am quite satisfied with the Google Maps Mobile): in the car and on the bike.

- video recorder: basics

- video telephone: just for fun

- longer battery life: a must

- solar panel: for climate change

software:

- Skype enabled: do I need to explain it why?

Watch science videos on the iPhone with vTap beyond YouTube!

So far science videos on the iPhone were restricted to YouTube and subscribed, previously downloaded science-related vlogs on iTunes due to the lack of Flash, Windows Media Player, etc. support. But now with a new web app called vTap a bigger range of (science) videos are available and can now be played in the iPhone’s native QuickTime player in a good quality (screenshots made on a MacBook, the iPhone view is different.) I wonder when can we watch say JoVE or SciVee videos on the iPhone…

From the iPhone Atlas: Dubbed “vtap,” the service lets you search for videos from around the Internet, then — get this — encodes them on the fly and puts them in a format that can be played on the iPhone (H.264). vtap searches YouTube, MySpace, Dailymotion, news sites like the Associated Press and Reuters, even ESPN.

SciPhone links:

Science on the iPhone, is it a good SciPhone? Aspects for a test series

Making notes in a seminar with an iPhone: in progress (SciPhone Test)

How to iPhonize a modestly high-impact science journal?

I’ve joust found this ad in a recent Science magazine with a SciPhone in it:

Then I took a look on the journal’s website with my iPhone and here’s how it looks like through the cloudy eyes of my old MacBook:

The iPhone case: the hackers may have the law on their side!

I’ve activated my iPhone in a prepaid mode exactly for the reason of being flexible and switch to another network provider ASAP. So I do not have a 2 year contract with AT&T and I am happy to say that. The AT&T network and coverage is almost non exisiting in the 2 crucial places of my current life in New Orleans, United States: a., at home and b., at work. At home I must go to the street if I want to make a valid phone call with my iPhone, at work I must go to a special corridor at the edge of the building for the same reason. Next week I am going to England and it would be good to use my iPhone as a phone there. Nevertheless my iPhone is an integrated, hacked and essential part of my life. So what shall I do? Well, there are options it seems.

Something really new and interesting is happening, please read the links:

Wikipedia: George Hotz

Business Week: Why Apple Can’t Stop iPhone Hackers

Wired: Legal or Not, iPhone Hacks Might Spur Revolution

Slashdot (the comments): Can Apple + AT&T Shut Down iPhone Unlockers?

First iPhone software update: fixing the ugly Safari security bug

Meet the problems fixed, here: About the security content of iPhone v1.0.1 Update

Sir, yes, Sir!