Following the release of Firefox 12 earlier this week, Mozilla's latest browser build for developers shows off some new security tweaks and implements some game-centric APIs.

Firefox 14 Aurora (download for Windows, for the Mac, and for Linux) also brings native full-screen support to Macs, and the location bar can finally autocomplete URLs.

The security tweaks involve some minor interface adjustments. The Site Identity Manager, which is the block of color on the left of the location bar, has been changed so that it's easier to understand. Going forward, gray globe will be the default icon for a site sent over an unencrypted connection or a site encrypted with HTTPS that include some content (like ads) that come from unencrypted servers. When a page and its content come from encrypted servers, and the server uses a standard "CV" certificate, the gray globe changes to a gray lock icon. The highest level of site security Mozilla recognizes in the Site Identity Manager changes the lock icon to green, and kicks in when a page and its content come from encrypted servers, and the server uses an ... [Read more]

(Credit: CNET)

Spring has finally sprung here in Northern California, and with the nice weather and everything in bloom, it's the perfect time to check out some new photo apps.

We all know about apps like Instagram, and I've talked about effects apps like PhotoToaster here before. But I have come across some new (or new to me) photo apps recently that are great for playing with your images and sharing them with friends.

This week's iOS apps are perfect for snapping pictures of springtime (or really, any time). The first is a social photo app like Instagram with a nice layout and excellent sharing options. The second offers a unique and elegant minimalist interface for adding effects to your photos. The third is a fun app that offers features that let you add your photos into premade scenes.

Browse through photos other people have taken based on topics and locations.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)

EyeEm (free) is a photo app that's similar to Instagram, but I really like the layout and photos that are categorized by location, making it easy to both browse and add your own shots to collecti... [Read more]

Google Drive has come to Chrome OS, the browser-based operating system that arguably needs it more than the average PC.

(Credit: screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)

Google Drive is handy for mobile devices and conventional computers, but it's just arrived on another class of devices where it's potentially a lot more transformative: Chrome OS.

Google built Google Drive into the latest developer release of Chrome OS version 20.0.1116.0, said Chrome team member Danielle Drew in a blog post today.

Google Drive synchronizes files across multiple devices and with Google's own servers; a file copied or saved into the folder on a personal computer or uploaded to the Google Drive Web site is then accessible on other devices. It's tightly integrated with Google Docs, Google's online service for word processing, presentations, and spreadsheets.

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The Java SE 6 runtime that has shipped with past versions of OS X and which has been available on-demand for Lion users is the last version that Apple will officially support in OS X, but this does not mean Java for OS X is dead. Java's parent company Oracle has taken up the reins for Java development in OS X, and yesterday announced the first version of the upcoming Java SE 7 runtime for OS X.

This update is good news for Java developers, and for end users who run Java code on Mac systems, as it is the first step for OS X to maintain the most up-to-date version of Java in OS X.

Download and run the Java installer package to install the Java 7 runtime. (click for larger view)

(Credit: Screenshot by Topher Kessler/CNET)

While this is good news for OS X, if you plan on trying the software out then there are some details about the Java 7 release that you should know. First is the update is for OS X 10.7 Lion only, and will not install on other versions of OS X. While the install places a separate Java runtime and development kit on the system along with others you may have, as a result if you were to copy the installed JDK file to another version of OS X, you may ... [Read more]

(Credit: Apple Inc.)

Apple's Mac App Store now contains more than 10,000 applications, according to two different third-party estimates.

French outlet MacGeneration today posted its estimate of the tally based on its own data. Macrumors later pointed to its Appshopper site that pulls App Store data and currently lists the store's total at 10,334 apps.

Apple launched the store on January 6, 2011, as a means of distributing software for Mac the same way it did with success on the iOS platform. In December, Apple said it passed 100 million application downloads by users, while making the claim that it was the "fastest growing PC software store in the world."

To put the benchmark -- which an Apple spokesperson declined to confirm -- in context, it took Apple's App Store for iPhone (and later iOS) less than half a year to reach 10,000 apps. At the same time, that store had pulled in more than 300 million downloads,... [Read more]

"Me, doctor?" "No, you patient. Me doctor."

(Credit: Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET)

The handful of Monty Python apps released to date have been of mixed value. The Angry Birds ripoff Cow Tossing was amusing but not fulfilling, while the "Holy Grail" companion The Holy Book of Days offered a fantastic behind-the-scenes look at everyone's favorite Python movie.

Now comes Python Bytes, a collection of 22 sketches from the first season (or "series," to use Brit-speak) of the "Monty Python's Flying Circus" TV show.

Among the highlights: "Albatross," "Dead Parrot," and "Lumberjack Song." In other words, there's ample comedy gold to be mined here.

The first time you run it, the app starts playing a random sketch. You can shake your iDevice to skip to another one, or tap the screen to pause playback and access the menus.

Those menus give you access to three options. The first is Sketch Commentary, in which Pythons talk about the currently selected sketch. It's a nice... [Read more]

(Credit: Facebook)

If you leave Facebook open in a separate tab or check your smartphone every couple of minutes for notifications, you might be slightly (or seriously) addicted to Facebook. On days where you can't get enough of the chatter there's MyStatusBar. This Chrome extension allows you to see new posts and notifications on every page you open, letting you close off that second tab or put down the smartphone.

MyStatusBar integrates itself by adding a blue status bar to the bottom of each page you're viewing. Think of it as a floating social media bar, but only for Facebook. You can also search or launch Facebook just a few mouse clicks. Here's how to add it to Chrome:

Step 1: Head to the extension page for MyStatusBar on the Chrome Web Store.

Step 2: Click the blue Add to Chrome button.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nic... [Read more]

Dropbox users can now directly upload photos from their camera or smartphone.

(Credit: Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET)

Dropbox users who find it a hassle getting photos off their camera and onto their online storage site now have a way to avoid the middleman.

The new Dropbox 1.4 software for Windows, OS X, or Linux can automatically upload photos not just from a camera, but from a smartphone, tablet, SD card, and just about any other gadget that houses your images.

How can Dropbox users set this up? Here's how it works in Windows:

First, install the new version of Dropbox. Then right-click the Dropbox icon in the System tray and select Preferences. You should see a section that says Import photos and videos using Dropbox. Click the link to Change Autoplay Settings. In the AutoPlay window, look for the devices that you want to include in the automatic upload, such as your camera, phone, or tablet. Make sure the setting next to the device says "Open Device Stage."

Now when you plug in your device, an AutoPlay window will pop up asking what you want to do with that device. Select the option to import photos and videos using Dropbox. A Dropbox window then pops up to start the import and ask if you want to automatically import your photos each time you plug in the device.

I tried the process with my iPhone, and it worked qu... [Read more]