Google's controversial Chrome Frame, a secure Internet Explorer plug-in that fought to bring the modern Web to legacy versions of Internet Explorer, will soon be going the way of Reader, Wave, and other Google projects not deemed worthy of a future.

Chrome Frame running Google Wave in Internet Explorer shows off a lot of legacy technology.

Chrome engineer Robert Shield wrote in a blog post on Thursday that Chrome Frame had outlived its usefulness. Basically, it wasn't being used. Google said that it's lack of appeal was because browsers usage has advanced far enough beyond where it was in 2009, when Chrome Frame launched. Most modern browsers, including Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Opera, have developed to the point where they support majority of HTML5, CSS3 and next-generation JavaScript that fuels the developing Web.

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The big news today for Google+ is that the service is getting some notable improvements to its notifications system, the biggest of which is syncing across all devices. With this improvement, when you read or dismiss a notification on one device, the same action will be reflected across all of your devices, so you won't be bothered with repeat clicks and swipes.

Other updates include a new bell icon for notifications and an updated notifications tray, which separates new items from previously read items. According to Google's Vic Gundotra, the notifications improvements will be rolling out gradually starting with Android, then making their way to the Web and iOS. So, stay tuned.

What we do get today, though, is an updated Android app. Furthering the company's effort to create a more consistent experience across its apps, Google+ for Android today got an updated menu design. In addition, the app today got new features, including and option to delete photos from the Photos view, and the ability to see reshares when you tap a post.

The updated Google+ for Android is available now on Google Play.

eBay's Steve Yankovich

When an Apple rep initially contacted eBay about developing a proprietary app back in 2008, the latter hadn't even heard of the iPhone or Objective-C. But seeing the potential of mobile software, a number of eBay employees believed that developing a mobile app would profit the global commerce and payments leader in the long run. In early 2009, they began raising funds for the formation of a mobile-specific group and commissioned an outside company to build the first eBay app.

Many software releases later, the app has helped the largest online marketplace blast off into mobile commerce, as eBay's mobile revenue has increased 33x from $600 million in 2009 to $13 billion in 2012--with a forecasted $20 billion in 2013.

Download.com recently chatted with Steve Yankovich, VP of Innovation and New Ventures at eBay Inc., who, as the VP of eBay mobile (2009-2012), played an integral role in the success of the original eBay app. Here he also discusses his other favorite shopping apps and whether the m-commerce leader would ever compete in the app marketplace with software of its own.

How has the eBay app changed shopping habits? The users who started using our mobile app are more active than users who don't. They love that we're letting them buy in the m... [Read more]

WhatsApp running on iOS.

WhatsApp, the mobile service that has established itself as a free alternative to texting, has reached new heights.

The company announced on its Twitter page on Wednesday that in the previous 24-hour period, it had set a new one-day record of handling 27 billion messages. According to the company, its users sent over 10 billion messages during the period, and received 17 billion messages.

WhatsApp has been growing by leaps and bounds. On December 31, the company hit a new record for itself of handling 18 billion messages in a day.

[Read more]