Historian and programmer. Candidate for the degree of candidate of historical sciences. Passionate about high technology and the development of the mobile industry. After all, this is a historical process that is happening before our eyes with incredible speed. Even computers have failed to reach the masses as quickly as smartphones. Just a few years ago, a smart phone was a huge rarity, but today almost everyone has one. And I want to talk and talk about this technological miracle, catching every moment of this amazing post-computer era.
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Those tens of millions of users who have already installed Windows 10 on their PCs can already feel its benefits. The new operating system is faster and looks better. However, each user may have his own opinion on this issue. We can only hope that Windows 10 Mobile, which will be released a little later, has a chance of success. If the appalling shortage of applications that characterizes Windows Phone will remain a thing of the past, which means there are certain reasons to believe that the new platform will be popular. Microsoft itself talked about how it was originally developed for Android applications. If developers like this method, then the lack of applications will cease to be a distinctive feature of Windows for smartphones.
However, people are accustomed to Android, so in Windows 10 Mobile they will still lack some of the qualities inherent in the world's most popular operating system for mobile devices. The Windows Phone platform is distinguished by the fact that it works well on phones with minimal technical characteristics. And mobile Windows. Its minimalist design is also quite pleasant. The note “Things are definitely looking up for Microsoft,” published by the PhoneDog resource, not only examines those factors that are positive for the new platform, but also highlights what Android users will be missing in the new operating system.
If you put devices running 10, Android and iOS side by side, it’s easy to notice that the user interfaces of these operating systems are very similar. Windows Phone is noticeably different from other platforms precisely because of its minimalism, which causes real delight among some users.
At the same time, the weakest Windows place Phone is a shortage of applications. It is this weakness that should be addressed with the arrival of Windows 10 Mobile, though. Microsoft is committed to . By providing developers with the tools to create Windows 10 apps based on program code, previously written for Android and iOS, as well as web apps with “minimal code changes,” the company is encouraging developers to include Windows 10 among the operating systems their apps support. After all, they will have to do less work and, at the same time, possibly earn more money.
If the lack of applications for the platform remains a thing of the past, then users will begin to consider switching to Windows 10 Mobile. At least those users who still like the design and Windows performance Phone, but who do not want to constantly look for alternatives to their usual applications. Android applications, which were discussed above, can also be transferred to the platform.
If you are using as a browser Google Chrome, then you're probably familiar with the Chrome app store and may have downloaded some browser extensions or apps from there before. At the same time, applications, as a rule, were simply links to sites that opened in a separate window or tab.
Now, Google has introduced another type of application in its store, which are packaged HTML5 applications and can be launched as individual programs(although they use the Chrome engine to work), including when the Internet is turned off. In fact, the app launcher as well as standalone Chrome apps could be installed two months ago, but it was hidden and not advertised in the store. And while I was about to write an article about this, Google has finally rolled out its new apps, as well as the launcher, and now you can't miss them if you go to the store. But better late than never, so I’ll still write and show you what it all looks like.
New Google Chrome Apps
As mentioned, the new Chrome Store apps are web apps written in HTML, JavaScript, and other web technologies (but not Adobe Flash) and packaged in separate bags. All packaged applications run and run offline and can (and usually do) sync with the cloud. So you can install Google Keep for computer, free photo editor Pixlr and use them on your desktop like regular applications in your own windows. Google Keep will sync your notes when you have Internet access.
Chrome as a platform for running applications on your operating system
When you install any of the new apps in the Google Chrome store (by the way, the Apps section now only includes such programs), you will be prompted to install a Chrome app launcher, similar to the one used in Chrome OS. It’s worth noting that previously they offered to install it, and it could also be downloaded at https://chrome.google.com/webstore/launcher. Now, it seems, it is installed automatically, without asking unnecessary questions, in a notification manner.
After installing it, in the panel Windows tasks a new button appears that when clicked brings up a list installed applications Chrome and allows you to run any of them, regardless of whether the browser is running or not. At the same time, old applications, which, as I already said, are only links, have an arrow on the shortcut, but packaged applications that can work offline do not have such an arrow.
Chrome's app launcher is available for more than just operating system Windows, but also for Linux and Mac OS X.
Example apps: Google Keep for desktop and Pixlr
The store already offers a significant number of Chrome applications for computers, including text editors with syntax highlighting, calculators, games (for example, Cut The Rope), note-taking programs Any.DO and Google Keep and many others. All of them are fully functional and support touch controls for touch screens. Moreover, these applications can use all the advanced functionality Google browser Chrome - NaCL, WebGL and other technologies.
If you install more of these applications, your Windows desktop will look very similar to Chrome OS in appearance. I use only one thing - Google Keep, since this same application is the main one for quickly recording various not very important things that I would not like to forget about. In the computer version this application looks like this:
Some may be interested in editing photos, adding effects and other things not online, but offline, and for free. In the shop Google applications Chrome you will find free versions“online photoshops”, for example, from Pixlr, with which you can edit a photo, do retouching, crop or rotate a photo, apply effects and much more.
By the way, Chrome application shortcuts can be located not only in a special launcher, but also anywhere else - on the desktop Windows desktop 7, primary Windows screen 8 - i.e. where you need it, just like for regular programs.
To sum it up, I recommend giving it a try and checking out the selection in the Chrome Store. Many of the applications that you constantly use on your phone or tablet are presented there and they will be synchronized with your account, which, you see, is very convenient.
Before Microsoft presentations less than 36 hours and we are very much looking forward to the arrival of new Windows 10 devices that will occupy flagship niches in the Microsoft product line. It looks like there will be a lot more surprises in store for us at the event. Yesterday, rumors appeared on the Internet that may indicate the end of the long cold war between Google and Microsoft. Google can finally introduce its applications for the Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile platforms.
The war between the two companies has been going on for a long time. Microsoft was very active in tightening the screws of the “Good Corporation” in terms of patenting Android devices, and they, in turn, completely refused to release their applications for Windows Phone. Moreover, Google even removed support for Exchange ActiveSync from its GMail services.
Of course, the information from the Arabic site does not have significant evidence to accept it as 100% truth. In any case, the Microsoft-Google relationship is improving, just as the Microsoft-Apple relationship has been improving. It can be assumed that the “holy war” of the two corporations is coming to an end. There are very good reasons for such conclusions. This week it was reported that Microsoft and Google have finally settled their patent disputes and agreed to collaborate for the common benefit of users. The general statement said:
Google and Microsoft have agreed to cooperate in patent matters and other areas for user benefit.
Microsoft, for its part, does not show hypocrisy or prejudice and boldly releases its applications for all operating systems in a row, even sometimes to the detriment of its own. Microsoft is also helping Google develop new video formats, and is also working on supporting Google's new VP9 codec in its Edge browser.
If Google is indeed going to show off its apps for the Windows 10/Windows 10 Mobile platform, it will be huge, truly epic news for an operating system that has been criticized for years for its lack of Google services and support from developers. This gave rise to a new interpretation of the question of the egg and the chicken.
Why are there no applications on the OS? Because there are no users. Why are there no users? Because there are no apps. Why are there no apps..?
Google can no longer ignore Windows 10, the rapid growth of which is foolish to deny. The release of Google apps on Windows 10 will serve as a sign to the industry that attention should be paid to the platform from Microsoft.
It is quite possible that this information will turn out to be just the unconfirmed fantasy of some Arab blogger. In any case, we only have to wait for a short time and in a couple of dozen hours we will find out everything ourselves at the presentation. By the way, join us.
