Google Chrome to start blocking Flash next month

Starting in September, Google Chrome plans to shift the emphasis from Flash to HTML5. Chrome 53 will start block Flash, particularly those kinds that load “behind the scenes,” which can slow down casual browsing. HTML5 is known to be less resource-heavy as well as improve battery life, page loading, and responsiveness across the web.

Come December, Chrome 55 will make HTML5 the default browsing experience. Sites that have Flash-only support will be the only exceptions. But you’ll have the option to enable Flash when you visit. These changes will hopefully result in fewer crashes and hang-ups.

Source: Engadget

Chrome on Android to load videos faster while using less battery

A new version of Chrome on Android is promising faster loading times for videos while using up less of your battery. With Chrome 52, you should see videos playing sooner on the mobile browser instead of having it pause briefly before loading as you can see in the demo video above. At the same time, it’ll supposedly make your battery last longer. If you use Data Saver Mode, videos also work there, too. It’ll save you as much as 50 percent on data by what Google says is using a lightweight version of the video. You are supposed to see the differences in short videos, which makes up a lot of online content. But we can’t say how short is short.

Google to let you Cast tabs on Chrome sans extension soon

The latest update coming to Chrome 51 will allow you to Cast the browser to your TV or another Cast-supported monitor without having to use the Google Cast extension. The update bakes the functionality into the browser and it has an option you can select from the tool menu. You can even right click on browser to Cast a specific page.

This new Cast feature will take out the ability to determine bitrate, video quality, and resolution since it’ll automatically adjust this for you depending on your bandwidth. The existing extension won’t go anywhere though, this just gives you the ability to Cast much faster. The update is rolling out to users in the coming weeks.

Source: The Verge

Off The Record History extension gives you temporary access to Chrome Incognito browsing history

It’s generally great that Incognito mode on Google Chrome doesn’t keep any records of your browser history. But sometimes when you need access to a certain URL and accidentally close the window, you have no way of accessing it. That is until this this new extension. Off The Record History will keep your Incognito mode browsing history, your regular history, and recently closed tabs in a short-term history file while you have the browser open. Once you close it though, those links will be gone. You can check out the extension yourself but you’ll need to follow the instructions to make it work in Incognito mode.

Source: Lifehacker | Download: Chrome Web Store (Free)