Google+ for Chrome gets Snapseed photo-editing tools

Google integrated Snapseed into Google+’s mobile apps for a while already. Now, Google’s bringing Snapseed’s features into the desktop Chrome browser with new tools like Auto Enhance, selective adjust editing, filters and frames. Google has slowly started rolling out the new options that can be accessed by clicking the “edit” link of a selected photo.

If you aren’t using Chrome, you’re going to have to make do with basic crop and rotate editing tools. 

HP introduces new Haswell-powered, colourful Chromebook

HP’s launching a new Chromebook and it’s going to be the first one to be powered by an Intel processor based on the Haswell microarchitecture—which means faster, more powerful machine—and one that’s quite a looker, too. Available in whimsically-named colours (Snow White, Ocean Turquoise, and Coral Peach), the Chromebook is equipped with a 14-inch HD display, 16GB SSD, and connectivity options that include HDMI, USB 2.0 and 3.0, and combination headphone and microphone jack.

Since it’s a Chromebook, you are guaranteed a quick and easy way to connect to your favorite sites and have instant access to Google Chrome apps. You will also be gifted with 100GB free storage on Google Drive for two years. This new laptop is said to be ready for the holiday season with a starting price of US$299.99.

Google partners with edX for new open source online learning platform

Google adds one more open source project to its list. Teaming up with MIT and Harvard’s educational site edX, Google’s launching a new online learning platform mid-2014 called mooc.org. It stands for “massive open online courses.” What differentiates it from edX is that it takes submitted from other universities, businesses, governments, and even individuals, whereas edX offers free courses just from affiliated institutions. No word yet on how courses are going to be screened or how contributors will earn money. 

Gmail for feature phones get a redesign, offers easier email handling

Google hasn’t forgotten its feature phone users with the new redesign of Gmail for feature phones. The latest version makes it easier to send and receive email, including letting users reply directly from the thread view; easy switching to other conversations; and reducing the number of buttons needed to press to create and read email. 

You can access Gmail using feature phones just by typing mail.google.com into the mobile browser. It has been particularly useful for Gmail users in developing countries.