June 10 - 7:40pm EDT   TRI-EDRE has launched a public beta of its Internet search tool, GrandReporter. The new program automates searches via the Internet, and then continues the searches over time. After users create queries for any subjects of interest, GrandReporter automatically runs periodic checks for new information and sends alerts when additional pages are found. The software works as an advanced utility to gather specific searches, in a similar fashion to RSS feed trackers with intelligent searching. [full story]

June 8 - 12:20pm EDT   SiteCapture 1.2 (free) is a tool for capturing images of webpages. The URL addresses of sites can be added individually or entire Safari bookmark folders can be imported. The software then loads each link in a virtual browser and coverts the page into either JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, or BMP image file. The 1.2 release is capable of capturing the full height of a page in a single image and is now being offered as freeware. The update has also addressed several bugs including one that could cause file names of images to conflict. [Download - 0.38MB] [full story]

June 3 - 11:35pm EDT   Opera on Wednesdsay launched the first beta version of its Opera 10 web browser, offering enhanced speed and performance, along with a newly designed user interface. Changes in the beta include improved browsing speeds over limited-bandwidth connections, a resizable tab bar, and customizable features for the speed dial that allow users to choose from 4-25 web sites for quick access, and to add a custom background. Other speed enhancements noted by the company include a faster engine by up to 40 percent and increased support for resource intensive pages such as Gmail and Facebook. [full story]

June 3 - 9:45pm EDT   Adobe has unveiled its newest application, BrowserLab, releasing it as a free downloadable preview. The program, originally code-named Meer Meer, is used to compare webpages in Safari, Internet Explorer, and Firefox to ensure designs remain consistent between each browser. The program uses virtualization technology hosted through a cloud-based application, eliminating the need to install all three browsers. [full story]

June 2 - 11:20pm EDT   The Opera mobile browser has surpassed Apple's iPhone browser as the most popular mobile browser internationally, according to numbers collected by the analysis company StatCounter. The two browsers have battled for the lead position over the past six months, with Opera generally losing against mobile Safari from February through April. Sometime in May, however, a spike in Opera usage put the browser up to 24.6 percent while the iPhone fell slightly to 17.9 percent. [full story]

May 19 - 11:00am EDT   MyMacTime 1.2 ($20) is a tool for tracking time spent on different projects. Users can enter all the tasks they are currently working on and then either enter the time spent on each one manually or have the application log it. Tasks can then be synchronized with iCal for printing or sharing. The update has added a new option that allows users to choose if they want the session timer to stop, pause or continue when a computer enters sleep mode. The session summary view and session scope bar can now be hidden and several small bugs have also been addressed. [Download - 4.6MB] [full story]

May 8 - 2:05pm EDT   ArchiveMac 1.2 ($25) allows users to backup large files to CD, DVD or Blu-Ray disks. If the contents of a backup are larger than what can be stored on one disk the software can split the data across multiple discs which are then patched together when restored. The archive discs are burned in a way that allows them to be restored on any Mac, Windows or Linux computer without the need for any additional software. Version 1.2 has improved the process of burning discs by allowing discs in a set to be skipped and adding support for burning multiple copies of a disc. [Download - 4.8MB] [full story]

April 9 - 5:45pm EDT   BumperCar 2.2 ($30) is a web browser that has been designed with kids' safety in mind. Parents can set up various restrictions such as limiting the sharing of personal information and forcing Google to use "Safe Search" mode. The software offers simple "Low", "Medium" and "High" safety settings, as well as the ability to customize all of its features. The newest release introduces the latest version of Apple's WebKit engine for enhanced performance and increased security and also includes support for Flash 10. [Download - 16MB] [full story]

March 28 - 7:25pm EDT   Mozilla has released an update to its popular web browser, Firefox 3.0.8. The company has dealt with two security issues marked as critical under its rating of importance. The first fix involves the XUL method in some cases triggering garbage collection routines on objects which were still in use. This resulted in possible browser crashes when attempting to access a previously destroyed object, and could be used to run harmful code on a person’s computer. [full story]

February 24 - 6:10pm EST   Google has jumped into the conflict between the European Commission and Microsoft, backing the EU in the antitrust proceedings. The commission has objected to the practice of bundling Internet Explorer with Windows, which it claims "harms competition between web browsers, undermines product innovation and ultimately reduces consumer choice." The search-engine giant must first ask for permission from the EU to provide arguments, as a third party, in the ongoing litigation. [full story]

November 6 - 11:45pm EST   Microsoft's well known Internet Explorer web browser may have an open source sibling on its way based on WebKit, of Safari and Google Chrome fame, if statements made by CEO Steve Ballmer are indicative. TechWorld writes that Ballmer, speaking in front of developers in Sydney, answered a question posed by a student, on why Microsoft insisted on dumping money into the rendering platform, rather than adopting a faster open source model. Ballmer thought the question to be "cheeky," but provided a humble response. [full story]

September 29 - 6:10pm EDT   The Omni Group has released OmniWeb 5.8, switching the browser's base to the same version of WebKit in use by Safari 3.1. It includes the latest security patches and features of Safari 3.1, including downloadable fonts, CSS animation, HTML 5 media tags and client side database storage. The new version includes upgraded toolbar icons, a Google Chrome user agent option, a bugfix for Leopard's Spaces and support for Non-POSIX file URLs, providing improved compatibility with Dreamweaver and other Carbon and Classic applications. [full story]

September 4 - 3:40pm EDT   The latest entry in the browser wars is Google’s Chrome, an open source project with a special emphasis on speeding up JavaScript performance. Although a beta of the browser is only available for Windows (Mac and Linux versions are coming soon), the browser already promises a handful of features to separate it from its competitors. [full story]

September 2 - 1:10am EDT   Google this weekend accidentaly leaked details -- via an online comic book -- on its upcoming cross-platform open-source browser: Google Chrome -- which it claims will deliver a streamlined and improved interface along with performance improvements and security enhancements; the new browser is based on both Apple's Webkit, the core of the Safari browser, and Firefox, the rapidly growing alternative browser, but will square off against Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which dominates the internet, but continues to play catch up with security flaws and compatibility. The beta version of Google Chrome, only for for PCs initially, is expected to ship on Tuesday in more than ... [full story]

July 25 - 6:15am EDT   Applied Answers has released FileGenius, a file-transfer solution for users that need to move large files from one physical location to another. Positioned as an upgraded solution to FTP use, FileGenius works through a web browser, for simple drag-and-drop transfers.It claims to provide an easy interface and secure file access allowing users to begin using the software immediately. Applied Answers recognizes that there are situations that require confidential files to be transferred through a secure connection, FileGenius can be configured to use SSA encryption, and SHA hashed file directories and hidden site addresses (which cannot be found by search engines). [full story]