It’s only been roughly a few days since we’ve been graced with Chrome’s arrival, but it’s all we needed in order to see the first two (of hopefully many Easter Eggs) cracked. The first one involves the number of tabs opened in the browser. If you’ve noticed, there’s no limit of the number of tabs being opened as there are in other web browsers. So what happens when you have 99 tabs opened and want to open the 100th? The 100th turns into a smiley emoticon. Pretty clever there Google.

The second one is a real doozy too. This involves what happens when you look at the page showing all your tabs. You generally can swipe up and down to flip through the stack of tab windows, but when you’ve flipped to the top, the tabs then poke out to highlight they won’t go any farther. However, if you swipe up five times in a row, the whole stack does a animated flip. This is perhaps one of the specific reasons why Chrome has decided to unleash the beta for Android 4.0+ users only— the use of hardware acceleration in order to see the stack do an animated flip. Moreover, when looking at the back of the stack as it flips around, you can then see an embossed Chrome logo. Very cool.

You’ve read about the Easter Eggs now. So why don’t you check out Chrome doing a backflip in the video below? You’ll be glad you did.

Click here to view the embedded video.

source: cnet

The famous bird launching game, Angry Birds turns 2 today, with its developers Rovio celebrating the milestone by offering 15 new birthday cake themed levels bringing the total level count to 300. As well as the new levels, the folks at Rovio have added an expandable orange bird, new menus and graphics, birthday achievements, and – wait for it – all episodes are now unlocked!

From everyone at TalkAndroid, have a great birthday Angry Birds!

Android Market Link

I don’t remember ever complaining that the Google+ app had performance issues, but Google thought so. Google has been busy this week with updates to Talk and the release of Chrome Beta for Ice Cream Sandwich devices. Things keep rolling as Google+ was just updated, and according to Google, you should notice “massive performance improvements.”  That’s not all as the full change log includes:

• Massive performance improvements across the app
• What’s Hot!
• View who +1′d a post or comment
• Stream posts shortened to fit more per scroll
• Infinite photos feed in ‘From your circles’
• Stream no longer jumps to the top for an automatic refresh

Let us know what you think in the comments and if you haven’t downloaded Google+ yet, hit one of our links after the break

Android Market Link

Amazon has announced a new partnership with Viacom in a deal that will bring major TV stations such as MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Nikelodeon, Spike, TV Land, BET, CMT and logo to their Amazon Prime subscribers.

Prime members will be able to enjoy a myriad of prime time TV shows on over 300 devices including top-selling (hybrid) android tablet, the Kindle Fire.

The partnership could prove to be quite a coup for Amazon and will instantly boost their library from 13,000 to 15,000 titles. Throw in the recently released SlingPlayer application and the Kindle Fire is fast turning into a media powerhouse.

Things are really heating up in the battle for video streaming supremacy. Earlier this week we brought you news of Verizon’s recent deal with Redbox and now tech giant Amazon are upping their game, it could prove to be tough at the top for current market leader Netflix. Who are you currently using for your streaming service and will you be considering any of these news services? Let us know your thoughts!   

Press Release

Amazon today announced that it’s reached a streaming agreement with Viacom that will bring television shows from MTV, Comedy Central, Nikelodeon, TV Land, Spike, VH1, CMT and Logo to Amazon Prime subscribers — and that means to the Amazon Kindle Fire as well.

That pretty much runs the gamut from the worst television has to offer – Jersey Shore, The Hills,The Real World – to the best of Comedy Central (Chappelle’s Show and The Sarah Silverman Program are mentioned; here’s to hoping The Daily Show is included as well) and Nikelodeon, including Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants and Yo Gabba Gabba.

All GTL kidding aside, this is yet another big deal for Amazon, which already has a killer streaming offering through Amazon Prime. Package this up with perhaps a slightly higher-resolution Kindle Fire, and we’re going to go through the roof.

Full presser’s after the break.

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Feb. 8, 2012– Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced a licensing agreement with Viacom that will allow Amazon Prime members to instantly stream TV shows from MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, TV Land, Spike, VH1, BET, CMT and Logo. This deal will bring the total number of Prime Instant Videos to more than 15,000. Amazon Prime members can enjoy this selection on over 300 different devices, including Kindle Fire—the Kindle for movies, TV shows, music, magazines, apps, books, games, and more. Right out of the box, Kindle Fire users experience the benefits that millions of Amazon Prime members already enjoy — unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of movies and TV shows with Prime Instant Video and the convenience of Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items from Amazon.com.

Prime members will have access to thousands of episodes from Viacom through Prime Instant Video over the next several months. Titles will include kids’ favorites, stand-up comedy, and reality TV. Amazon will offer MTV shows including The Hills, Jersey Shore, The Hard Times of RJ Berger, several seasons of The Real World, and Comedy Central shows such as Chappelle’s Show and The Sarah Silverman Program. For kids, Amazon brings Nickelodeon episodes of iCarly, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, Yo Gabba Gabba, along with TV Land favorite, Hot in Cleveland.

“Over the last year we have received fantastic customer feedback about Prime Instant Video. We are constantly working to improve the service by adding the shows that our customers enjoy the most,” said Brad Beale, director of video content acquisition for Amazon. “This deal with Viacom brings Prime customers and Kindle Fire users thousands of comedies, kids’ shows, reality TV and much more from some of the best cable networks available. We now offer more than 15,000 movies and TV shows in Prime Instant Videos and are working hard to add even more great content.”

About Prime Instant Video

Prime Instant Video is a benefit for paid Amazon Prime members. Prime members get unlimited, commercial-free, instant access to more than 15,000 movies and TV shows. Since the launch of Prime instant videos last year, Amazon has secured licensing deals from partners such as CBS, Fox, PBS, NBCUniversal, Sony, Warner Bros, Disney-ABC Television, Viacom Media Networks and many more.

About Amazon Instant Video

For customers who are not Prime members, or who are looking to instantly purchase or rent movies and TV shows, Amazon offers Amazon Instant Video. Amazon Instant Video is a digital video service offering downloads or streaming of more than 100,000 titles including new release movies, TV shows the day after they air, as well as contemporary and classic videos in SD and HD. Customers can instantly watch movies and TV shows from Amazon Instant Video or Prime Instant Video on a Mac, PC or directly on a TV with any of the 300 compatible devices, including the new Kindle Fire.

About Prime

Amazon Prime is an annual membership program for $79 a year that offers customers unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items including books, home and garden products, electronics, video games, clothing, and much more. Amazon Prime members also get access to unlimited instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows and access to tens of thousands of books to borrow for free, as frequently as a book a month, with no due dates from a Kindle device. Customers who receive free Prime shipping benefits through our Amazon Student or Amazon Mom programs can upgrade to an annual paid membership to receive Amazon Prime’s digital benefits.

About Viacom

Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB) is home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms in approximately 160 countries and territories. With more than 160 media networks reaching approximately 700 million global subscribers, Viacom’s leading brands include MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, CENTRIC, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV Land, SPIKE and Tr3s. Paramount Pictures, celebrating its 100th year in 2012 and creator of many of the most beloved motion pictures, continues today as a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. Viacom operates a large portfolio of branded digital media experiences, including many of the world’s most popular properties for entertainment, community and casual online gaming.

For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com.

About Amazon.com

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. The new latest generation Kindle is the lightest, most compact Kindle ever and features the same 6-inch, most advanced electronic ink display that reads like real paper even in bright sunlight. Kindle Touch is a new addition to the Kindle family with an easy-to-use touch screen that makes it easier than ever to turn pages, search, shop, and take notes – still with all the benefits of the most advanced electronic ink display. Kindle Touch 3G is the top of the line e-reader and offers the same new design and features of Kindle Touch, with the unparalleled added convenience of free 3G. Kindle Fire is the Kindle for movies, TV shows, music, books, magazines, apps, games and web browsing with all the content, free storage in the Amazon Cloud, Whispersync, Amazon Silk (Amazon’s new revolutionary cloud-accelerated web browser), vibrant color touch screen, and powerful dual-core processor.

Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, and www.amazon.es. As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

Have you ever found yourself reading a page on your computer and wishing you had a fast way to get that same page on your phone or tablet?  With the recent release of Google Chrome Beta, an extension for your desktop’s Chrome browser will allow you to send your web pages from your computer to your mobile device in an instant.  The extension is named Chrome to Mobile, and you can choose which device you’d like to send the webpage to, and you can even send a copy for offline viewing.  This a perfect feature to keep you occupied on a long (and normally boring) airplane ride.  This feature is very similar to Chrome to Phone that debuted with Android 2.2 Froyo; however, Chrome to Phone will not allow you to specify to which device you’d like to send the web page.

To get started, install Chrome to Mobile on your computer (see source link).  Next, install and sign into Google Chrome Beta on your phone, but keep in mind that it is currently only available for devices running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.  Finally, just click on the phone icon in the browser’s omnibox, and send away!  The rest of us who are not running Ice Cream Sandwich will have to hope for this function to be available in the coming months.

Source: Chrome Web Store

One of the best Reddit clients has just gotten a big update which brings some significant improvements. BaconReader has been updated to software version 1.25 and features some performance improvements and scrollable widgets for Honeycomb – ICS devices. Users of the app can also look forward to the following:

• Beautiful, intuitive interface
• Full user profile support
• Color coded comment threads
• Easy to use, full featured inbox
• Rageface and look of disapproval support
• One-tap access to your favorite subreddits
• Search for new subreddits based on name or keyword and subscribe to them

If you don’t use BaconReader now, be sure to give it a whirl today— especially if you’re an owner of a Honeycomb or ICS device. You can find the app at the Market link below or using the QR code. Let us know how you like the updated version in the Comments section below.

Android Market

For those of you heavy Twitter and Faceboook users, I am pretty sure you have heard of Seesmic, the app that allows you to post to multiple social networks at one time. While Seesmic is a great outlet for your accomplishing your social networking needs, it’s been a really long time since it has seen an update. Today, the app finally received an update that the developer describes as follows:

This version addresses various bug fixes and minor updates including:

• Updates to address issues with Trending Topics
• Support for t.co links
• Bug fixes based on feedback
• Dropped Google Buzz support

As you can see, not much has changed. Regardless, though, it’s always nice to know that the developer is going to continue with maintenance and support. If you have yet to receive the update or want to give Seesmic a try, hit up one of the links below. They must be doing something right because the app has maintained a 4 1/2 star rating out of over 120, 000 reviews.

Android Market

Not one to let today’s Google Chrome launch steal the show, Microsoft just pushed One Note to the Android Market. For those of you who don’t know. One Note has been a part of of Microsoft’s Office PC suite since 2010 and has been the program of choice for many needing to take detailed and comprehensive notes. For those folk, the announcement is well received I’m sure. The One-Note app syncs up with your computer and provides on the go capability to take notes with pictures, bullets, and to-do lists. The app only allows 500 notes at a time but I’m sure for most that’s more than enough. Just download the app, sign in with your Microsoft Live ID  and get synced up with your PC.

Android Market

via: AndroidCentral 

With the announcement of Google Chrome for Android earlier today – to a resounding cheer of the Android community – Adobe has stepped in to (indirectly, of course) take a little of that excitement away. Standing by their previous announcement, the Adobe Air and Flash team released a statement on their blog stating that they have no intention of developing a flash plugin for the new Chrome for Android browser. Disappointing? You bet.

However I don’t think this signifies anything more than the necessity to inconvenience yourself with switching browsers for Flash content. With HTML 5 dominance and standardization on the horizon, mobile users will soon be forgetting about the Flash Player days anyway. I do believe that this is a pretty premature move though, since Flash content is all over the web and Adobe has yet to release any HTML 5 alternative for viewing it (though they do note that Adobe AIR will be bringing this in the near future). The full statement follows after the break.

Today Google introduced Chrome for Android Beta. As we announced last November, Adobe is no longer developing Flash Player for mobile browsers, and thus Chrome for Android Beta does not support Flash content. Flash Player continues to be supported within the current Android browser. Adobe is committed to innovating with Flash. We’ll continue enabling content developers to produce rich and immersive applications on mobile devices and PCs via Adobe AIR, and through PC browsers via Flash Player. Flash is uniquely positioned for creating and publishing advanced gaming and premium video content, and that is where we’re focusing our future investment. We recently released hardware accelerated support for 2D and 3D graphics for Flash Player on the desktop and will soon bring these same capabilities to mobile apps via AIR. Together with recent advancements in hardware accelerated video decoding, compositing and content protection, these capabilities provide the richest platform for game developers and video publishers to reach over a billion users across PCs and major mobile app stores, including the iTunes App Store and Android Market. At the same time, we’re actively working to move HTML5 forward via our ongoing collaboration with Google and other members of the Web community. Adobe’s proposal for CSS Regions, which allows sophisticated, magazine-like page layouts on the web, is now shipping in the Chrome browser. We’re collaborating with Google and other members of the Web community on a proposal for CSS Shaders to enable cinematic, visual effects via HTML5 and we’re exploring the potential of its Shadow DOM proposal, which would enable the integration of rich user interface components in web pages. We continue to work on ways to make the Web more expressive, drawing on our experience with Flash. Adobe has always been about enabling content developers to produce the richest content possible and we remain committed to that end across platforms and technologies. Bill Howard, Flash Platform, Product Management

Good news for you Canadian readers who have Telus as their wireless carrier. Telus has just released an app in the Android Market that works in conjunction with thier Optik TV service and allows users the ability to watch select content on their mobile devices. Channel selection is a bit limited at this time but currently you can tune in to HBO, YTV, Baby TV, two Disney stations, and a few more. Whats neat is that the service doesn’t end with mobile devices either, Telus also offers an online portal for any web-enabled device. You can even watch Optik TV with your Xbox Kinect, gestures and voice included.

Once Telus’ LTE service kicks off, you can bet this app will be a hoot. Imagine watching your favorite HBO shows on the go without the streaming lag-time associated with 3G service. I imagine LTE should hit Telus soon, more than likely alongside the Galaxy Note launch in the middle February.

If you’re a Telus customer and want to go get the download, I’ve included a couple handy links after the break. While you’re there, you might as well check out the promo video for the Optik TV app, too!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Android Market