Chrome Remote Desktop

Chrome Remote Desktop is a new Chrome extension that lets you remotely control a computer from your browser. It's the first software that uses a technology code-named "chromoting" and it's especially useful if you have a Chromebook.

The goal of this beta release is to demonstrate the core Chrome Remoting technology and get feedback from users. This version enables users to share with or get access to another computer by providing a one-time authentication code. Access is given only to the specific person the user identifies for one time only, and the sharing session is fully secured.

One potential use of this version is the remote IT helpdesk case. The helpdesk can use the Chrome Remote Desktop BETA to help another user, while conversely a user can receive help by setting up a sharing session without leaving their desk. Additional use cases such as being able to access your own computer remotely are coming soon.

Chrome Remote Desktop BETA is fully cross-platform, so you can connect any two computers that have a Chrome browser, including Windows, Linux, Mac and Chromebooks.

I've installed the extension on a Dell laptop that runs Windows 7 and on a Samsung Chromebook. The extension has more than 17 MB, so you have to wait a little bit until it's downloaded and installed. After installing the extension on my Dell laptop, I clicked the new icon from the new tab page and Chrome Remote Desktop asked me to "grant extended access permissions" to my computer.


Chrome Remote Desktop is a special extension because it can be used to control your computer. It's interesting that the extension uses Google Talk's technology to send messages.



When you decide to share your computer, Remote Desktop generates a code you need to enter on a second computer.


Here's what happens after installing the extension on my Chromebook:



The performance is pretty good, but it depends on your Internet connection and the computers you're using. The extension is especially useful for businesses and it will make Chromebooks even more attractive for companies.

{ Thanks, Venkat. }

Open Webcal Links Using Google Calendar in Chrome

If you visit Google Calendar using Chrome, you'll probably notice an infobar that asks you to "allow Google Calendar to open all web calendar links". Chrome has recently added support for protocol handlers, so that you can associate Gmail with mailto: links and Google Calendar with webcal: links. The infobar from Google Calendar requests your permission to associate the webcal: protocol with the application.


According to Wikipedia, "Webcal is an unofficial Uniform Resource Identifier scheme for accessing iCalendar files. Webcal was initiated for use with the Apple iCal application and has become a common de facto standard for accessing iCalendar formatted files via WebDAV. It is not an official URI scheme, such as http and ftp, as registered with IANA. The Webcal protocol prefix is used to trigger an external protocol handler which is passed the URL of the .ics file rather than being passed the downloaded contents of the file, in much the same way feed is sometimes used to trigger external RSS readers. The idea is that with this protocol prefix the target file should be subscribed to rather than imported into the calendar application as would happen with a simple download."

Here's an example of webcal: link that lets you subscribe to a calendar that includes the US holidays. You can find more calendars at iCalWorld and iCalShare.

To edit the protocol handlers in Google Chrome, open a new tab and paste in the address bar: chrome://settings/handlers (you can also go to Options, select Under the hood, click Content settings and then click Manage handlers).


Firefox also has this feature and it's even more powerful because it also works for filetypes. Unfortunately, you can only associate them with native apps, not with Web apps.

{ Thanks, Sterling. }

Transliteration Layer in Google Maps

Google Maps has a new layer that "switches between the labels in the local language and transliterated text". It's enabled by default, but you can disable it by mousing over the layer box and unchecking "English". Until now, both versions were displayed and the map looked cluttered.