Game progress is saved locally in most cases. And even if it is possible to retrieve the save file, it can be a confusing (or unworthy) process for many users. Especially when one is formatting devices often, or purchasing new ones every few months (which is now very common). Some users also have multiple devices, sometimes with different operating systems. I fall under all mentioned categories, and honestly, I would rather not go through the trouble of downloading and transferring all the data.

This is what the cloud is for, and developers could take great advantage of it. For example, I already went through all the Angry Birds levels a long time ago. I haven’t played the game since then, mostly because I also lost my progress… a long time ago. It would be much more enticing to re-download games to new devices if one knew that all those levels don’t have to be played all over, again.

I have just started using the Chrome App for Dark Legends. Sure, it may look like a simple port from the mobile version. It also needs controller support and more PC-friendly settings, but there is one thing where it beats most of the competition. It is the perfect example of what the future of gaming could be. Not only can I play this game on my Chrome Browser, but I can also enjoy it with any Android or iOS device. And the best part? The multi-platform game is synchronized among all devices and operating systems.

No matter what device I use, I start where I left off last time I played. And regardless of how long I don’t play it, I know I can come right back to it. Even if it is multiple months or phones later.

This MMORPG is played completely online, but the features it offers don’t necessarily require that. Multi-platform game progress saving could be more than possible if developers allowed us to have the records in their servers. If that would be too much of a load for them, another option would be to make the app compatible with services like Google Drive or Dropbox. We could simply save the files in our own cloud storage.

It is a small feature that would make a huge difference. But it seems not many developers are taking this route. I won’t stop playing all those games, as I surely enjoy them. In the long run, though, I am sure developers like Spacetime Studios (Star Legends, Pocket Legends and Dark Legends developer) will keep me around for much longer. What about you?

Dark Legends Chrome App

Pocket Legends Chrome App

Star Legends Chrome App

After many requests, desperate cries and prayers, Google finally decided to release Chrome for Android. Users have been loving the Search Giant’s browser on their mobile devices since then. The product is still in beta, though, and recent reports are stating that the testing period will be over soon.

Senior VP of Chrome and Apps Sunday Pichai stated that Chrome for Android should be ready “in a matter of weeks.” This was soon after the beta 2 release of the app, which allows users to view sites in desktop mode and add bookmarks to their home screens.

“Mainly right now, I’m driven by bug quality and stability. We are triaging, tracking, and trying to make it very stable. It is in a matter of weeks.” – Sunday Pichai

The stable version should be ready well before Google I/O, so we might hear some even better news by then. Chrome for Android currently has a very small reach, as it is only available for Android 4.0+ users. The latest distribution chart shows that less than 5% of Android users have the latest software version.

It is still unknown if said exclusivity will continue after the beta moniker is thrown away, but it would be nice to see it being available for more versions of Android. Maybe even more mobile operating systems (we do know the Windows 8 version is in the works). Do you think we might see Chrome coming to more mobile device in the near future?

Chrome for Android Beta (Google Play Store)

[Source: CNET Via: Phandroid]

I’m sure this is a heap load more complicated than it sounds but apparently there is a new addition to the Chrome Web Store today and it comes to you in the form of appMobi XDK. This new web app will give a developer the tools they need to design cross platform HTML5 software all from within the Chrome web browser. Pretty neat stuff in itself but the real appeal is the fact that these apps can then be ported into native Android and/or iOS apps and submitted into their respective markets.

appMobi XDK features a full set of debugging tools and emulators for testing your newly built apps. It uses JavaScript for testing hardware integration for a device by enabling access to specific functions like the camera, GPS, accelerometer, etc. Does this sound like the perfect way of making apps to anyone else? Now, I’m no developer so I’ll be looking to some of our readers for feedback on some of the pitfalls in using a system like this. So what do you guys think?

[Via Engadget]

If  you aren’t able to take advantage of the Verizon 3G offer but reside in the US, keep in mind that you can purchase an activation plan. That being said, I think users should pay even MORE attention to their smartphone plan. If you’ve got an Android Phone, you can often enable a “hotspot” feature for a monthly price which could be more affordable than your Chromebook data plan.

Using your smartphone hotspot would simply mean buying data service for it, setting it to “hotspot” mode, and then connecting your Chromebook as if your phone was a Wi-Fi connection. You can usually connect up to 5 devices to your phone using this method, often making it a better and more flexible option for users than the Chromebook plans.

The time has come. Google I/O!  The keynote kicks off in just a few minutes and with any luck you, our valued readers, are as excited as we are! We’ll do our best to update you with any interesting Chrome tidbits during the entire event – but seeings how we’re actually here (here? there?)  we may have no choice but to do recaps at the end of each day. In the meantime, head on over and watch the keynote yourself, live!

So what are you hoping for – got any ideas that seam entirely feasible or even probable to you? Sound off and let us know!

[ Google I/O Keynote ]

In a recent article on the Official Google Blog, one Googler explains how he used his 20% time and created Chrome To Phone – an app that’s been downloaded over a million times – during a 12hour plane ride (you can download it here).

Now if you had to calculate an ROI of sorts but counted “downloads” as your “return”, Chrome To Phone would at a MINIMUM look like this:

• 1,000,000+ downloads / 12 hours = 83,333 downloads/hour

Now that isn’t actual downloads per hour, that’s downloads per hour of development work. Pretty astounding. Obviously there’s been a lot of work done since that initial 12-hour beta, but you get the idea.

So what other apps and games out there could match Chrome To Phone in initial ROI – downloads per dev hours?

Imagine printing an important email from your Chrome notebook on your train ride to work, then finding the completed printout in the printer tray when you reach the office. Or printing your airline boarding pass from your smartphone to your home printer, so you can grab the printout on your way out the door. Today, we are one big step closer to this vision.

This is MUCH closer to reality than you think: an entire line of HP printers will be compatible right out of the gate. What will you need to actually print something on a Google Cloud Print enabled computer?

• Printer must be connected to the Internet (either wired or wi-fi acceptable)
• A device capable of sending the “print” command which – on launch – will include: GMail mobile (phone), Googl Docs Mobile (phone), Chrome Extension & Firefox Add-on (desktops & laptops), Android App (yay), and Chrome Notebooks!

I don’t know how often I’d use Google Cloud Print myself because I don’t print a lot of documents. That being said, I can’t tell you how often I WANT to print something out but remember that my Desktop on Vista x86 isn’t compatible with any of our 3 printers and my laptop isn’t recognized via USB with them either so I have to use my roomates computer.

It’s all about making things easier and Google Cloud Print will provide a new level of flexibility and capabilities to a formerly rigid and somewhat irritating printing landscape. Or maybe all along I’ve just been buying crappy printers and crappy computers that have problems… you tell me.

Rumor has it, the long awaited Chrome OS tablet will be launched on November 26th, in time for the big shopping season. But will this be the big iPad killer, or just a really bad idea?

A Chrome OS tablet sounds like a good idea, especially with the high specs we’ve heard about so far: which would include a 1280x 720 multitouch dislay, 2GB of RAM, a minimum 32 GB solid state hard drive, WiFi/Bluetooth/LTE connectivity, GPS, webcam, and expandable storage via a multi-card reader.

Even better, it’s supposed to be much cheaper than the iPad, as Verizon will apparently be strongly subsidizing the tablet in order to make it a lot cheaper than Apple’s iPad.
However, is Chrome OS the right os to go for? Or should Google go for it’s Android system?

Chrome OS is a browser-based operating system that stores all of a computer user’s applications and data online, which is may be a bit too fanciful for today’s mobile-Internet reality because it isn’t always as reliable as you’d like it to be, nor stable enough to be able to use all it’s attributes.

"Chrome OS was developed for highly and persistently connected devices," says IDC mobile analyst Susan Kevorkian. "In that context, the device and the operating system are highly reliant on a dependable connection. But the reality for many consumers today, even with mobile broadband, is that connectivity isn't as reliable as we'd like it to be, either for Wi-Fi or mobile broadband."
Ipad killer or bad idea? Only time will tell.

Finally, there’s a (rumored) concrete date, that Google is launching its Chrome OS tablet on Verizon on November 26th.

Google hasn’t made any official statements, but according to the Downloadsquad, the tablet will launch on Verizon and sales might commence as early as November 26th. In the US this is Black Friday, the most important shopping day of the year.
Since January, persistant rumors have been circling that HTC and Google working on tablet hardware and now there seems to be a firm date.

I’d be interested to know how much this puppy will cost. So far, all we know is that it’ll be cheaper than the iPad (duh) along with a Verizon subscription. Funnily enough, there are a few Android tablets due to be released there as well, so Google’s major competition might be… Google!
Still, can’t hardly wait!

So, on the back of this smashing success, how about Chrome OS? Schmidt was also asked about the upcoming Chrome OS to which he responded: “Maybe we can get the same success out of Chrome OS (as Android). Chrome OS is targeted at a different part of the market.”