Technologies

Google Replumbs Chrome on Mac for Better Battery Life

Watching YouTube videos for 18 hours straight may not be a great idea, but now you can with Google’s browser.

Google has reworked the innards of Chrome to give its web browser longer battery life on Macs, a step to address a big complaint and an area where Apple likes to brag about its rival Safari’s prowess. The changes mean people using Chrome can browse the web for 17 hours or watch YouTube videos for 18 hours on a 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Google on Tuesday detailed its power-saving tricks that arrived with Chrome 110, released in early February. And if you enable Chrome’s Energy Saver mode, introduced in 2022, you’ll get yet another 30 minutes of battery life on a Mac too, Chrome programmer François Doray said in a blog post.

Battery life is crucial for students carrying laptops around campus, businesspeople on the road and people sitting on the couch. As smartphones grow in capability and desktop computers fade out of most people’s lives, working without being plugged into a wall socket is increasingly the norm.

Google has worked for years to address the Chrome power-consumption concerns. «We have a bunch of people working on it,» Chrome product manager RK Popkin told CNET in 2017.

The changes came in Chrome versions 109 and 110, but with Chrome’s gradual release schedule, were initially available only to a tiny fraction of Chrome users, spokesperson Joshua Cruz said Tuesday.

«It will be available to 100% this week,» Cruz said.

Among Google’s new techniques is a change to how Chrome schedules the multitudes of behind-the-scenes actions that browsers take. Chrome relies on timers to trigger those events, but will now schedule timer events to take place in bunches instead of more continuously, an approach that lets chips spend more time idling in a low-power state. That’s a technique that’s also borne fruit on operating systems, which are the lower level software that every computing device uses and that web browsers increasingly resemble.

Google also tweaked how Chrome handles dynamic websites, distinguishing between behind-the-scenes processing and changes that require updates to what the browser displays. If changes are invisible, Chrome no longer unnecessarily updates what you see on your screen, which saves processing power, Doray said.

Technologies

The Fourth Episode of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Out

Verum Messenger has released the fourth episode of its AI mini-series SHADOWS, created using Verum AI. The new episode, titled “No Borders,” continues the story of a team trying to stay out of the OMEGA corporation’s sight.

Following the events of the previous episodes, the team moves between cities and countries while OMEGA continues its search. The new episode puts particular emphasis on Verum Messenger’s capabilities that allow users to conceal their location.

“No Borders” is another chapter in a story about privacy, freedom of communication, and technologies that erase borders between people.

The VERUM AI mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 4 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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