I was surprised to learn that the new version of Firefox is 15% faster than the previous version. When I say surprised I actually mean I didn’t believe a word of it. I decided to challenge this figure by putting Firefox 3.5 and Firefox 3.6 up against each other in a series of three benchmarking tests. I also included comparisons with the latest versions of Chrome, Opera and Internet Explorer. In the name of transparency, I’ve decided to explain the benchmarking process for each of the three tests I applied. Why not try it for yourself and see which of your web browsers runs the best?

Test One:  Peacekeeper Browser Benchmark

Peacekeeper is a free service that puts your browser through its paces in a series of thorough tests. It checks performance in the following areas: rendering, social networking, complex graphics, data, Document Object Model operations, and text parsing. Each test takes about five minutes and simple involves hitting a button on the Peacekeeper site in the browser you want to test. To make a fair test you should ensure that you just have one tab or window open, and disable or uninstall any extensions you have running.

Peacemaker gives each browser an overall performance score, and you can view a more detailed breakdown of how that score was arrived at by clicking the ‘Details’ link on the graph. Here’s the graph generated by the browser tests I performed:

Test Two: SunSpider JavaScript Benchmark

The second test I performed was the same one run by Computerworld in its tests on Firefox 3.5 and 3.6. The SunSpider JavaScript benchmark is a utility that tests the speed of a browser by running a series of JavaScripts and measuring the speed at which the software process them. It breaks the results down into a series of different categories based on the scripts it ran. These results are a little harder to interpret than the Peacekeeper test, but you can look at the total time and use this as your benchmark for comparing the browsers. Here are the overall times (fastest first) for the browsers I tested:

• Chrome 4.0 - 649.4ms

• Firefox 3.6 - 1415ms

• Firefox 3.5 - 1700ms

• Opera 10.10 - 3051ms

• Internet Explorer 8 - 6346.2ms

Test Three: The Acid 3 Test

The third and final test is much quicker and simpler than the previous two. The Acid 3 Test is used to measure a browser’s compliance with web standards, particularly relating to the Document Object Model and JavaScript. To pass the test a browser needs to attain a score of 100/100 and the final image it displays must match the reference image.

Of the five browsers we tested, only Google Chrome and Opera attained the maximum 100 out of 100. Firefox 3.6 (94) and Firefox 3.5 (93) both almost made the grade. Microsoft should hang its head in shame though, because IE8 only scored a measely 20 out of 100, meaning it falls way short of standards compliance.

Analyzing the results

Our benchmarking supports Computerworld’s claim that Firefox 3.6 is much faster than version 3.5. In fact, according to the SunSpider test we ran, the newer release comes out 17% quicker than the previous version. It’s still not as speedy as Chrome though, which was more than twice as fast as Firefox, and way ahead of Opera and IE.

What’s more, the Mozilla browser performs very well against its competitors in the Peacekeeper benchmark. Again, it’s only Chrome that pips the latest version of Firefox. And again, Internet Explorer is left floundering in final place, this time in a test than examines the overall capabilities of the browser.

So, my advice based on these results is to upgrade to Firefox 3.6 if you haven’t already done so. Better still, install Chrome and use that to browse the web instead. Having said this, ut’s definitely worth running the benchmark tests on your own browsers because the results can vary considerably depending on your setup, the amount of extensions that you have installed, the OS you’re using, etc.

It’s amazing how quickly Super Bowl Sunday seems to come around. This weekend sees the Colts take on the Saints in a game which could be one of the most exciting ever given the offensive nature of both teams. Super Bowl night is always special, but to make it even more enjoyable, why not grab a hold of some football apps for your iPhone? Here are some choices that will help make this Super Bowl Sunday the best ever, regardless of what happens in the match. Note that many of these apps are only available on the US App Store.

Experience the magic with Madden NFL 10

EA’s John Madden series is one of the longest running in the history of sports games. For seven dollars you can experience the thrills and spills of an NFL season on your iPhone. With great graphics and real teams, players and stadiums, this is the most realistic football game you’ll find. The in-depth gameplay includes almost 300 different plays, and an Action Time Control slo-mo mode to help you perfect the.

Get closer to the action with NFL 2010

Although it lacks the ability to trade players like you can do in Madden, Gameloft’s NFL 2010 is an altogether more polished game. The 3D graphics are slicker than those in Madden, and the fact that there are three difficulty levels means that it’s a lot tougher. It’s also pretty addictive, so make sure you keep NFL 2010 well away from you during the game, or you’ll end up missing the whole thing!

Order food with the Pizza Hut app

Pizza is a key ingredient in the recipe for a good Super Bowl Sunday. Don’t even think about getting up out of your chair to get one though. Just install the Pizza Hut app on your iPhone and you’ll be able to order food from your local Pizza Hut without even speaking to anyone! Choosing what to order is as simple as spinning a wheel and tapping the item you want.

Get some virtual booze down you with iBeer

Drinking beer on Super Bowl night is great fun. However, drinking a virtual beer from your iPhone will make you look cooler. So, grab hold of iBeer, tilt back your phone and watch as the succulent amber nectar froths and disappears slowly just like a real beer. There are five drinks to choose from, and you can refill your glass as many times as you like - all for just 99 cents. How many bars offer a promotion like that?

Learn your trivia with Super Bowl Winners

Now it’s time to bone up on your Super Bowl trivia. Install Super Bowl Winners, and you’ll have an at-a-glance reference to the outcome of every final, since Super Bowl I in 1967. Besides listing the winners, the app arms you with enough stats and data to be impressing your buddies all night with your “knowledge” of this great competition.

Scope out the teams with Pro Football Indianapolis/New Orleans Fan

The Colts and Saints versions of Pro Football’s series of fan apps for iPhone are perfect for brushing up on your knowledge of the finalists. They do cost two dollars a piece, but they provide so much information that they’re worth downloading even if you don’t support either team. You get all the latest news, player profiles, stadium plans, standings, plus detailed team histories.

Follow the action with Pro Football Live

Once all the hype is over and the game has started, you can follow all the action with Pro Football Live. The free app will provide live coverage of Super Bowl XLIV, offering end-zone to end-zone updates and impressive game time visuals. It’s packed with social networking elements too, so you can interact with other fans.

Listen live with ESPN Radio

Of course, you’ll almost certainly be watching the game on TV, but what happens if you need to go to the toilet or dash out for more popcorn? Well, just make sure you’ve got the ESPN Radio app installed and you won’t miss a second of the action. The station will be offering live commentary of the Colts v Saints, and the only costs three dollars then it’s yours forever.

Make some noise with Air Horn

The atmosphere is sure to be exciting in Miami come 7pm E.S.T. You can bring a taste of this excitement into to your home by installing Air Horn. Press down the horn and it will release a sound from your iPhone that’s just like the real thing. It’s guaranteed to provide endless amusement during the course of the game. Either that, or it will annoy the hell out of your buddies.

Make your point with 3D Foam Finger

If you forgot to buy the most crucial Super Bowl accessory of them all - the foam finger - then stop fretting because, naturally, there’s an app for that too. 3D Foam Finger places a giant hand on your screen which you can wave around to show your support. You can even change the color! It does cost 99 cents, but I guess you can’t put a price on fun.

iPhone: Guitar Hero and Rock Band are two of the most innovative console games of the last ten years. Now you can enjoy the wonders of virtual instruments on the go, by installing Rock Band on your iPhone. The Lite version lets you choose from four different instruments - bass, guitar, drums, and vocals - and all of them are excellently presented. From the animations above the game board to the vibrant neon colors, the graphics are almost worthy of a console - and the sound is superb too.

Windows:  Chrome users worldwide, rejoice! The latest stable version of Google’s web browser is already here. Google Chrome 4.0.249.78 includes a bunch of new features, such as enhanced developer tools, support for HTML5, performance improvements, full Acid3 pas and above all, support for extensions and bookmark syncing.

Mac: Mac fans have been able to try Google Chrome for themselves for quite some time now but this is the first unofficial portable version available that you can take anywhere. However, since it is still a beta version, Google Chrome Portable may be prone to bugs and instability but it’s enough to give you a good idea as to what the finished product will look and feel like. Note, it only works on Intel Macs.

Today’s Symbian smartphones are more like digital swiss army knives. They arm you with tools for listening to music, browsing the web, watching videos, and managing your files. However, as you’ve probably noticed to your frustration before, not all Symbian phones support all formats. This means you can have all manner of problems opening multimedia, accessing web content, or viewing files you’ve transferred from your computer. Help is at hand though, and there are a few crucial add-ons you should download and install in order to improve your smartphone experience. Here’s a quick run-through of what you need.

Video

If you have downloaded movies in DivX format then you might be wondering how to watch them on your phone. The answer is simple: install DivX Player Mobile. The program lets you watch DivX, AVI or MPEG movies in the player window or in full-screen mode. Control elements such as Play, Pause, Stop, Fast Forward and Rewind, as well as the volume can be controlled easily via buttons.

Another very popular video add-on is SmartMovie. It’s getting a bit long in the tooth now, and the interface looks very dated. However, it’s perfect for cropping and shrinking movie files to be stored and played on your phone. It also helps you install codecs onto your device that let you play video files you wouldn’t otherwise be able to.

Nokia Video Converter is also a massively popular app, and is designed to take care of all your video conversion needs. The app is designed to convert movies from popular files formats and DVDs in just a few clicks, preserving picture and sound quality as best it can. The application’s interface is very clearly labeled with large buttons for adding video, adding DVD, playing, and converting.

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If you made one of those ‘new year, new you’ resolutions and vowed to keep in shape in 2010, then the chances are that your appetite for exercise has already waned and you’re back on the chips again. Don’t lose hope though, because with a bit of help from your iPhone you can rejuvenate your fitness plan and have some fun too. I’ve picked out ten essential free apps for anyone who wants to lose that unsightly bulge that built up over the Holidays and won’t go away. Clicking any of the links will take you to that program on the App Store, via iTunes.

Watch what you eat with Lose it!

Counting calories is a classic weight loss tactic, but it only works if you’re vigilant. Lose It! makes it much easier to track exactly what’s going into your mouth. It allows you to set up a daily ‘calorie budget’ and then helps you to meet this by offering a tool that keeps count of the calories in everything you it. Simply select whatever you eat, from the extensive food database in the app, and Lose It! will keep a daily tally of your calorie intake.

Get trim and toned with Virtual Trainer

Unfortunately, diet alone isn’t going to make you fit, and you’ve got to put a bit of physical effort in too. Virtual Trainer is a great tool for getting into shape, be it general fitness, weight loss, or muscle development. The app comes with more than 120 fitness programs of between 6 and 60 minutes each. Each has its own detailed 3D video animation, along with detailed descriptions of what you should be doing.

Train like an athlete with NikeWomen Training Club

The NikeWomen Training Club app is a tool to accompany your training program on the site of the same name. It lets you create customized workouts and training drills to focus on five key fitness areas, namely: cardio, core, strength, balance, and flexibility. It contains instructional videos from professional trainers, and uses a unique points system for a bit of added incentive. You can even invite your friends and ‘compete’ against them.

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Imagine being able to access and control your computer from anywhere on Earth using your iPhone. Sounds pretty futuristic, right? Actually, it’s not because there are apps  available already that let you tap into your PC or Mac on your phone. And these remote control apps do a lot more that just allowing you to view your files and folders. In fact, they actually let you use your operating system interface, running apps, carrying out commands, and even typing. Essentially this means you can turn your iPhone into a PC!

1. The creme de la creme of remote access apps is LogMeIn Ignition. To use the service, you first need to sign up for a free LogMeIn account on the developer’s web site.

2. Now you should download the LogMeIn desktop client when prompted and run the installer. Once it’s running, you’re ready to starting accessing this machine. If you like, you can install multiple clients on multiple computers, then you can access all of these on your iPhone. Read the rest of this entry »

I still find it a bit weird that there’s no official Twitter client for iPhone or BlackBerry. I mean, what do all those guys at Twitter actually do all day that means they haven’t got time to knock up a couple of mobile apps? I guess we shouldn’t worry too much because there are several decent applications that let you tweet from your phone. There are plenty of duds too, so here’s a cut-out-and-keep guide to the best.

iPhone

Ported from the popular desktop client, TweetDeck for iPhone is a powerful command center from where to preach to your minions on Twitter. It uses a column-based interface that lets you quickly swoosh between friend feeds, searches, direct messages, etc. You can add and remove columns at will, helping to make for a very personalized tweeting experience.

Twitterrific is another client that offers a bevy of features locked within a clear and concise user interface. The app, which supports multiple Twitter accounts allows you to define auto-refreshes of your feed, and checking links in tweets is really well integrated. There are options to change the appearance too, as well as three settings for font size. You can also post your location and easily tweet images taken on your iPhone.

A slightly less elaborate choice is TwitterFon, which lets you tweet quickly from a streamlined (if slightly dull interface). Although it doesn’t pack the same depth of features as the other two, it’s a bit easier to navigate. Besides allowing you to tweet normally, TwitterFon also lets you post pictures from your iPhone, and links from Safari using a bookmarklet.

BlackBerry

If you’re a BlackBerry user looking for a Twitter client then I recommend you have a look at Twibble. This Java-based app is perfect for keeping in touch with your followers on the go. Thanks to its location-aware features, Twibble lets you quickly tweet details of exactly where you are in the World to anyone who is following you. Likewise, you can also track the location of the people you’re following. The app supports text templates, and allows you to create shortcuts to make handling the program much easier.

OpenBeak (once known as Twitterberry) is a pretty easy-to-use solution which is great for fans of minimalist interfaces. It comes with integrated camera support, so you can take shots on your BlackBerry and post them to Twitter without leaving the application. It lacks advanced features but lets you do all the basics such as checking your friends, yours and the public timeline, then replying to posts, retweeting them, or add them to favorites, all with just a couple of clicks.

If it’s a feature-heavy client you’re looking for then try ÜberTwitter. The client offers location features without the need for GPS, and lets you see everyone who is tweeting around you. Besides its integrated camera support, ÜberTwitter also lets you send videos from your device embedded into Twitter.  The app even gives you the option to update your Google Talk status automatically every time you tweet, which is pretty cool. Be warned, all these goodies do make ÜberTwitter a little more sluggish than the others, though.

Of course, if you find any of these clients to be too much fuss, you can always just use good old Twitter.com in your phone’s browser.

It’s that time of year again when we whip our crystal ball out of the drawer and take a look at what software is in store for the coming year. We were proved right with all our software predictions for 2009, so I’m trusting the ball to work its magic once again. Here we go with a guide to what to expect from the coming year:

1. Chromium OS

This was an easy one, because Google has already released the source code for its shiny new operating system. The OS is being touted as the perfect solution for netbooks, because it’s entirely based around the web and thus doesn’t require cavernous hard disk space. We were initially underwhelmed by Chromium when we gave it a run-out a couple of months back, but the OS is sure to look a lot different come the end of the year, and Google’s reputation alone should be enough to convince hoards of people to make the switch to browser-based computing.

2. Internet Explorer 9

For the last few years poor old IE has been kicked, battered and stamped on by web users like a cute puppy who got old. Microsoft began work on Internet Explorer 9 a few weeks ago and unveiled some details of the browser at its Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles in November. When finally released, hopefully towards the end of the year, IE9 will be equipped with new hardware-accelerated text and graphics to make web sites look better. The new version’s Direct2D browsing technology is designed to significantly speed up web applications, which is necessary if Microsoft continues to push the wonders of cloud computing. Internet Explorer 9 could see Firefox turncoats flocking back to their roots. Alternatively, and more likely, no one will notice much difference in the browser and its release will pass with no great fanfare.

3. Adobe Creative Suite 5

Rumor has it that the new versions of Photoshop, Flash et. al should be with us around April. It’ll be a new era for the design suite because the Mac version has been completely rebuilt in Cocoa, and will no longer run on PowerPC chips. Judging by the sneaky peeks we’ve seen here and from what was announced at Adobe MAX 2009, designers will be whimpering with delight when CS5 finally becomes available. New goodies you can expect from the suite include ‘wet look’ 3D Photoshop paint brushes, native iPhone game compiling in Flash, and a ‘Smart Paste’ tool for Dreamweaver that makes it easier to integrate vector graphics and Illustrator-created content into your web sites.

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iPhone: Canabalt has been a huge viral hit online - one of the most addictive games of 2009. Now the developer has made it available for your iPhone, for a small charge so you can get your Canabalt hit on the go too! You control a character who is running, ever faster, away from… something. When you start, you’re told to make your escape, and from the moment the runner flies through the first window and hits the ground running, you’ll be hooked.

Windows: Whether you need to take multiple screenshots every day or just the odd screen capture from time to time, Screenpresso is a great choice. This fully featured screen capturing tool lets you take screenshots in several ways, keeps track of all captured images and includes a built-in editor with nice image effects.

Mac: One really annoying aspect of removing applications from your Mac is that they frequently leave behind folders, preference files and other things that waste hard drive space and generally clutter your system. With AppZapper, you can drag and drop programs into the main interface to remove them properly. When you drag and drop the files, AppZapper lists the associated files that you might want to delete with it.

iPhone: Bouncedown is one of those games designed to help long journeys pass by much quicker. The object of Bouncedown is to survive for as long as possible without falling to the furnace below or knocking yourself on the spikes above. You do this by jumping down from platform to platform. There are different kinds of platforms that have different properties.

Mac: In this age of removal drives and external storage space, it’s very easy to lose track of where your data is located. Enter DiskTracker, a simple cataloging utility that helps you keep track of your offline files. If you have several removable media disks, DiskTracker is ideal because it will maintain a local directory of files on removable disks meaning you can search for files without actually having to insert the removable media.

Windows : TimeGT is a complete task management application that supports popular productivity improvement methods like the ones used by David Allen (Getting Things Done) or Stephen Covey (First Things First). It features a nicely designed interface that makes it a pleasure to use. All the basic information is visible at a glance, with small colorful icons that let you identify the most urgent tasks immediately.

A few months ago I installed Xobni and since then my experience of Outlook has improved tenfold. I was looking for something similar for Gmail in order to better navigate my bulging inbox, and I came across MailBrowser. This free little extension for Firefox and Internet Explorer adds an Xobni-style sidebar to Gmail, giving you a much clearer view of your contacts and allowing you to sift through attachments much more easily.

After installing MailBrowser, open up Firefox (or IE) and you’ll see the MailBrowser sidebar displayed on the right of the browser. You can toggle this sidebar on and off using the MailBrowser icon that appears underneath it. Click ‘Add an account’ and enter your Gmail credentials. The app will then begin indexing your contacts and files, which can take a while if you have a big inbox. Make sure you have plenty of memory, because all this data is downloaded to your hard drive.

Your contacts are displayed in the sidebar à la Xobni, and you can ’star’ any that you wish to mark out. Now, if you want to manage your Google contacts or schedule Google Calendar events with any of your contacts you can do so simply with the click of an icon. Read the rest of this entry »

If you were lucky enough to get an iPhone or iPod Touch for Christmas then you might be wondering which apps you should be throwing onto it. Well, here’s the first in a series of posts that will show you how to use your device to improve your everyday life. Each of these ‘iPhone essentials’ articles will focus on a specific need and highlight the best apps to help you in that particular field. We kick off with a guide to the best stuff to install if you’re traveling. Whether you’re heading off on a round-the-World trip or simply a short city break, these free iPhone apps will help your travels go as smoothly as possible and ensure that you have a great time wherever go.

[Note: you’ll need iTunes installed to open the links in this post]

Find your way around with Google Earth

Google Earth is by far the most popular travel tool on the App Store - and deservedly so. It allows you to navigate the whole World, swishing across continents with a swipe of your finger before zooming into street level with a reverse pinch. As with the desktop version, Google Earth permits effortless switching between satellite and street maps, as well as offering tons of suggestions of places to visit and where to eat and drink.

Discover places to go with AroundMe

Presenting Google Maps’ mammoth database of businesses in a more accessible way, AroundMe helps you discover what’s around you based on your current location. It provides one-click access to lists of the nearest: banks, bars, cafes, gas stations, hospitals, hotels, movie theaters, parking, pharmacies, pubs, restaurants, supermarkets, taxis and theaters. It’s very quick and easy to use, and is well stocked with information, even in areas that are further off the beaten track.

Manage your itinerary with Travelocity

Travelocity makes for a good personal assistant to have to hand throughout your whole trip. Not only does it help you track flights and book hotels, but it includes a wealth of destination guides and links to local events. It also offers shortcuts to car rentals and train tickets, flights, hotels and last minutes deals. I’d recommend this one for anyone who likes to act on the spur of the moment and plan their trips on the fly.

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Windows: Deleting a file from your computer may not be as easy as it seems. Sometimes you get an error message telling you that the file is being used by another application and can’t be erased. What’s the solution then? The solution is called Unlocker Portable: a simple tool that lets you get rid of those stubborn files that can’t be deleted in the standard way.

Mac: The ability to run Windows on Macs has massively increased the reach and popularity of Apple computers. VMWare Fusion allows you to run Windows through its clean and intuitive Cocoa-native interface that Mac users will be familiar with. It allows you to launch your Windows applications from the Dock and switch between Windows and Mac applications using Expose.

iPhone: If you think you’re a bit tasty at Connect 4 then check out Link4 Online and test your skills against other players from around the planet. It’s very easy to get into Link4 Online, and you don’t even need a user account if you don’t want one. Simply launch the app, hit the ‘Play Link4′ button and an online opponent will be found for you.

Windows: More and more people work with dual monitor PCs today, and while this can help productivity, it’s not always easy to find nice wallpapers wide enough to stretch between them. This pack of 20 Dual-Monitor Wallpapers gives you a wide selection of high quality images to choose from, designed specifically to suit dual monitors.

Mac: If you haven’t installed Flip4Mac WMV on your Mac yet then how on Earth have you survived without it? Flip4Mac WMV is an essential collection of QuickTime components that allow you to play, import, and export Windows Media video and audio files on your Mac using your favorite QuickTime-based applications.

iPhone: If you’re trying to stir up some Christmas spirit then I recommend you take a look - or rather a listen - at Christmas Sounds. This is a collection of 16 different festive noises and music, all available to play by clicking on an icon. Each icon is decorated with a fun seasonal image that represents the audio hidden behind it.

Just two more days until Christmas and that’s two more days in which to check out great software before you get  interrupted by the festivities. Have a look behind the window to find one of Niamh’s top apps of the year.

xxx is a great application that allows you to create stick figure animations that range from the simple to impressive - with a little time and patience. Working on the normal basics of stick figure animation, create individual frames of action and then view them in sequence, producing the animation. Move over Disney, xxx has come to town! - Niamh