[Update: Firefox, Too] Download Chrome To Phone For Android 2.2 and Google Chrome

Update]: Someone’s made a Firefox version of the plugin you’ll need on the browser side of things. You’ll need to grab that from here. You’ll use the same APK as before, though.

If you were one of the lucky users to receive Android 2.2 to your Nexus One over the air (or if you were lucky enough to get the leaked version working perfectly fine on your device), then you’ll want to download Chrome to Phone.

This pair of plugins (one is for the Google Chrome browser, and the other is an app for Android) enables you to do what Google demonstrated during last week’s Froyo keynote: pushing web pages directly from your browser to your Android phone instantly. As their Google Code project describes (and as it was described at Google I/O), it uses the newest AppEngine server along with Android 2.2’s new Cloud to Device Messaging service to make this possible.

1. http://code.google.com/p/chrometophone/downloads (make sure Settings->Applications->Unknown Sources is checked). Note that this application requires Android 2.2 (”Froyo”) or later.
2. Start the Google Chrome to Phone Extension application on the phone.
3. Choose the account to register with (this must match the account you sign in to with Google Chrome to Phone Extension on the desktop).
4. Click on “Register Device” to register your phone with the Google Chrome to Phone Extension service.

Try it out for yourself and let us know how you like the feature.

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Nvidia Beta 256 Drivers Now Available for Download

We're not sure why exactly Nvidia chose to make the leap from version 197 to 256 for its latest drivers, but whatever, designation aside, the first beta release for the 256 driver-set is available now, and it includes a whole bunch of goodies.

Release 256 are the first drivers to incorporate Blu-ray 3D acceleration for the PC (see here for system requirements), just in time for the first 3D Blu-ray movie due out June 1st, Nvidia says. The new driver also includes new settings in the Nvidia Control Panel for 3-way SLI customers that enable 48x SLI Anti-aliasing (96x for 3-way GTX 400 series PCs).

You'll find a lot of buzz words accompanying Release 256, including CUDA 3.1 and OpenGL 4.0 support, as well as a new SLI and PhysX configuration page. What you won't find, however is support for Nvidia's 3D Vision Surround, which the GPU chip maker promises to include in the second release targeted for the end of June.

Driver Download (includes notebook platforms)

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Too lazy to download free software? Asus laptops from Amazon now pre-load Kindle app

Do you love both Asus laptops and Amazon's Kindle book-reading app, but are extremely lazy? As in, so lazy you can't be bothered to download and install the PC version of Amazon's free Kindle app on your new Netbook?

Fortunately the alphabetically enhanced companies Asus and Amazon have heard your cries and responded by striking a deal to pre-load the Kindle app on select Asus systems, including the Eee PC 1005PE Netbook and the 13-inch UL30A and UL30VT (with other models to follow).

Why bother pre-installing more free software on an off-the-shelf laptop? The Asus press release on the subject helpfully quotes Ben Thacker, VP Sales and Product Management, Systems Business Group, North American Channel, ASUS Computer International as saying, "Kindle is something our customers have been asking for and by pre-installing Kindle for PC on select long battery life products, we believe we are providing our customers an even richer PC experience."

We say, as long as you're installing the Kindle software, why can't someone ship us a laptop pre-loaded with Firefox, AVG Free, Steam, and the VLC media player?

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