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Chrome for iOS adds Today widget, Halo comes to iPhone and iPad for first time

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Google today updated its Chrome for iOS Web browser with features such as an iOS 8 Notification Center widget and support for app extensions, while Microsoft launched its first Halo game for iOS, called Spartan Strike.

Chrome for iOS

The new Chrome includes a widget that lets users open a new tab from the Notification Center's Today view, or jump into a voice search. If a URL is present in the clipboard, it will appear automatically in the Today view for quick access.

Support for app extensions gives iOS 8 users access to third-party tools, including password managers such as 1Password and LastPass. Extension functions can be accessed through the iOS 8 share sheet, which is opened via Chrome's Share button.

iPhone owners have gained a menu that appears when using the pull-to-refresh gesture. Simply letting go defaults to a refresh, but swiping left opens a new tab, and swiping right closes the current one.

Chrome is a free download for any device running iOS 7.0 or later.

Halo: Spartan Strike

A sequel to the top-down shooter Halo: Spartan Assault, Spartan Strike puts players in the suit of a Spartan soldier fighting during the events of Halo 2. Settings range from New Mombasa to the Gamma Halo, and players go up against both the Covenant and the Prometheans, a legion of mechanical troops. The game has 30 missions in all.

Combat takes place on foot, in a Warthog jeep, or with the new Kestrel VTOL aircraft. Players can earn achievements, compete in weekly challenges and check their ranking on leaderboards.

The iOS version costs $6 and runs on iOS 8 devices. Other editions are launching simultaneously on Steam, Windows 8, and Windows Phone 8.



7 Comments

thewhitefalcon 11 Years · 4444 comments

Spartan Assault, when I tried it on WinRT, was surprisingly good, so I would expect SS is equally good.

fallenjt 14 Years · 4056 comments

After using Chrome on iOS for a few years, I dumped it. 

Now, Halo on iOS is excellent. Can't wait to play Master Chief again.

gtr 14 Years · 3231 comments

Is it true that the Spanish version is called 'Hola'?

idrey 12 Years · 647 comments

[quote name="GTR" url="/t/185823/chrome-for-ios-adds-today-widget-halo-comes-to-iphone-and-ipad-for-first-time/0_40#post_2711302"]Is it true that the Spanish version is called 'Hola'?[/quote] That would be weird because "hola" means hello

thewhitefalcon 11 Years · 4444 comments

[quote name="GTR" url="/t/185823/chrome-for-ios-adds-today-widget-halo-comes-to-iphone-and-ipad-for-first-time#post_2711302"]Is it true that the Spanish version is called 'Hola'?[/quote] [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/58041/width/500/height/1000[/IMG] Funny, but no, it's not.