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Back in May, Google announced the imminent release of Android 2.2, codenamed Froyo, to great fanfare. Froyo brought with it JIT compiler that gives increased speed to the Android platform and applications, updates to the Google search bar and launcher, built in tethering, support for installing apps on the SD card, and all kinds of other tweaks and improvements.
Though these features are awesome in and of themselves, one Froyo benfit that has been somewhat overlooked is the Chrome to Phone application and Chrome extension. Chrome to Phone is one of the most useful Android features I have come across, and it’s a really simple idea that provides the ability to have a continuous stream of information no matter where we happen to go.
Chrome to Phone is a simple combination of a Chrome extension and Android application that allows you to click one button in your browser, and sync what you were viewing right to your Android phone to be check out at a later time.
Reading a news article but need to head out the door to drive to work? Simply click the Chrome to Phone button on your Chrome browser, launch the Chrome to Phone application on your Android device at work, and it immediately takes you to the webpage you were viewing at home so you can pick up right where you left off. I use this feature all the time, and assume many of you would as well.
Setting up Chrome to Phone (Google Chrome and Firefox):
- Head over to the Google Chrome to Phone Download Site
- Download and install the chrometophone-extension-v0.3.crx file (for Google Chrome) or the following Firefox extension: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/161941/
- Download and install the chrometophone-android.apk Android application
- Launch the Chrome to Phone application from your Android phone and click the Register Device button
- Launch the Chrome to Phone Chrome Extension in your Chrome browser and enter your Google username and password
- Start sending stuff!
Fairly simple set-up for an immensely useful, must-have Froyo feature that could easily be used very frequently. Already on Android 2.2 and use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox? What are you waiting for? Go and install Chrome to Phone now!
- Tagged
- #Android 2.2
- #app_c
- #chrome
- #chrome to phone
- #froyo
- #phone
Comment RSS46 Comments
Wow, that seems extremely useful.
Why must it take 2 days for my new Nexus One to ship?!
2 days? Did you get the AT&T or T-Mobile version?
been using this since i grabbed froyo… but recently I’m getting an error, saying grab the latest version… which i then proceed to do.. but it doesnt seem to resolve anything…
love(d) this feature though.
are you running a Google Apps-enabled domain? that might be it.
go back to the chrome to phone and update to the newest version and prob should b fixed i think its on version .3 something like that
I had the same problem. You need to completely removed the chrome extension and then re-install it from the website. That worked for me.
This feature makes me envy those of you with the Nexus One.
Not to mention, my HD2 is glancing out the Window(s) “green” with envy. No pun intended, or reference to Android… that was merely ironic.
I don’t think I’ve ever come to truly appreciate the Android OS as much as I have recently. I’m an idiot for ever leaving this community behind.
no argument there. You are an idiot not so much for leaving android but for leaving anything to go to windows mobile. were you drunk at the time?
Calling yourself an idiot is fine. Calling someone else an idiot is idiotic.
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since theres also an add-on for Firefox….. and if your not using chrome or Firefox what are you using IE? lol don’t make me laugh.
It work with google map(website) perfectly!!!
Searching the location or direction on my computer, then send to phone. Then drive!!!
This is an insanely cool feature (it also works in sending maps to your phone). The only thing I don’t dig about this is that it doesn’t work for Google Apps-enabled domains, which I have.
Erm, it works perfectly for me; and I’m using a Gapps domain.
I use it the most for slinging webpagees to my phone when I’m headed to the crapper.
Another very useful way to utilize ChrometoPhone!
ChromeToPhoneToCan?
Hey were’s the IE browser extension? XD
I used this daily when on vacation last week. For everything from Maps/Directions to articles that I wanted to read after i reached my destination.
Firefox has this as well at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/161941/
I have used it on both Chrome and Firefox and love this option.
Lol, I have to start reading names on these things. Thanks for reading my crap, amigo.
Wow.. I love this with my ATT N1 (2.2). Now google just need to get it so we can do music and pics then all will be good in Android land.. WEEeeeee.
try mspot for music, you can freely upload i think 2 gb which can be accessed on ur phone by streaming
I use this all the time at work. When I run into a site that is blocked ( like androidandme )I just hit the button to read on. Its great.
I hope to see phone to chrome soon too. That would just take the cake.
So this really requires 2.2? Bummer!
If you search hard enough, there’s a “workaround” for 2.1, requires different app and extension, but works.
Does this open the Android app right away or does the user have to confirm that they want to open the link that was sent?
If the user has no choice, what happens when this feature is exploited and hackers have phones randomly open porn or malicious websites?
no it sends u a notification with the link, then you have a choice to select it or clear it when u select it you can open it to a browser of choice
Awesome then!
This is literally my most anticipated feature/app on my froyo NexusOne, but it uses https over appspot which is blocked in China, Big Bummer, I have to scale GFW on both my computer and my phone in order to pair them and use the push… :’(
Thank you for reminding us and posting this. This is just amazing!!! Thank you again. So so so so so useful.
I hope a Safari plugin comes soon ! I don’t really want to switch browsers just for this when I’m happy with Safari (on a Mac).
I don’t have a N1 so I haven’t experienced this but it sounds cool. I agree with what joey said about phone to chrome.
A little off subject, where’s Google Chrome browser for android?
I use Android 2.1 and Read It Later plugin for Dolphin, it basically does the same thing thanks to Paperdroid (that downloads the articles you added to your reading list), and is 2-way, you cand add to your reading list an article you are viewing in your phone and read it on your pc (with a bigger screen
It is asynchronous, but what’s the matter? If I’m reading an article on the pc why would I want it immediately onmy phone?
Anyway Chrome to Phone is still useful for map addresses…
Again, I use it a lot for when I’m heading out the door to work. I read it on my phone either in the car (shame on me) or when I get to work (because I don’t want to read things on my PC at work since our IT department blocks tons of stuff and monitors our usage. Guy got fired for excessive internet use a couple of months ago.
For those without the Froyo joy, LinkPush is a similar extension/app combination. It doesn’t do as much – it just copies the URL to your phone, and it requires you to open the app when you want to call up the link – but it is pretty handy.
http://linkpush.appspot.com/
Thanks for posting this. I didn’t want to go into details on LinkPush in the GoogleToChrome article, though I did mention in the comments that folks could find workarounds pretty easily.
have been getting error lately even with the latest versions
Chrome to Phone is great. I’ve been using it on my Nexus One for a month. It does have issues though, and is still lacking some key features. There are several threads over at the code site http://code.google.com/p/chrometophone/issues/list Some of the key issues are:
-Requiring the user to uninstall the extension from Chrome and reinstall the newer version. Otherwise you’ll see two Chrome to phone icons on your toolbar. It should just install the new version over the old version.
- When the link appears on your phone, it will stay in your notification bar only until you clear it. Once you clear it, it’s gone forever. There is no way to view a history of your Chrome to Phone links on your phone. I accidentally cleared a bunch the other day when I sent a bunch of maps to myself before a trip.
It is also worth noting that Chrome to Phone is not available in the Apps Market. i don’t understand why not.
This means that Android phones on AT&T, which cannot install non-Market apps, cannot use Chrome to Phone. They also cannot use Google Secrets, another Google Inc. app that is not in the Market, but is great.
“Linkpush” does the same thing for those of us still running 2 month old 2.1
When i try to install the chrometophone-android.apk i get this error:
Parse error:
There is a problem parsing the package
Anyone?
I too get the same error. I have a Verizon Droid Eris so I had the push from 2.1 to 2.2 about 2 months ago. Don’t know if that has anything to do with it, but I get the same parse error.
Now we need a Phone-to-Chrome! Anybody know if one is coming? It only makes sense!
It works great!
Mmm can’t wait to try this on my EVO!
I love this feature and have used it basically since I/O. My only wish/want would for it to go both ways.
I’ve had a few times I was out & about, found an article, then had to headed home, or go back to work. Well now that I would be sitting at a monitor, send that same article from my phone to my desktop with out having to send an email.
Not a huge problem to send the link in an email, but a nice option to then send from Android to Chrome would be nice and I’d use that just as much!
LinkPush app –> http://bubiloop.com/android-tools-linkpush
LinkuPush Chrome Extension —> https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/bldcfmboagkddflfbdgidanpmhiomldp/
LinkuPush Firefox Extension —> https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/179385/