Infiltration complete: Google's Chrome app launcher lands on Windows

After months of behind-the-scenes teases, Google appears to have quietly introduced the Chrome App Launcher in the stable version of Chrome for Windows. The Chrome OS feature—ported over to the Chrome for Windows developer channel in February—wasn’t available through a search of the Chrome Web Store or advertised on the site’s front page at this writing, but Windows users can install it now by navigating directly to the Chrome App Launcher page inside Chrome’s app store.

First spotted by Engadget, the new feature is Google’s incursion into the desktop PC, creating a self-sufficient Chrome ecosystem inside Microsoft’s OS. The Chrome App Launcher lets you directly fire up any Chrome Web app or packaged app right from the Windows taskbar—even when Chrome itself isn’t running.

Packaged apps are HTML 5-based standalone desktop apps based on Chrome that don’t look anything like your Web browser. There are no tabs, URL address bars, or bookmarks, but these apps do rely on Chrome’s underlying infrastructure and are installed via the Chrome Web Store.

Play Cut The Rope on your desktop with the Chrome packaged app. It’s still early days for packaged apps, but there are a number you can try out, such as a generic text editor and an IRC client, as well as known quantities like Cut the Rope, the Economist, and Weather Bug. For a list of interesting packaged apps to test see this post from Pocketables.

Like the app launcher, anyone using the stable version of Chrome will have to navigate to each packaged app directly, as they were not discoverable in the Chrome Web Store at this writing.

Google added a packaged apps section to the Chrome Web Store in May for anyone running the dev channel version of Chrome. But that section of the Web store had yet to go live Friday morning, despite the soft launch of the Chrome App Launcher.

The two features go together like peanut butter and jelly, so it’s odd that Google has made the app launch available without the new packaged apps section in the Web Store. Perhaps the search giant plans on officially rolling out the app launcher and the packaged apps section of the Web store later on Friday.

Launch Web sites and packaged apps even when Chrome isn’t running. Actually installing the Chrome App Launcher is a lot easier than it was when we first looked at the new Chrome feature in February. All you have to do now is agree to install the launcher and almost automatically it will show up in your taskbar. Earlier versions required you to install a packaged app first before you could install the app launcher.

So far the Chrome App Launcher is only available for Windows users in official builds of Google’s Web browser. In May, the search giant added the launcher to Chromium for Mac (the open source version of Chrome), while Linux users are still left on the sidelines.

'Astro Boy' Creator's Complete Works Coming to U.S. for First Time

Good news for fans of classic manga, or even just those with a fondness for Astro Boy: Californian publisher Digital Manga Inc. has announced that it has acquired the U.S. rights for the entire catalog of Osamu Tezuka's work, and plans to bring everything into circulation for American audiences.

Tezuka is likely best known in the U.S. as the creator of Astro Boy (or Tetsuwan Atomu to give the series its original title, which translates to "Iron-Armed Atom"), but his accomplishments go far beyond that. With an output estimated to be somewhere in the realm of 150,000 pages of comics spread across more than 700 manga volumes, his other creations include pre-WWII-era political drama Message to Adolf; Buddha, a memoir of Gautama Buddha; and the epic, unfinished Phoenix, a series about reincarnation that spans the length of human existence from the distant past to the far future.

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Additionally, Tezuka headed-up Mushi Production, an animation company credited with pioneering television animation in Japan (Alongside original series like Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Princess Knight, Mushi also animated Frosty the Snowman for Rankin Bass; yes, you've likely seen some of Tezuka's work without even knowing it).

Digital Manga confirmed its new deal with Japan's Tezuka Productions to Anime News Network last week. According to ANN, the publisher plans to release Tezuka's entire back catalog digitally, with select titles receiving print editions via Kickstarter campaigns.

Titles that already have print editions in the U.S. -- Black Jack, Message to Adolf, Buddha and other series -- will remain with their current publishers for print editions, but Digital Manga will retain digital rights.

Sadly, no launch details have been released yet, but when they are, fill up your Kindles and iPads, people. This isn't just good stuff, it's some of the best stuff.

Twitter: @sajilpl

Fourth of July Weekend: THR's Complete Guide to TV, Marathons and Movies

Fourth of July weekend is a time for celebrating all that this great country has given us with friends, family and food. But if you're more of a fan of air conditioning, comfortable couches and popcorn than you are of sunburns, crowds and BBQs, you may want to spend some time curled up in front of the TV or inside a nice, cool movie theater this weekend.

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Here, The Hollywood Reporter highlights all the best offerings in film and television for your patriotic enjoyment.

TELEVISION

Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular (NBC): 8 p.m. July 4
Nick Cannon hosts with Mariah Carey, Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, Cher, Pitbull and Selena Gomez performing.
Philly Fourth of July Jam (VH1): 8 p.m. July 4
Kevin Hart hosts. The Roots, John Mayer, Jill Scott, Demi Lovato, Ne-Yo, Grace Potter and J. Cole perform.
A Capitol Fourth (PBS): 8 p.m. July 4
Tom Bergeron hosts. Barry Manilow, Candice Glover, Scotty McCreery, Darren Criss, Jackie Evancho and Megan Hilty are among the perfomers.
The Andy Griffith Show (TV Land): 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 3-5

Duck Dynasty (A&E): 7 p.m. July 3 to 4:02 a.m. July 4

Tia & Tamera (Style Network): July 4

Aerial America (Smithsonian Channel): midnight July 4 to 6 a.m. July 5

BBQ Pitmasters (Destination America): 6 a.m. July 4 to 6 a.m. July 5

“Explosive Love” marathon (Investigation Discovery): 6 a.m. July 4 to 4 a.m. July 5
Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry: 6-8 a.m.; Scorned: Love Kills: 8 a.m.-noon; Poisoned Passions: noon-3 p.m.; Fatal Vows: 3-6 p.m.; Happily Never After: 6 p.m.-2 a.m.; Scorned: Love Kills: 2-4 a.m.
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“Music Independence Day” (MTV, CMT and VH1): 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 4
The three Viacom networks will devote an entire day to music featuring established and up-and-coming artists.
NCIS (USA Network): 6 a.m. July 4 to 4 a.m. July 5

Ultimate Spider-Man (Disney XD): 7 a.m. to noon July 4

Castle (TNT): 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 4

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo (TLC): 2 p.m. July 4 to 2 a.m. July 5

Independence Day (A&E): 8 p.m. July 4, 5 p.m. July 6, 2 p.m. July 7

Law & Order: SVU (USA Network): 6 a.m. July 5 to 1 a.m. July 6, 9 a.m. July 6 to 2 a.m. July 7

Warehouse 13 (Syfy): 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 5

Swamp People (History Channel): 7 a.m. July 4 to 4:02 a.m. July 5

Star Trek: The Next Generation (BBC America): 8 a.m. July 4 to 6 a.m. July 5, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. July 5

The Twilight Zone (Syfy): 8 a.m. July 4 to 6 a.m. July 5
Episodes include “Time Enough at Last,” “It’s a Good Life,” “The Eye of the Beholder” and “To Serve Man.”
The First 48 (A&E): 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 4

Wicked Tuna (National Geographic Channel): 9 a.m. July 4 to 3 a.m. July 5

Beverly Hills, 90210 (SoapNet): 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 4
Episodes include “Beach Blanket Brandon,” “The Party Fish,” “Summer Storm,” “Misery Loves Company,” “The Twins, the Trustee and the Very Big Trip” and “Castles in the Sand.”
North America (Animal Planet): 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 4

National Treasure double feature (ABC Family): noon to 8 p.m. July 4

The Walking Dead (AMC): July 4-7
Season one: 1 p.m. July 4 to 3 a.m. July 5; season two: 1 p.m. July 5 to 2:48 a.m. July 6; season three: 1 p.m. July 6 to 12:30 a.m. July 7, 1 to 9 p.m. July 7.
"Marvelously Looney" marathon (The Hub): 3 to 6:30 p.m. July 4
Episodes of Tiny Toon Adventures and The Superhero Squad.
Property Wars (Discovery Channel): 5 p.m. July 4 to 3 a.m. July 5

Magic City (Starz): 9 p.m. to midnight July 5

"Jump the Shark" marathon (Cloo): 6 a.m. July 5 to 6 a.m. July 6
Episodes from Happy Days, Get Smart, Bosom Buddies, Family Ties, Laverne & Shirley, Mannix, House, The Unit, Mork & Mindy and Charlie’s Angels.
The Unit (Cloo): 6 a.m. July 6 to 6 a.m. July 7

Pirates of the Caribbean marathon (ABC Family): July 6-7

Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Cloo): 6 a.m. July 7 to 4 a.m. July 8

Border Wars (National Geographic Channel): noon to 9 p.m. July 7

Pawn Stars (History Channel): 7 p.m. July 6 to 4:02 a.m. July 7

"Rom Com Marathom" (MTV): noon to 11 p.m. July 7
Clueless, 13 Going on 30, She's the Man and four new Girl Code episodes.
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FILMS IN THEATERS

Despicable Me 2
The minions are back in this family-friendly sequel. This time, the yellow goofballs are helping their ex-villain leader Gru (Steve Carell) defeat other bad guys out there causing trouble.

The Lone Ranger
Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer portray Tonto and the Lone Ranger, respectively, in this big action-adventure pic based on the classic radio and TV program.

The Heat
Becoming a box-office success its first weekend out, The Heat warmed audiences with its laugh-out-loud physical humor and hilarious stars, Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock. They play a cop and an FBI agent, respectively, who have to team up to solve some crime and kick some butt.

White House Down
Admission to the White House-under-siege action film will be free to veterans and active members of the armed services on July 4. It stars Channing Tatum as an aspiring Secret Service agent who has to help rescue the president (Jamie Foxx) from terrorists in the White House.

The holiday weekend provides a great opportunity to catch up on some world-saving films you may not have had time for earlier this summer, including Man of Steel, World War Z and Star Trek Into Darkness.