Abstract: Various features for a computer operating system include mechanisms for operating where a single native application, in the form of a Web browser, exists for an operating system, and all other applications run as Web apps of the browser application. A computer-implemented object tracking method includes instantiating, a first time, an operating system object on a computing device; automatically identifying contextual meta data that defines a state of objects that are open on the computing device, other than the instantiated operating system object, when the operating system object is instantiated; and storing the identifying contextual meta data in correlation with the operating system object, wherein the contextual meta data identifies one or more objects that are active in the operating system when the operating system object is instantiated.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for displaying web pages includes receiving code for a first web page, the code defining formatting for displaying the web page in at least two different display modes, displaying web page in a first display mode in a browser, the first display mode being a full page display in browser pane, receiving a user command to display the web page in a second display mode, and displaying the web page in a second display mode, the second display mode not being a reduced-sized or cropped version of the first display mode.

Abstract: A computer-implemented user interface method includes displaying content in a first window on a display of a computing device, receiving a dragging user input on an element at a periphery of the window, and in response to receiving the dragging input, generating and displaying a second window on the display of the computing device and displaying the first window simultaneously with the second window.

Abstract: A computer-implemented computer shut-down method includes identifying that a computing device has been moved from an open configuration in which input and output mechanisms on the computing device are accessible to a user, to a closed configuration in which at least some of the input and output mechanisms are inaccessible to a user; starting a shut-down timer in response to identifying that the computing device has been moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration; waiting a predefined time period, as established by the shut-down timer, and determining from the shut-down timer that the computing device can be transitioned from an active state into a sleep state in which power consuming components of the computing device are powered down; and transitioning the computing device from the active state to the sleep state upon determining that the computing device can be transitioned.

Abstract: A computer-implemented tactile feedback method includes receiving user input on a computing device, identifying a term input by the user that does not match a term known to the device, accessing an auto-correction service in order to provide a replacement for the term, and energizing a haptic feedback device in response to identifying the term input by the user that does not match a known term.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving at a computing device that is in a locked state, one or more user inputs to unlock the device and to execute at least one command that is different from a command for unlocking the device. The method further includes executing in response to the user inputs to unlock the device an unlocking operation to convert the device from a locked state to an unlocked state. The method further includes executing the at least one command in response to receiving the user inputs to execute the at least one command. The at least one command executes so that results of executing the at least one command are first displayed on the device to a user automatically after the device changes from the locked state to the unlocked state.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is executable by a first computing device to perform functions including retrieving, from the first computing device, sound information for the first computing device; receiving sound information from one or more second computing devices located in an area within a communication range of first computing device; generating a characterization of the sound information from (i) the first computing device, and (ii) the one or more second computing devices; and determining, based on the characterization, an attribute of one or more third computing devices.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is executable by a first computing device to perform functions including retrieving, from the first computing device, sound information for the first computing device; receiving sound information from one or more second computing devices located in an area within a communication range of first computing device; generating a characterization of the sound information from (i) the first computing device, and (ii) the one or more second computing devices; and determining, based on the characterization, an attribute of one or more third computing devices.

Abstract: In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving, at a mobile computing device, ambiguous user input that indicates more than one of a plurality of commands; and determining a current context associated with the mobile computing device that indicates where the mobile computing device is currently located. The method can further include disambiguating the ambiguous user input by selecting a command from the plurality of commands based on the current context associated with the mobile computing device; and causing output associated with performance of the selected command to be provided by the mobile computing device.

Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving user input that defines a search query, and providing the search query to a server system. Information that a search engine system determined was responsive to the search query is received at a computing device. The computing device is identified as in a first state, and a first output mode for audibly outputting at least a portion of the information is selected. The first output mode is selected from a collection of the first output mode and a second output mode. The second output mode is selected in response to the computing device being in a second state and is for visually outputting at least the portion of the information and not audibly outputting the at least portion of the information. At least the portion of information is audibly output.

Abstract: In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes detecting a current context associated with a mobile computing device and determining, based on the current context, whether to switch the mobile computing device from a current mode of operation to a second mode of operation during which the mobile computing device monitors ambient sounds for voice input that indicates a request to perform an operation. The method can further include, in response to determining whether to switch to the second mode of operation, activating one or more microphones and a speech analysis subsystem associated with the mobile computing device so that the mobile computing device receives a stream of audio data. The method can also include providing output on the mobile computing device that is responsive to voice input that is detected in the stream of audio data and that indicates a request to perform an operation.

Abstract: A method, performed on a server, of translating between languages includes receiving first audio data for a first language from a mobile device, translating the first audio data to second audio data for a second language, receiving an indication that the mobile device has moved between two locations, and sending the second audio data to the mobile device in response to the indication.

Abstract: A method, performed on a server, of translating between languages includes receiving first audio data for a first language from a mobile device, translating the first audio data to second audio data for a second language, receiving an indication that the mobile device has moved between two locations, and sending the second audio data to the mobile device in response to the indication.

Abstract: In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes detecting a current context associated with a mobile computing device and determining, based on the current context, whether to switch the mobile computing device from a current mode of operation to a second mode of operation during which the mobile computing device monitors ambient sounds for voice input that indicates a request to perform an operation. The method can further include, in response to determining whether to switch to the second mode of operation, activating one or more microphones and a speech analysis subsystem associated with the mobile computing device so that the mobile computing device receives a stream of audio data. The method can also include providing output on the mobile computing device that is responsive to voice input that is detected in the stream of audio data and that indicates a request to perform an operation.

Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving user input that defines a search query, and providing the search query to a server system. Information that a search engine system determined was responsive to the search query is received at a computing device. The computing device is identified as in a first state, and a first output mode for audibly outputting at least a portion of the information is selected. The first output mode is selected from a collection of the first output mode and a second output mode. The second output mode is selected in response to the computing device being in a second state and is for visually outputting at least the portion of the information and not audibly outputting the at least portion of the information. At least the portion of information is audibly output.

Abstract: In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving, at a mobile computing device, ambiguous user input that indicates more than one of a plurality of commands; and determining a current context associated with the mobile computing device that indicates where the mobile computing device is currently located. The method can further include disambiguating the ambiguous user input by selecting a command from the plurality of commands based on the current context associated with the mobile computing device; and causing output associated with performance of the selected command to be provided by the mobile computing device.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving at a computing device that is in a locked state, one or more user inputs to unlock the device and to execute at least one command that is different from a command for unlocking the device. The method further includes executing in response to the user inputs to unlock the device an unlocking operation by the device to convert the device from a locked state to an unlocked state. The method further includes executing the at least one command in response to receiving the user inputs to execute the at least one command. The at least one command executes so that results of executing the at least one command are first displayed on the device to a user automatically after the device changes from the locked state to the unlocked state.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving at a computer server system, from a computing device that is remote from the server system, a string of text that comprises a search query. The method also includes identifying one or more search results that are responsive to the search query, parsing a document that is a target of one of the one or more results, identifying geographical address information from the parsing, generating a specific geographical indicator corresponding to the one search result, and transmitting for use by the computing device, data for automatically generating a navigational application having a destination at the specific geographical indicator.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for information sharing between computers includes receiving at a computer system a search request from a first computer, generating with the computer system one or more search results that are responsive to the first computer, formatting the results for display on a second computer that is different than the first computer, and automatically providing the results for display on the second computer.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving spoken input at a computing device from a user of the computing device, the spoken input including a carrier phrase and a subject to which the carrier phrase is directed, providing at least a portion of the spoken input to a server system in audio form for speech-to-text conversion by the server system, the portion including the subject to which the carrier phrase is directed, receiving from the server system instructions for automatically performing an operation on the computing device, the operation including an action defined by the carrier phrase using parameters defined by the subject, and automatically performing the operation on the computing device.