Mail.Ru Atom browser

Atom is the web browser from Mail.Ru Group.

2020

Integration of the voice assistant Marusya

Mail.ru Group On December 25, 2020 announced release of upgraded version browser of Atom integrated voice assistant Marusya of page Voice of the assistant it is possible to ask to open the necessary website, to tell news, currency rate and a weather forecast or to look at value of terms in the dictionary. Marusya is able to turn on the music from VKontakte and can remind that at someone from relatives a birthday.

Marusya it is possible to ask to create the list of purchases, to learn time of dawn or a decline or to tell how many days remained about New year. She can play the cities or help with the solution of a mathematical task. Voice commands also help to find the necessary pages in the Internet quickly: Marusya recognizes names of the websites even if the user does not know precisely as they are said.

In the browser popular — children's functions of Marusya are also available: for example, a big collection of fairy tales for the night or a game on storing of the multiplication table.

The assistant is activated by voice or using an icon in a top panel of the browser. The user can address Marusya by name or write her the message. The voice assistant is also available in the Atom application to Android.

The assistant Marusya speaks by voice of the actress Elena Solovyova. She sounded artificial intelligence in death robots series "Love, and" and Trinity from the movie "Matrix".

For the last year in the Atom browser appeared synchronization through the uniform account VK Connect, widgets for quick access to functions of VKontakte, Odnoklassniki and the Mail.ru Mail, including to video calls. In mobile version VK Mini Apps and the recommendatory Pulse system appeared.

Release of mobile version of Atom

On August 10, 2020 Mail.ru Group announced start of the mobile Atom browser. It is available to installation on smartphones and tablets running Android OS.

In the browser it is possible to become authorized through the uniform account VK Connect which connects projects of an ecosystem Mail.ru Group. Through the built-in mini-applications of the Mini Apps VK platform it is possible to call the taxi, to order food, to make purchases on AliExpress and another. During the work with mini-applications it is not necessary to install them on the device and to repeatedly undergo authorization — the uniform account of VK Connect automatically "tightens" data.

Mail.ru Group started the mobile Atom browser

As declared in Mail.ru Group, mobile Atom adapts to habits: the recommendatory Pulse system makes for the user an individual tape with articles and useful materials on the basis of his interests. Besides, the browser automatically adds often visited sites to visual tabs therefore to pass to the interesting websites and Mail.ru services it is possible in one contact, said in the description to the application.

It is possible to save the website for access to it offline — contents of pages will be available even if the user has no connection to the Internet.

Also developers noted presence of minimalist version of the homepage with display only of a search line. Such interface is addressed to those users who most often uses the browser for information search on the Internet. All other elements, i.e. visual tabs, a tape of recommendations, quick access to favorites, history and loadings can be disconnected.

One more remarkable function — automatic synchronization of data (tabs, the history of viewings pages, passwords and settings) at authorization in  Atom on phone and on the computer. For synchronization it is enough to come into the account of VKontakte.^[1]

2019

Customization for users of Odnoklassniki

On November 15, 2019 Mail.ru Group reported that in the Atom browser additional functions for convenient and fast work with social network Odnoklassniki appeared. Services of social network are integrated into the browser and tools which help to pass instantly to the homepage of OK and to popular sections are added, to watch video from OK in the background, in the online mode to receive notifications on activities of friends. Besides, Atom can be customized visually in stylistics of social network.

Atom added function of instant transition to Odnoklassniki to the shortcut bar located in an upper part of the page. Now users of social network will be able to get on main, to open games and other popular sections of social network in one click.

On the homepage of the Atom browser there was a special widget thanks to which the user can instantly learn about events in the account. In it all key notifications are displayed: about the appeared messages, requests in friends, activities in games and broadcastings in the OK Live application. It is possible to pass to the necessary section directly from a widget. Data on notifications are updated automatically, thus the user will be aware of the latest events right after an input in the Internet.

In the browser the possibility of inclusion of videos and broadcastings from OK in the background is also implemented. Video can be posted in the bottom of the screen and to continue viewing, in parallel opening other windows and tabs. Thanks to it users will be able to watch sports broadcasts, popular shows, news of media and any other content, without coming off Internet surfing.

Besides, in the browser visual customization under OK appeared: a collection of wall-paper in stylistics of social network, the button of transition to the homepage of OK, additional options on adding of buttons of transitions to the sections of social network which are most often visited by the user of the browser. It is possible to replace a background in settings of the browser.

Example of a background:

The user can import data for authorization to OK from other browser – for this purpose during installation Atom it is necessary to grant permission for data transfer. In this case transition to other browser will be seamless, and the appeared functions for users of Odnoklassniki will join automatically.

The tool for network time-management

On August 16, 2019 Mail.ru Group reported that in the Atom browser the tool for network time-management appeared. This function helps users to analyze time spent online and in time to take a break.

The tool helps users to plan the time. With the consent of the user the browser analyzes its online activity. The general duration of a session and time spent on different pages is considered.

Data retrieveds are visualized in a convenient format of infographics. Using diagrams it is easy to estimate how many hours a day the user spends to networks and on what websites it is delayed most longer. In the nearest future in the browser also other analytical tools will appear. Personal statistics can be compared to averages depersonalized by indicators of all users of service. Also in the browser there will be an opportunity to set the personal purposes, to synchronize the diagram with notes and to show additional technical details, such as volume of the loaded information, quantity of the spent traffic, average speed of connection, etc.

Function is activated through settings of the browser. In the same place it is possible to connect reminders on rest and to set their frequency.

Long work at the computer without breaks negatively affects not only sight: long stay in a static pose contributes to the development of a number of diseases among which is a heart trouble and other bodies. Therefore it is important to rise at least once per hour because of a table and to walk a little. There were many devices and applications which remind of need to move. Went to Mail.ru further and implemented this function directly in the browser. Now active online users will not forget to take a break even if they have no special gadgets, commented Evgeny Paperny, the Health of Mail.ru project manager

Implementation of Kaspersky Online File Reputation technology

On May 23, 2019 Mail.ru Group announced implementation in the Atom browser of Kaspersky Online File Reputation technology which checks the files downloaded from network for security, and does not influence at the same time loading speed.

The Kaspersky Online File Reputation technology provides the information on reputation of the file — whether it is harmful or potentially dangerous. Information arrives to the user who makes the decision, to delete the document or not.

Anna Artamonova commented:

At a stage of creation of the Atom browser we focused on security and privacy of users, and the technology of Kaspersky Lab strengthens the system of protection against cyberthreats.

Sergey Zemkov noted:

We are glad that in the browser provided to Mail.ru Group, protection of the user is one of the main priorities along with the speed and privacy. We believe that consolidation of our efforts will give to users the chance more effectively to resist to the risks work-related in network. Sergey Zemkov, the managing director of Kaspersky Lab in Russia and the CIS

The Atom browser is started in February, 2019 with focus on security. Thanks to a special panel the user can quickly check what important permissions are issued to the specific website and to change these settings for a specific resource or for all Internet. Also much attention is paid to privacy settings. So, for example, users can prohibit access to the camera or the microphone, to block the irritating advertizing or notifications of the websites, and for the separate websites it is possible to select setup "always to open in the mode incognito" or to completely prohibit a history record for the browser.

The Kaspersky Online File Reputation technology provides the information on reputation of the files downloaded from the Internet. The online service will instantly recognize, the program is safe or not, using the global system of collecting of data on threats, big base of dynamic white lists and extensive expert experience of Kaspersky Lab in the field of legitimate software.

Announcement of start of the browser

On February 5, 2019 the Mail.Ru Group company announced start of the Atom browser. The main emphasis in a product will be put on security and privacy of users. For check of security of the browser the company starts the public program of search of vulnerabilities.

According to the company, network security is key need of the modern user. Daily people visit tens and hundreds of resources, a part of which can pose potential threat for security and privacy of sensitive data. Using browser Mail.Ru Group is going to create the first defense line of the users from network threats.

In order that the user consciously managed the security, in Atom the special panel which is available in one click from the main window of the browser is created. It is possible to check for panels what important permissions are issued to the specific website and to change these settings for a specific resource or for all Internet. For example, it is possible to prohibit gaining access to the camera and the microphone and also record Cook of the third parties (for example, advertizing networks). It is also possible to block the irritating advertizing and persuasive offers to subscribe for notifications from the websites in one click.

Special attention was paid to privacy: creators of the browser took care of that the tab in the mode could be opened in one click directly in the main window of the browser. It will allow to compare, for example, the prices of air tickets or hotels. For the most confidential websites it is possible to select setup "always to open in the mode incognito", and as a last resort — in general to prohibit a history record for all browser.

Besides, Mail.Ru Group starts the public Bug Bounty program (search of vulnerabilities) of the browser. The program is open on the international HackerOne.com resource — the platform integrating "white hackers" from around the world.

To an exit in public space the closed testing of the browser by a command of information security Mail.Ru Group and in official community of testers of VK was already held. The public program of search of vulnerabilities — the next stage of work which will help to provide the necessary security level of this product. Besides, the project team conducts negotiations with the independent companies on cooperation in the field of regular audit of the browser.

Product development will continue with active support of communities — user and security experts. The tool which will be built in the browser is developed for collecting of a feedback and wishes. Besides, for obtaining recommendations and the ideas from security experts it is going to participate actively in conferences on security, to carry out mitapa and hackathons and also an interview with experts.

When developing design of the browser the command was also faced by a task to make easy and unostentatious, but at the same time the informative interface. To find balance, several hackathons were held and prototypes of different options which were tested in UX laboratory of the company are collected.

Optimization of loading of Mail.Ru Group services (including social networks) that the websites were loaded instantly even if the user has not the fastest Internet became the separate area of work.

2018: Representation of the browser

The Atom browser was provided to Mail.Ru Group in February, 2018. Its main feature — the raised security level.