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ANDY MIN
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Member Since: 4/2006Last Seen: 11/23/2009
Member Since: 4/2006Last Seen: 11/23/2009
15 Comments
PrintGoogle Chrome - My Dream Come True (Sort Of)
News Type: Opinion — Tue Sep 2, 2008 5:45 PM EDT
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The skeptics (including me) said it would never happen. Why would Google build a browser? Aren't they working hand in glove with Mozilla? Weren't they a huge sponsor of Mozilla? Didn't they love the Firefox guys? Well, Google proved us all wrong. Today, Google announced their newest project: Google Chrome, a new radical browser.
Why Chrome?
Because it's shiny! No, seriously, the reason Chrome was built is simple. Google's site says that they suddenly thought about how amazing a browser built from the ground up would be. After all, the web's evolved far past searching for websites. We bank, we email, and some (like yours truly) even do our word processing online. Yet, we use browsers meant for viewing web pages. So Google decided to change that.
What's So Special?
First, Chrome is light and fast. It's powered by the open-source WebKit browsing engine. That means it can browse any page Safari supports, and then some. WebKit passes the Acid3, is faster and lighter than Gecko, and works on all platforms. Additionally, Chrome makes each tab its own "sandbox". In layman's terms, each tab runs its own process. So when you're browsing the NYTimes, you don't need to let that huge Flash file slow up your entire browsing time.
It also has an awesome Suggest bar. Sound similar to Firefox's Awesome Bar? It is, but better. Unlike Firefox, it will actually pull in popular Google results. If you've ever used Google Suggest, you'll recognize that it (which, coincidentally, just got out of Labs) works very similarly to the bar in Chrome.
Since Google is a web applications company, Chrome is centered around the web apps. Google Gears is included, making it easy to run compatible applications offline. That's right: you can run Google Docs even when you're on a plane over the Atlantic with no wifi. You can also add "Application Shortcuts", which is a Mozilla Prism-like feature that lets users launch web apps in their own little Chrome (minus all the fancy controls and such).
And of course, there are all the other features you'd expect a web browser to have. It can view sites. It can render them flawlessly. It's the first browser I've reviewed in a LONG time that will load Gmail out of the box (then again, it's Google). It's got a few others, like an "incognito mode" (basically, no one can catch you browsing around on that site you shouldn't be on), antiphishing (powered, of course, by Google), and a nifty tab manager that shows the memory usage of each tab (which is a feature I've wished Firefox had for a LONG time).
Windows Supremacists
Google, unfortunately, decided to release it as soon as it could. That meant that Linux and Mac users were sacrificed, and that XP and Vista users are the only ones that can use Chrome. Luckily, Google has promised to keep us posted. The site says that
Google Chrome for Linux is in development and a team of engineers is working hard to bring it to you as soon as possible.
The Mac version says something similar (basically, replace Linux with Mac). Knowing Google, I'd imagine it wouldn't take too long. But will it be a native solution, or (as with Picasa) a Wine-based solution? I hope that Larry and Sergey take pity on us and spare us the latter.
There's another huge piece that Chrome lacks: extensions. Firefox has them, and that's why it's the king of the open-source world and a competitor for the closed-source. Opera's popular, but that's because they did the Mozilla Suite the right way. Google needs to incorporate some sort of extension feature into Chrome. Right now, there isn't any. Extensions get developers excited and the users excited. I can't live without AdBlock and Greasemonkey, and Chrome just doesn't have that.
Conclusion
Despite these few shortcomings, Google Chrome is a noble effort by Google. I expected it to fail, but now I have renewed hope. WebKit, powerful, light, and brandname. For once, I think there is an application that can take on Firefox.
18 Votes- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
Published to:
- Andy Min's Column, All of Newsvine
- Groups: Ajaxers, Firefox Users, Freeware, GeekVine, Googlers, Linux Users, Newsvine Computer Society, Newsvine Technology, Old viners, Science And Technology, Technology Gateway, Web 2.0
- Regions: none
 | Google Chrome - Initial Impressions | finalcut | Tue Sep 2 | 55 |
| Chrome vs. IE 8: A side-by-side comparison | Associated Press | Wed Sep 3 | 35 |
 | Google polishes product line with Chrome browser | Associated Press | Mon Sep 1 | 1 |
 | Google Chrome | Google News | Tue Sep 2 | 0 |
| Google Announces Chrome: Some Thoughts | Mykola Bilokonsky | Mon Sep 1 | 83 |
- Public Discussion (15)
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{"commentId":2703126,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
{"commentId":2703578,"authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}
For once, I think there is an application that can take on Firefox.
Not until it can support a plug-in system like Firefox. First thing I noticed firing it up was ads. Until I can recreate my Firefox environment - I have little use for it. I suspect we will Firefox soon replicating its more interesting features.
{"commentId":2703578,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}
- 4 votes
#2 - Tue Sep 2, 2008 6:13 PM EDT{"commentId":2704048,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
{"commentId":2714338,"authorDomain":"timstown"}
I'm waiting for some plug-ins to show up before considering the switch to Chrome myself. It looks very promising and runs better and faster then Firefox, but I need my extensions.
{"commentId":2714338,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"timstown"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":2718546,"authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}
I could probably live without AdBlock (although does Chrome even have a pop-up blocker). What I really need is TabMixPlus. To this day I really do not understand why browser designers think open a new tab then open site is a good design. Personally I think anytime I click a link going to a new domain, a bookmark, type in a URL it should or run a search it should open a new tab instead of making me open the tab first. At least provide the option.
{"commentId":2718546,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":2799125,"authorDomain":"igmuska"}
@Andrew: Chrome does have a neato pop-up blocker; I found that out today. As for Adblock, I got used to seeing the flash ads everywhere, sort of blind to them now. And I do miss the StumbleUpon toolbar with its random link search, especially if I get bored, reading my news.
So far I've been mainly using Chrome for my news reading. To seed Newsvine, just drag the seed button to the Chrome's bookmark toolbar; this trick works for many other bookmarking services.
I am wondering since Chrome was built upon Gears and Webkit, that the do-hickey toolbars in FF have already been crafted and just need some geek work to add them to Chrome.
{"commentId":2799125,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"igmuska"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2704138,"authorDomain":"dannymcgee"}
Good review, Andrew. I've been using Chrome since it was available today, and I love it so far.
It looks like you made a typo in your last paragraph, though:
Google needs to incorporate some sort of extension feature into Firefox.
{"commentId":2704138,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"dannymcgee"}
- 1 vote
#3 - Tue Sep 2, 2008 6:44 PM EDT{"commentId":2714759,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
{"commentId":2705742,"authorDomain":"Paradox460"}
Chrome is amazing. Its fast, clean, and elegant.
My only beef: It cant import my bookmarks from opera.
{"commentId":2705742,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"Paradox460"}
- 2 votes
#4 - Tue Sep 2, 2008 7:57 PM EDT{"commentId":2716122,"authorDomain":"dannymcgee"}
Another reason Chrome is amazing: I noticed my browser chugging a bit just now (I have a lot of tabs open, mostly Newsvine but also one Myspace), so I hit Shift+Esc to view the task manager and noticed Flash was using a bit more CPU than it should have been. I clicked to end the process, and now it's "smooth as butter." I got a notification at the top of the browser that said "The following plugin has crashed: Shockwave Flash" and now everywhere there should be an ugly Flash ad there is instead a cute dead puzzle piece icon. With Firefox I used to have to shut the entire browser down and then reopen what tabs I really needed...this is way more efficient.
{"commentId":2716122,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"dannymcgee"}
- 2 votes
#5 - Wed Sep 3, 2008 9:57 AM EDT{"commentId":2732040,"authorDomain":"Paradox460"}
Yes, i regularly open up the task manager as well, and smash flash. I dont really use flash that much, and i prefer to keep my browser speedy.
Also, you might want to try about:memory, its pretty cool.
{"commentId":2732040,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"Paradox460"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2719092,"authorDomain":"displayname"}
Google is a web applications company
I would argue that Google is actually an advertising company. Unfortunately, I think that means we'll never see extensive plug ins for Chrome. AdBlock and Customize Google etc. directly hurt Google's revenue. If you never see an ad, you'll never click on it and Google will never get paid.
{"commentId":2719092,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"displayname"}
- 2 votes
#6 - Wed Sep 3, 2008 12:29 PM EDT{"commentId":2720886,"authorDomain":"mipadi"}
It's open source, so it wouldn't be difficult for an outside party (or parties) to fork Chrome and create a plugin system.
{"commentId":2720886,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"mipadi"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2726141,"authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}
They say they are planning an API for extensions.
{"commentId":2726141,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":2813407,"authorDomain":"hillbillyofnc"}
google is a virus, they control your computer and are almost impossible to get rid of it.
{"commentId":2813407,"threadId":"346579","contentId":"1817549","authorDomain":"hillbillyofnc"}
#7 - Mon Sep 8, 2008 12:57 AM EDT{"canLink":false,"threadId":"346579","isPrivate":false}
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