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Google announces Chrome web browser
Opens each tab in an isolated ‘sandbox’ and runs complex applications much quicker than today’s browsers, says Google
Google has already gone from a small search engine to huge global corporation in the space of just a few years, and it’s now taking its world domination plan a step further with the announcement of its web browser, called Chrome. The company promises that Google Chrome will be ‘clean and fast,’ and likens it to its search engine’s minimalist Google homepage, saying that ‘it gets out of your way and gets you where you want to go.’
The Windows BETA of the browser will launch in 100 countries tomorrow, but Google is already building up anticipation with an online comic that explains the reasoning behind the launch. After apparently hitting ‘send’ on the comic earlier than planned, news about the browser spread like wildfire, and Google has now made it officially available here.
The idea behind Chrome is that it’s been built from scratch to accommodate today’s websites, which make heavy use of interactive features such as chat facilities, as well as Web applications and video. By comparison, standard web browsers such as Internet Explorer were originally designed for the basic Web in its infancy, and Google argues that subsequent versions of the browsers built on this, when the new Web really needs a brand new design.
On Googleblog, the company explains that ‘we realised that the Web had evolved from mainly simple text pages to rich, interactive applications and that we needed to completely rethink the browser. What we really needed was not just a browser, but also a modern platform for web pages and applications, and that's what we set out to build.’
The result, according to Google, is a new browser that ‘runs today's complex web applications much better.’ As well as this, each tab in Chrome will be opened in an isolated ‘sandbox,’ with the aim of creating a secure environment where your computer is safe dodgy sites, and where other tabs won’t be crashed by another tab. Google also says that it’s created a ‘more powerful JavaScript engine’ that will allow the development of web applications ‘that aren't even possible in today's browsers.’
Interestingly, despite claiming that Chrome was built from scratch, Google also says that the browser uses open-source ‘components from Apple's WebKit and Mozilla's Firefox,’ although we don’t know which components were taken yet. Google also says that it will continue the open-source spirit by making all the code for Chrome open source as well.
Only the Windows BETA launches tomorrow, but Google says that it’s ‘hard at work building versions for Mac and Linux too.’ Do we need a new browser for the modern Web, or are Firefox, Opera and IE doing the job fine? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Chrome is nice and simple, the way i like it but have noticed a few annoying things already that need addressed. Eg. Ebuyers' drop down menus don't work! the drop down shows up but when u move the cursor down the menu, the menu disappears. Weird issue as it seems very basic. Also my digital banking doesn't get along with Chrome, it won't load up my different accounts on screen when i select them. Lastly, since i started using Chrome my Hard Drive seems to be constantly going mad and accessing/indexing. Don't think this is a coincidence, must be something to do with Chrome. Anyone got any ideas? Hopefully Google will sort these out asap. It is still in Beta format at the moment but once its released proper i'm sure it will be just as good if not better than eveything else.
Comment by kennyhkw at 1:34pm 6th September 2008
used it since launch and already got rid of it. The browser is supposed to be multimedia friendly and its the exact opposite. I found streaming is stuttery and strangely slower than when using Firefox 3.1 or even IE7. pictures take longer to load and often get "cannot display this page or search failed". I know its a beta but you think that the core principles like media would be sorted. Think ill stick to firefox for now until they release it. Hopefully after release it will be much better
Comment by adam_bagpuss at 12:21pm 4th September 2008
yeah i gave chrome a good play with yesterday looks pretty promising once you get the firefox cloned ad ons then dont see why it wouldnt be useful..... adblock is one I like to have...mainy as the majority of my web browsing is during work times so withouth large banners n ads people can never be quite sure what i am looking at :O) .... Until then i will have to stick with firefox... might install chrome in my home machine ... as IE and Firefox have a habit of hanging my system when my wireless internet switches from GPRS to HSDPA ... hmmm
Comment by akoli at 12:55am 4th September 2008
I'm converted!! Its awesome, and gives you so much browsing space!
Comment by Gonzalo at 9:39pm 3rd September 2008
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/03/google_chrome_eula_sucks/ DODGY!!
Comment by TWeaKoR at 8:00pm 3rd September 2008
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't chrome's 'processes' just like opening new windows, as opposed to tabs?
Comment by Nemiro at 7:13pm 3rd September 2008
IE8 beta is availabe and that's full of bugs (like cliking in a text box and the tect cursor appears in a completely random area of the page! - or google/yahoo maps suddenly display 5-10 zoom bars - or your email inbox suddenly becomes double-width). I might wait until the final version is ready and see what its like then, but it sounds promising
Comment by EdArch at 3:23pm 3rd September 2008
IE8 beta is availabe and that's full of bugs (like cliking in a text box and the tect cursor appears in a completely random area of the page! - or google/yahoo maps suddenly display 5-10 zoom bars - or your email inbox suddenly becomes double-width). I might wait until the final version is ready and see what its like then, but it sounds promising
Comment by EdArch at 3:23pm 3rd September 2008
initial gripe no 4) the "search using other search sites" doesn't work as it shows in the help menu... in the menu it says press the tab button, but the tab buttondoesn't do anything, instead you have to click the line underneath that says "search with ...."
Comment by NewParadigm at 1:19pm 3rd September 2008
Seemingly there's no RSS support... better use Google Feeds... :S
Comment by evanjdooner at 4:34am 3rd September 2008
I use FireGestures too and I'm always doing that in IE or FF on other people's PCs! :)
Comment by evanjdooner at 3:33am 3rd September 2008
I use FireGestures too and I'm always doing that in IE of FF on other people's PCs! :)
Comment by evanjdooner at 3:33am 3rd September 2008
It looks like it could mature nicely, however there are a few things the yreally should have sorted before BETA. 1) the help menu shows chrome with the google toolbar below the address bar (at least it shows the bookmarks, gmail and other buttons) but this isn't available yet... its a real shame as the google toolbar is actually very useful... more so than some of the new features. 2) there is no way to view your history without starting a new tab and clicking on the history button, the help menu goes to great pains to show you how to delete your browsing history, or avoid even making one, but never does it mention how to browse your history. 3) Bookmarks, more of a personal issue really, I just dont like them taking up a whole bar instead of the, in my opinion, much neater bookmarks button of the google toolbar. I've always turned my bookmarks bar off in firefox, as its just awaste of real estate.
Comment by NewParadigm at 10:38pm 2nd September 2008
I'm a more than happy FF user but first impressions of Chrome is it's faster. Granted it doesn't have a few extensions installed and no mouse gestures but not too shabby.
Comment by _fac51_ at 10:29pm 2nd September 2008
it will have gestures soon. I use firegestures for firefox and agree they are, maybe not essential, but certainly missed when they are not there, at work I find myself flicking my mouse and staring blankly while IE it does nothing :(
Comment by NewParadigm at 9:52pm 2nd September 2008
we can allways use more open source software, and regardless of them ADVERTISING with the toolbar install stuff (honestly, do you dislike scan for having an ad on the back of every issue of cpc?)they are a good company and know the interned better than just about anyone. im sure this is going to be secure, the article allready lists one of their security features that i have not seen in any other browser. i am an opera user and i dont know if this will be able to convert me, but there's no good reason not to have a few browsers.
Comment by yougotkicked at 9:45pm 2nd September 2008
Why would a Google browser even need to ask you to install a Google toolbar? It probably has all the features anyway. I've just installed it and it looks nice and minimalistic, leaving almost all the space for the web page rather than toolbars. I'm pretty sick of all the Google bashing, it's getting as bad as the Microsoft bashing, and Google deserve it nowhere near as much. Chrome looks pretty good, although it doesn't have Opera's mouse guestures which has become a necessity to me now :P
Comment by TWeaKoR at 7:36pm 2nd September 2008
However, being open source, I can see crackers making malware that specifically targets this, possibly via the 'periodic updates' of blacklists. Either way I'm gonna give it a try, but I've yet to find a browser to pull me away from Opera, even when it was buggy as hell just before 9.5 was released.
Comment by TWeaKoR at 7:36pm 2nd September 2008
Just another "Here's one in the eye for Microsoft!" rubbish. Problem is, Google infects so many apps already with it's "Please download the Google toolbar" crap. Just another untick this box as far as I'm concerned.
Comment by crazyceo at 8:40pm 2nd September 2008
I have just downloaded it, it is pretty quick and has a great design. www.google.co.uk/chrome
Comment by Clocked_Maniac at 8:22pm 2nd September 2008
I have just downloaded it, it is pretty quick and has a great design. www.google.co.uk/chrome
Comment by Clocked_Maniac at 8:22pm 2nd September 2008
that 'comic strip' advert is sooooo boring! Does it really need to be THAT long?
Comment by NewParadigm at 8:18pm 2nd September 2008
I am a mac user, i need more time to test it out, help spread google chrome http://www.spreadgooglechrome.com
Comment by tomawebdev at 7:16pm 2nd September 2008
Unless it has addons equivalent to noScript etc (for Firefox), I'm not interested. I take internet security very seriously.
Comment by l3v1ck at 7:26pm 2nd September 2008
so that where the development team for the 'google toolbar v5 for firefox' went... Looks promising - if it delivers
Comment by NewParadigm at 6:08pm 2nd September 2008
I can't wait! I really want to get my hands on it andgive it a try. Hopefully the BETA will be quite polished, allowing it to stand up to the more mature browsers.
Comment by evanjdooner at 7:07pm 2nd September 2008
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