Google Chrome: More Than Just A Browser

The web has evolved over the last decade into an interactive interface, and Google thinks the old web browsers are not keeping up with the demands of web users. Google’s new web browser, Chrome, has promised to be oh-so-much-more than just a browser. Chrome is an open-source web browser with minimal design and uses advanced technology to ideally make the web faster, safer and easier to use. Chrome’s initial launch in September 2008, displayed some new features and has, since then, responded to the feedback and made some major and minor tweaks before launching out of beta in January 2009.

Chrome offers up an Incognito privacy mode, which allows the user to open a private window that is never logged into your computer. There are two different reasons I can see for having such a feature – one is naughty and one is nice. The naughty reason is for a porn addict to keep his tits and tats searches private, and the nice reason is to make sure that your mom (or whoever you’re buying presents for) doesn’t stumble upon their birthday gift receipt. Whatever your reason for privacy is, it’s an interesting new feature.

The integrated search capabilities in Chrome offered in the URL bar expands on Firefox’s search options. In addition to the dropdown search engine choices, Chrome’s new search candy, called Omnibox, will replace the individual address search boxes and offer search suggestions, popular pages and history pages. Here’s the part I like: it will automatically replicate a webpage’s own search box. So I could type “eBay” hit TAB and then the item I’m searching for, and … wah-la … I’m right where I need to be. So, really this cuts out the middleman, and takes you to your final destination faster, which I love.

Anytime I am surfing the web, I have multiple tabs opened. I am a multi-tasker, and when one of those tabs crashes and all of my other tabs come crashing down with it, I freak out. Chrome offers of a way to isolate individual tabs to prevent the heartbreak of losing everything you're working on. I’d much rather lose one page than all of them.

Perhaps one of Google’s smartest decisions with Chrome’s new applications is a plan to formulate a new extension system that will allow independent developers to add-on to the browser to meet their specific needs. Yes, there are some basic features that we all need, but I’m sure my needs as an online journalist slightly differ than those of an electrical engineer. Going along with this, Chrome developers have listened to initial complaints about an inadequate bookmark tool bar and have decided to add-on a full bookmark manager.

Google Chrome has done well in product reviews, but changing your web browser is kind of like moving apartments in Manhattan. There has to be something wrong with where you’re living at the moment, and you have to find something amazing in order to go through the hassle of an NYC move. So, does Google Chrome offer up that “something amazing” in order to make the switch?

Firefox has been good to me, but with the new Omnibox and isolated tabs, I’ve got to say I’m pretty excited for Chrome’s launch in January. So, with Chrome planning on coming out of beta in the near-future, I’m going to definitely at least try it out, but Google better make sure that they are absolutely ready to come out of beta because if the slightest things goes wrong with Chrome, people will be running back to Firefox with open arms.