Google Chrome: Google’s open source web browser

Google has developed its open source web browser namely Google Chrome while it is doing good in promoting Firefox. Wondering what features had been brought into this new web browser, I have a quick download and a quick install and starts browsing the web just to see how it feels. It feels pretty much the same like you are using Firefox 3 except Chrome might be a little faster, but there's no way to tell the difference on a fast computer.


As mentioned earlier, the installation is very quick. I went to its webpage, clicked on the download button, downloaded a setup file, and chrome was installed in no time. The install was small (468k) so the download was fast and the install took merely 25 seconds so in well under a minute it's up and running. Simple and straight to the point.



Chrome is well refined and manages the migration process successfully by importing every single bit of data from IE and Firefox. The innovative placement of tab bar, lack of title bar and no full-scale menu bar (minimalist interface). All controls are buried beneath two icons to the right of the Omnibar (as Google refers to its address bar):


a) a page icon for managing tabs and using Google Gears to create application-like shortcuts from your desktop to a Web site

b) a wrench for history, downloads, and other browser options.


Crash Control


Every tab you're using is run independently in the browser, so if one app crashes it won't take anything else down.


While it takes care of the tab indepedently, each tab runs its own process. So, for 3 opened tabs, they already sum up about 30MB of memory usage. You do the math, how is this going to scale for a multiple tab user. The idea of crash protection is brilliant but I hope there are some solutions devised to reduce the memory footprint on each tab process.


Overall it's a superb web browser. Google proved once more to the people; it really studies the market and takes note what users want before jump on the bandwagon. I hope they will put more exciting features in the future release.


More on Google Chrome.


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