There’s already a ton of buzz on this but it’s potentially a big change for the web as John Battelle called it, “This Is Web OS, Make No Mistake“. Google’s release plans (in comic book form) for their new web browser were first posted by Phillip Lenssen with follow up by Google Blog and many others including Google’s Matt Cutts.
Outside of a better browser that is to run faster and more securely, the search engine marketing side of this story is that Microsoft’s new browser MISE 8 is to have functionality capable of blocking text ads, such as Google ads.
According to a story on Google Chrome and implications related to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer by AP:
“Google is worried that Microsoft could abuse its power by manipulating Internet Explorer’s default settings in a way that might diminish traffic to Google’s search engine, which serves as the hub of the largest online ad network.”
“In 2006, Google contacted the Justice Department to raise alarms about changes to Internet Explorer that Google believed made it more difficult to install search toolbars made by Microsoft’s rivals. Although regulators decided not to intervene, Microsoft subsequently modified the way Explorer handled the selection of search toolbars.”
If Google can attract another 10% or more browser market share on top of what Firefox already has, they’ll be in a somewhat better spot should Microsoft decide to block or affect Google ads from displaying. Who can blame Google for attempting to protect their revenue stream? Also, if the web gets a better browser or at least an alternative, the better for everyone.
However, that’s still only 20% or so of the browser market share and Google would need a lot more than that if they want to truly protect the browser traffic Google.com and their ad network of sites receives.
It has been posted that downloads of Google Chrome should become available sometime on Tuesday.
Why am I feeling so thick? I simply wish to try out the new chrome browser but I cannot find anywhere to download it! why??
Very interesting Lee. I think this will be the buzz for the next couple weeks at least. I will definitely give it a try! Thanks for keeping us informed as always!
Garrett
The link to Google Chrome for download isn’t resolving and I’m not sure exactly when on “Tuesday” that it will be available. Any insight on that from “those in the know” would be great.
http://chrome.google.com/
???
Google is releasing their own web browser? Thanks for sharing, this was new to me.
well I downloaded the program and my computer got frazzled
In what way will it affect the older O/S’s out there, if at all?
It’s a smart plan by Google to treat this as more of a revenue security item than anything else…even though they’ll most likely do a good job of the browser.
Has anyone heard any news regarding the release of Google Chrome for Mac users?
I have found only one useful original feature in Chrome that does not already exist in Firefox. This is the crash control feature allowing you to kill individual tabs instead of restarting your browser.
All the other advertised “new” functionality I have already been using in Firefox for some time. Even the keyboard shortcuts are the same. Google do mention that they have taken many features from other browser builds and cite this as the reason it is published as open source.
If I have any real criticism is that there is a lot of functionality that isn’t included, such as a homepage button, but mainly the kind of things that your average user would not understand. As an illustration there are seven tabs in the options menu in Firefox, but only three for Google. The third Google tab being named “under the hood” contains only some pretty basic functions.
The real difference for me though, is that the real functionality of a browser is the ability to customise it. Naturally there are no addons for the Beta version of Chrome, but if Google are to take their open source policy seriously, they should emulate Mozilla and encourage the development of addons and provide the hosting for them.
i’m willing to try it out just to see if it works more efficiently than FireFox… if it’s faster than Firefox and isn’t IE, then i’ll use it
Well with the launch of Chrome and have its presence in all most all the verticals of internet, I wonder if Google is going the Microsoft monopoly way?
Just installed it and got a lovely Application error… dammit!
Susan:
It’s supposed to be coming.
http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/mac.html
Google Chrome is really fast!
Now I can sort 200,000 records inside of Browser (Chrome) just in 1 sec. (Faster than Microsoft Excel):
http://www.ardentedge.com/ex_if.htm
@George
Thats a neat feature. Google browser is better than excel, whoa!!
Chrome is fast, and clear.. But is only a Beta Version!!
I downloaded chrome just a few days ago and im using it more than IE and FF……..its faster and has more visual space in it….ive read bout some security and other concerns….but nva mind its still in beta…lets wait and see!!!
Lee,
Great post! I’m very interested in Google’s plans from a web app standpoint and how they plan on integrating their apps into the browser.
Anyone heard anything new on when Chrome for Mac is coming? Open, Open Open.
I love Chrome. It has a very nice minimalist look and feel to it. Much better that IE was or ever will be.
I hope in future release they will have plug-in’s such as the google tool bar and various seo tools, like Firefox has today.
Overall great browser 🙂
jeff
We have tested our website http://www.mogiz.com on the new Google Chrome and it works amazingly well, we designed according to IE requirements and the first load of Chrome proved that Google did plenty of testing before releasing the initial version. It’s about time someone gave IE a run for their money.