Google will today be launching its own open source web browser called “Chrome” after an accidental leak yesterday. A Windows version of the browser will be available in 100 countries at some point today from this site, with a version for Mac and Linux on the way. Google have created a very informative 38-page comic strip that explains, in detail, the ins and outs of the browser and its innovations.
Chrome promises to be small, stable and fast which should give Opera, who excel in these areas, a run for their money. One of the browser’s most promising features lies in its multi-threaded design that will run each tab as a separate process. This enables a buggy page to die silently without crashing the whole browser, as well as using less memory overall.
Apparently, the browser will feature an incognito mode similar to the InPrivate mode on the upcoming IE8. This mode will block personal information such as browsing history from being recorded. Another great feature is the inclusion of a task manager on each tab so you can see exactly what resources each tab is using, information that has hitherto been unknown.
While it would seem Google has its eyes on Internet Explorer and Firefox, it’s much more likely to be yet another step towards eroding the dominance of Microsoft’s Windows OS and Office suite. The browser will create a platform more suitable for running web applications, furthering the encroachment of cloud computing as an alternative to traditional local apps. Chrome should not be thought of as just a web browser, but rather an operating system in its own right.
This is yet another Google innovation that provides us with a great product at no financial cost. There is increasing worry, however, about the insidious nature of their products and services that each form a piece in a greater plan for market dominance. The increasingly ubiquitous company is well on its way to becoming the new Microsoft.
I’m very excited about this release and plan to download it as soon as it’s available for Mac users.
Sources:
Google Blog and Chrome Comic
Via: TechCrunch