Google to release new browser to take on Internet Explorer and FireFox

[InsaneNutter]

Google will launch a Web browser called Chrome that will take on Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and apparently Mozilla’s Firefox, which the search giant essentially funds.

In an odd leak, Google sent Google Blogoscoped a comic book outlining the technology in its Chrome browser. The leak was confirmed by Kara Swisher and the Wall Street Journal (see the full comic book via Swisher). Philipp Lenssen outlines the following technical details (Techmeme):


Google’s browser will be open source;

• Chrome will include a JavaScript Virtual Machine built from scratch;
• Tabs will be moved around;
• The browser has an address bar with auto-completion.
• There’s a privacy feature like IE has;
• And Google aims to be proactive about fighting phishing and malware attacks.

Update: Google confirmed that Chrome will launch on Tuesday in a beta that will cover 100 countries. Google said on its blog:

All of us at Google spend much of our time working inside a browser. We search, chat, email and collaborate in a browser. And in our spare time, we shop, bank, read news and keep in touch with friends — all using a browser. Because we spend so much time online, we began seriously thinking about what kind of browser could exist if we started from scratch and built on the best elements out there. We realized 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.

On the surface, we designed a browser window that is streamlined and simple. To most people, it isn’t the browser that matters. It’s only a tool to run the important stuff — the pages, sites and applications that make up the web. Like the classic Google homepage, Google Chrome is clean and fast. It gets out of your way and gets you where you want to go.

So what does all of this mean and why is Google aiming to target a crowded browser market?

For starters, Google obviously thinks that it can grab share quickly and browser customers are valuable. Just look at the folks still using Netscape–some customers are lifers. If you buy the argument that the browser will ultimately serve as an operating system–or at least be the vehicle to tap into the OS–Google will have to be a player. Double bonus for Google if it connects Chrome, Desktop and Android.

Source

Google Chrome

 

[Safinn]

Nice, can't wait to try this one out. It does not look like a good design thought compared to the others but I want to see the quality of it. Tuesday today.. Where can we download?

EDIT: I heard when america wakes up the download will be here: gears.google.com/chrome/?hl=en

We will just have to keep checking that web page intill they put it up.

 

[xzKinGzxBuRnzx]

EDIT: I heard when america wakes up the download will be here: gears.google.com/chrome/?hl=en

Nice, I can't wait to try it out. Google always is the best search place. Hopfully this will be great and replace IE. IE does suck, lol.


EDIT: I just tried both IE8 Beta 2 and Google. I can say that IE needs to be taking leasons from google. As I love the google UI thing and so far both browsers seems to be working fine with digiex and the arcade. I'm not tried much with them though. However the both do have buttons where you can turn on private browsing which can be used for a number of things. IE 8 does have a button at the top you can click for viewing older sites. I'm not exactly sure what it does. Though I'm sure that will be helpful. If i had to choose between the two. I'm going with Google chrome.

 

[InsaneNutter]

IE 8 does have a button at the top you can click for viewing older sites. I'm not exactly sure what it does.

It basically renders websites like older versions of IE would do, some website don’t work correctly in IE8.

 

[Safinn]

i'll try it when I get home because Im now at school..

 

[LordTyrans]

qwl will try, but i dont think it will beat firefox as it's been around longer and allready has lots of users.

 

[Safinn]

Got home.. Downloaded, installed very fast (Quicker than firefox)! Love it! I'm sticking with it. Simple and easy to use!

 

[InsaneNutter]

It sounds like Chrome might not be the safest web browser to be using at the moment, especially as your apparently giving Google the right to anything that passes through it.

The first, is the popular "carpet bomb" vulnerability that still exists within Chrome, as pointed out on our forums by our member matessim. This vulnerability allows malicious websites to drive by download and execute programs on your machine. Our visitors may remember the uproar that this same vulnerability caused for Safari users, and that Apple patched the carpet-bombing issue with Safari v3.1.2. Chrome is vulnerable to this exploit because it is based on the same engine, WebKit 525.13, and Google did not patch or update the engine before releasing the software.

The other, and less technical, problem with Chrome exists in its EULA. More specifically, the point that would seem to give Google rights to anything you post on the Internet while using their browser, mostly in conjunction with the promotion of its services.

"By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any content which you submit, post or display on or through, the services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the services and may be revoked for certain services as defined in the additional terms of those services." Not exactly something you're used to seeing in a web browser's license agreement.

There is also the point that Google reserves the right to automatically update and install Chrome. Interesting, "the software which you use may automatically download and install updates from time to time from Google. These updates are designed to improve, enhance and further develop the services and may take the form of bug fixes, enhanced functions, new software modules and completely new versions. You agree to receive such updates (and permit Google to deliver these to you) as part of your use of the services." ... so says the EULA.

Now we're all used to seeing automatic update functions built into software. It seems that almost anything you install these days has one. However, very few demand that I install their updates. What if I don't want to because the new version includes a bug or breaks something else on my computer? Although, one would hope that they'd use this automatic update feature to fix the flaw pointed out above.

Source

 

[Slaz]

Thanks, haven't been notified of this yet. Trying browser beta's has always been fun.. I remember how dissappointing the Safari beta for Windows once was (when I tried it), and IE8 doesn't make the web better as well (on it's current state).. I'll download this browser as soon as I'm home.

 

[Safinn]

It sounds like Chrome might not be the safest web browser to be using at the moment, especially as your apparently giving Google the right to anything that passes through it.



Source

Hmmm thats not to good. I really like the browser. I'm not too bothered that they can use whatever I post on the net.

EDIT!: Every Video on youtube it says that it is no longer available..?