Notes on Google Chrome

Update: I updated this post with more about Chrome’s features and some related links.

I may craft this into a better post later, but for now, I wanted to share some initial thoughts and observations about Google’s Chrome browser, which was released earlier today.

Keep in mind that I’m rolling in true nerd style here: blogging at LAX on my T-Mobile HotSpot collection connection waiting to board my flight to Atlanta. Expect typos, incomplete thoughts and possible profanity because I’m in that kind of mood.

I have only spent a few short hours with the browser, but I can safely say that it may be a game changer. Chrome, which is based on WebKit, has super speedy load times and man-handles JavaScript. I don’t think Google Chrome is using SquirrelFish just yet. But I fully expect that a final release (or at least a later beta) will.

What I’m digging

• Slim, trim interface. Google got the interface right. It’s streamlined and simplified with only what you need to see at any given time. Other options (like your bookmarks bar) can be turned on and off as desired.
• Speed. I’m running this on a Windows XP Parallels virtual machine. Still fast. As f*ck.
• Dead-simple plug-in installs. Chrome realized that I needed to install Flash. One click and a few minutes later, the player was downloaded, installed, and ready to use.
• Most visited sites: Similar to Opera’s Speed Dial feature, but automated. Chrome automatically saves and organizes the sites you visit most and loads them as your home page when you start the browser (above photo).
• Combined search address bar. Consider it a lesson learned from Firefox, which despite having separate boxes for the URL and web search, will actually search the web if you type a keyword in the address bar. Google Chrome dispenses with the separate boxes. You want to search the web? Type in the address / search bar and hit enter.
• Incognito surfing. It’s similar to Safari’s private browsing feature. Incognito lets you fire up a separate browsing window that gets rid of cookies and your surfing history when you close it.
• Application shortcuts Think of it as a site-specific browser, along the lines of Fluid or Mozilla’s Prism extension. Application shortcuts load separately from the Chrome browser window, and and offers a focused environment for web applications such as GMail or Zoho Writer.
• The nerdiest of nerdy sh*t. Yeah, Chrome lets you tweak your security settings and such. And yes, it has developer tools that don’t require extensions, or special configuration commands. But it’s killer nerd feature is Task Manager. Yes, Google Chrome lets you see which of your tabs and/or plug-ins is sucking up your CPU usage.
• Crash protection. Flash might crash, but it won’t take your browser down with it.

What I’m not digging

• Combined search address bar. Firefox’ keyword search is basically a Google “I’m feeling lucky” search. I like that Firefox removes the Google page middle man. Chrome, conversely, takes you to a Google search results page.
• No really. That’s the only thing I don’t like so far.

Now when looked at individually, there’s not much about Chrome that hasn’t been done before. Unified search bar? Firefox (sort of). Single-site browsing (or site-specific browsing)? Firefox + Prism. Frequently visited pages? Opera Speed Dial.

The innovation, however, comes in the aggregate. No browser available today has an interface that is more thoughtfully-designed than Chrome. Period. Google rounded-up the best browser trends and innovations of the last few years, sprinkled them with G-Dust, and released them as one hell of a browser.

I am surprised, however, that Google’s Chrome is only available for Windows, considering it’s based on the WebKit project — the same software that powers Apple’s Safari browser. I’m also curious why they chose a WebKit core over a Mozilla core, considering the history of collaboration and sharing between Google and the Mozilla Corporation.

For what it’s worth, Google says, that Mac OS X and Linux versions are coming soon. And I hope by “coming soon” they mean “next week.” In the meantime, Windows users can download Chrome and put it through its paces.

Related

• The Pencil Project, Prism and the browser as platform
• JavaScript in Firefox 3.1 will be wicked fast
• Essential Firefox Extensions
• My new favorite Firefox extensions
• Google chrome’s FAQ for web developers