Filed under: Google, Analysis, Browsers
Google Chrome First Impression: Is It What You Expected?
Maybe I need to use it for more than a couple of hours. Maybe the blogosphere hype machine pushed my expectations to the point of being unrealistic. Sure, Chrome looks nice. It does render some pages a hair faster than Firefox - for example, Google Docs, reader, and GMail. I'm sure that's just a coincidence.
Still, I've already got a great web browser (Firefox) with some great addons that I use heavily. Some of the sites I use every day (including Blogsmith, our blogging platform) I'm not about to switch to Chrome just because it's shiny and new (no pun intended).
Maybe the point to all this is that Chrome isn't supposed to be for people that like Firefox. I can see average Internet Explorer user liking it just fine: the interface is clean and straightforward, and it's great at what it does do. Google's got massive brand power, and that may be enough to finally make some inroads with the people using IE "because it's there."
Me, I'm sticking with Firefox for now. We'll see what the competitors can muster for their final releases.
What do you think of Chrome so far? Is it good enough to make you switch? Let's see some comments.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Todd said 6:18PM on 9-02-2008
Good for surfing pr0n! Maybe as an Android development tool, but that's it. FF3, albeit a massive memory hog, will still be my browser of choice.
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Quikboy said 12:54AM on 9-03-2008
You know what I find funny? Chrome and IE8 seem pretty much alike in some ways. Here's what they do have in common:
1. Tabs run different processes - If a tab on IE8 runs into an ugly site, the whole browser DOESN'T crash. Just that one tab. Google claims it's doing the same. I don't think FF3 has it yet.
2. Privacy mode - IE8 is InPrivate. Chrome is Incognito.
3. Fancy address bar - IE8 is called Smart Address Bar. Chrome's is "omnibox". Both do search suggestions. top visited pages, popular sites, favorites, RSS, etc. Same exact thing practically.
4. Performance - What modern browser hasn't been working on performance issues? As Google has done with Chrome, Microsoft has also tackled JavaScript performance issues. Among the other things.
5. Security - Considering it's still fresh out of the oven, the browser won't be attacked much just yet. IE8 has a big line of security improvements and tweaks, and if you're using it with Vista's Safe Mode, then it technically is absolutely secure.
But I applaud Google doing the open source thing, and using Webkit. I welcome competition, but I don't feel Chrome is offering anything more than what IE8 or FF3 is already doing. I'm quite content with how browsers are still browsers.
To me, Google Chrome is just a way for Google to extend it's reach across the web.
hazard said 4:18AM on 9-03-2008
Chrome is an awesome debut.
cons:
zoom feature is poor (FF provides much higher level of granularity and better scaling)
can't search bookmarks because it's drop down list!
hate tabs being on the title bar (prefer tabs under the address bar)
(for me) the downloads manager [tab] concatenates information while a download is active
pros:
multi-tab rendering performance (superior to FF and IE and equal to Opera)
I like having history in it's own tab
Chrome's Task manager is way cool
tab movement is very nice
observations:
how many processes can one window instantiate? seemly no limit!
9 chrome.exe's running so far and counting.
new process instantiated if create new tab manually but not necessarily if you create tab with context sensitive menu (right-click-new-tab)
memory useage is no better than other browsers (209MB after 20mins of usage), it just spreads it out over multiple processes. nonetheless this should provide more robust performance compared to any other browser out there.
a temporary process is created when navigating to new site ie you're on downloadsquad.com and then move to engadget.com
I love the multi-process architecture of this new browser but will stick with FF as my preference mostly due to plugins and also the principle of suppoting an independent product.
Lucas Colmenares said 6:19PM on 9-02-2008
The one and only reason I'm not fully switching, yet, is: add-ons!!
As soon as they start making new, and powerful add-ons, I'll be sticking with Firefox.
However, I must say....I used it for about an hour....and it was hard to go back and use Firefox....
Even my dad, who is the average IE user, liked Chrome a LOT.
I give props to Google, they did a MUCH better job than I expected. I wont say it is that much of a competition right now (in beta) but, watch out Microsoft...because...[once again]....you have competition....
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iambored8907 said 6:33PM on 9-02-2008
I have been using Chrome all day since it was available. I have been using it for 4~5 hours straight, and it hasnt crashed once. It has a cool download status bar built in. Now all I need is a ad-blocker then I would permanetly put firefox to rest. I wonder if foxmarks could work? I cannot find the place the bookmarks are saved
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Andrew said 8:49PM on 9-02-2008
I cant imagine Google (an advertising company) allowing an ad blocker on their own browser.
It just sounds crazy that they would allow anyone to block the very ads they are trying to serve.
Evan said 9:39PM on 9-02-2008
I don't think that they would try to prevent ad-blocking extensions as it would give seasoned Firefox users a major reason not to convert. Just browsing some of the comment threads from the blogosphere today, lack of an extension API has to be the top criticism. Considering the lengths Google went to emphasize that Chrome isn't just a marketing tool for their services, I would be very surprised if they took an "anti ad-block" stance.
jjooeh said 9:39PM on 9-02-2008
Near the top-right there is a button that has an option to display the bookmark bar always.
Robotochan said 6:35PM on 9-02-2008
I rarely use the add ons in firefox, other than the ad block and RIP to get rid of some rubbish. I've been trying Chrome for an hour now and it's great, nice and simple and not having to fear my browser crashing because javascript decided to hang. The main boost I have is that unlike FF3, my NZB files will automatically open... which is nice
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ian said 6:37PM on 9-02-2008
Good enough to become my number 2 browser after firefox. Tough i think that might change soon.
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Trent said 6:39PM on 9-02-2008
Not being able to scroll up on a touchpad drives me up the wall. Not having the ability to put RSS feeds in my toolbar is annoying. Not having a more customizable interface is a slight issue, there's some usablity nags Ill need to get over. (for instance my mind is hardwired to using a search box to search, not the address bar)
Other than that, it's great, low on resources and fast. If they can get a handful of solid third party plug-ins (adblock, downloaders, theme support) I love how the download bar is the default, no pop up/under window. I love how it groups tabs from the same website together, and how things generally seem very smooth. The Most Visited new tab page should be standard on every tabbed browser.
Hopefully the issues I have will be solved with addons/updates.
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Trent said 6:44PM on 9-02-2008
Also, the autocomplete filling its entire self out as you're typing is slick.
cosmo.lesbox said 11:21PM on 9-02-2008
The touchpad scroll works for me.... :-?
El Taco said 9:46PM on 9-02-2008
all exactly my thoughts. I can't scroll up on my touchpad either (Dell Vostro 1500) and that's one of the big reasons that's keeping me from switching from firefox because it gets very annoying, and also no add-ons which is definitely a downside, but still I will use this before IE, Opera, or Safari (which I also have installed on my laptop)
an4rew said 6:44PM on 9-02-2008
Is there anyway to autosort bookmarks in alphabetical order?
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UCO said 11:51AM on 9-09-2008
I'd like to know also
Alex M said 6:44PM on 9-02-2008
So far I'm liking it a lot. Except I didn't remember the web being as flooded with ads as it really is :(
I've only tried it for an hour, but adBlock is the only add-on I've missed. Let's see how it fares after this week.
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Bufsabre said 6:46PM on 9-02-2008
ill switch as soon as it has syncing like avant and opera and as soon as addons can be imported from firefox ((i cant live without adblock plus)) but other than that i like the interface and i like that its google so it should get updated fast, one thing that surprized me was the bsd liscence, so be prepared for it to be hijacked, developed change the name and pictures and have it released propreitary ((im looking at you apple))
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Bufsabre said 6:56PM on 9-02-2008
okay, msn, live, hotmail, whatever, webmail doesnt work on chrome, that would be my first major complaint, the others are just annoyances
Bufsabre said 6:57PM on 9-02-2008
well, it works but its got tons of rendering artifacts, i blame MS more for this than google, the first thing live mail told me was to upgrade my browser to IE7 ff3 or safari