Google Chrome - Download Squad

Your stop for Google Chrome news, analysis and testing.

A small mistake sent a comic into the web, unleashing the Speculation Machine: Is Google releasing a web browser?

The answer: YES!

We're going a little Chrome crazy on September 2, 2008. But then, so is everyone else. The question is, does Google Chrome really matter? We think so, yes. Stay tuned for more news as we get it.

A quick look at early reactions can be found here (all links were published before the press conference).

Here's our meta-liveblog of the Chrome press conference, where our Christina's answered your questions as best they could.

Jason Clarke takes a first look at Chrome. Plus, check out the Chrome gallery with shiny new things, oooh!

Chris Clark answers the question: "what is the omni bar?" Hint: they don't serve drinks.

Lee solicited first impressions on Chrome and got quite the response.

But what does Seth Godin think about Chrome?

And what are some features Chrome has that other browsers lack?

Reader Corey tips us to a possible IE7 Mode coming to Chrome, but at this point it's a rumor with a screenshot (see below).

Christina takes a look at Chromium, the open-source side of Chrome.

Switched reports on a security flaw with Chrome that is fixed in Safari, but Google hasn't patched yet.

Uh oh, looks like both Peter Rojas and Profy were able to crash the entire Chrome browser. Peter thinks it might be the download manager, whereas Profy was using Google Maps. Let's hope they allowed error reports to be sent to Google.

Lifehacker has a look at all the About: pages (check out the tubes!).

Former TUAW blogger C.K. Sample has a shot of Chrome running on his Eee PC.

During the Talkcast, one guest sent us an article about Firefox 3.1's Tracemonkey Javascript engine -- they claim it'll be faster than V8!

ReadWriteWeb reports Chrome is confirmed for Android.

Get your Chrome on wherever you or your flash drive goes with Google Chrome portable.

Fred Wilson gives his 2-cents on "Musings of a VC in NYC."

Chrome reportedly surpasses Opera in users (via TechCrunch).

Here's the Mahalo page on Google Chrome.

Once again, Lifehacker does a great "power user" guide to Chrome.

Sick of Chrome? Here's a little tonic from OSNews refuting the "Web OS" idea.

Featured Time Waster

Civiballs is a beautiful, soothing physics puzzle Time Waster

I have an absolute weakness for physics games, and while Civiballs isn't the strongest physics-based game, what it lacks in the physics department it makes up for a few times over in style and fun.

In Civiballs, you are presented with a few colored balls, and your goal is to get those balls into the same-colored urn on the level. The "civi" part of Civiballs is that there are 3 sets of levels to play, each representing a different civilization. While the civilization doesn't affect gameplay, the artwork for each level is beautifully themed to it's appropriate era.

To play the game, you are given only one tool - a sword with which to cut the chains that are holding the balls. The puzzle part of the game is in figuring out what order, and with what timing to cut each chain. Do it right, and all the right balls end up in the right urns, with no stray balls entering an urn (a no-no). Do it wrong, and you get to start over again.

Civiballs is not terribly deep on gameplay; the entire game can be completed in about 15 minutes. But if you enjoy this type of game, it will be a very enjoyable 15 minutes.

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