Google Chrome : Review (updated)

Well I am writing this review in Google Chrome and so far so good.

Pros:

Search and address / URL bar are now one: I like that because it reduces the amount of screen real estate we use. And you can still set your preferred Search Engine in the options menu. (no Google monopoly so far)

Application shortcuts: Google Calendar, Docs and all the rest can now be added as "online applications" via the browser to your Desktop or Quick Launch, very handy and it does so in a way that when you launch those applications later, they open in a dedicated simplified Google Chrome window, without the normal browser elements.

Compatibility: I used Google chrome today to update my work's website in Quicksite Pro CMS.
Normally I use IE7 for it since I get right click functionality within the CMS but I need to use FireFox for uploading images in a flash uploader (which wont work in IE7) Today however, I found that I could use Chrome for everything, I got the right click ability and it uploaded complex files with no issues.

Importing Bookmarks, Passwords etc: As soon as you install Google Chrome it can immediately import all of your bookmarks, settings etc from FireFox. I did so and it actually feels like FireFox in that respect since all my bookmarks have loaded into the same place.

Incognito: Browse without leaving a trail on your PC by switching on the Incognito feature, I don't think this affects the trail that Google and other sites keep of your visits, but no browsing history or cookies will be left on your own machine.

Downloading: I am a sucker for smooth graphics and a very cool graphic appears whenever you download something. The downloaded appears very much like FireFox.

Cons:

Back Button: When you want to revisit a previous page where you submitted a form, such as an image search within a site, Chrome hits you with a bizarre and very annoying message.

"Confirm Form Resubmission: This web page requires data that you entered earlier in order to be properly displayed. You can send this data again, but by doing so you will repeat any action this page previously performed. Press Reload to resend that data and display this page."

What ???

IE7 and FireFox have no problems with this one. I don't know what the hell is going on but if you refresh the page it fixes it.

Set Image as Desktop Background: This feature doesnt exist!! :-(

anyway, that's all from me, I am going to play some more with Chrome...

Muzz

OFFICIAL CHROME BLOG (hopefully they will fix the bugs)

Microsoft will Suffer: Google Chrome

Now don't get me wrong, I am typing this on a PC running Microsoft Windows Vista 64bit and I love it, but its great to see other companies offering items that Microsoft doesn't need to monopolise.

Lets face it, those of us who use Mozilla FireFox (only 10% apparently) know damn well that Internet Explorer Sucks, it has even tried to catch up with FireFox by introducing tabbed browsing. Sorry Microsoft but FireFox is light years ahead.

But what have we here? Google is introducing its own Browser. Google Chrome.

Sounds interesting! But do we need yet another Internet browser? maybe Google is intending to tie together all of its web based tools, Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Analytics, Google Webmaster Tools, Google Docs, this list keeps going into its own browser. If so then I suspect another monopoly is on the horizon, or maybe its already here?

I have been using Google Calendar and I love it, I have also switched from Yahoo (premium) to Gmail (free) and I have dabbled a bit in Google Docs too and I like that it seems to be rivalling ( at least in a basic way ) Microsoft Office.

So whats the catch? is it just that if millions of people use their stuff that they can advertise to those millions of people? if so then I consider that a small price to pay.

Google is amazing and revolutionary as far as the web goes, no doubt about it, I hope they do not evolve into another Microsoft, by closing up their software and demanding high prices for new products.

I like Microsoft Windows, I like Google on the web, and I love Open Source Mozilla and Open Office instead of paying high prices for Microsoft Office.

I suppose we will have to wait and see where Google goes, but so far I am loving all the new stuff!

More Reading about Google Chrome:

• www.techcrunch.com
• blogoscoped.com
• pronol.blogspot.com
• blog.girgor.net