Google Chrome - Review or Random Thoughts???
About Chrome
While using Chrome, the browser from Google, I thought what more could we expect from Google? - may be an Email Client like Thunderbird, an FTP Client, and might
be an SSH client like Putty. I suspect Google is going to be the ‘All-in-one’ solution for most of us in near future.
Recent Thoughts
In this regard, two articles that caught my notice are:
1) From Statcounter - Chrome - Who’s Losing?
and
2) In WPW forum - about
security issues with Chrome.
Market Share of Chrome
Regarding the looser, it is the Firefox/Safari, i.e., the non-IE users, who are more likely to be accepting Chrome, I presume. So, we may call it a battle
between non-IE browsers. The way Firefox version "3" was launched and downloaded by the Internet Community with lots of enthusiasm few months
back, it must be something the FF developer team would not expect to happen so early. At this stage, Chrome is not going to challenge IE market, I think.
Security Issues with Chrome
Regarding Security issues with Chrome - the Carpet Bombing, Undefined Handler Exception, and App Mode (OpenDoor for Phishing sites!) - may be just lowering
down its credentials. But personally, I liked the App Mode where you can use web applications - like Gmail - without being bothered by dozens of toolbars
obstructing you from viewing the primary application properly. It definitely looks more clean and smart. But absence of a formal ‘Back/Forward’ button is
definitely a big problem while running websites in AppMode. And opening of new webpage in separate browser window in the form of a new Tab even while you are
running AppMode looks weird. It may be bit confusing as well.
Toolbar Marketers - May not be a great time ahead
With Chrome, the time may not be going to be great for ‘Toolbar’ marketers. If the basic philosophy is to keep the browser window clean and minimal, than
inspiring Internet surfers to re-install dozens of toolbars in this new browser may not be that much easy - atleast from the surfers’ perspective. They just
might be happy with minimal cleaner look and might continue to preserve it in its new form. Above all, AppMode does not let you see even the traditional address
bar, so, there is, at present, no room for accommodating ‘Toolbars’ in AppMode.
Form Data - It sucks
The textboxes in forms do not show the previously typed strings by default. So far as I’m concerned, I really did not like this. I tried to locate settings
for ‘Saving Form Data’ - but it was not there. However, it can save login information and when you load a page, it displayes the last typed login details. However,
recovering your login details is not that difficult. Simply, type first few characters of your username, and you will see the login details.
Address Bar - Superb
The Address Bar is more intelligent and it does actually intelligent guesses helping you to find urls faster. For me, when I type "G" - it opens
up "http://www.google.com/adsense/"! Fabulous!
Incognito Window - Awesome
Incognito window, a window through which you can visit pages freely without being bothered for traces of pages, which would otherwise get stored in your
browser history or search history. When you close this window, they won’t leave traces, like cookies, on your computer. This is a good move towards ensuring
better privacy particularly if you are using a shared computer and do not like to let other people know about your online activities/ visits. But it may not
be that much effective in terms of security - and Google does not claim it to be so.
A feature I may expect: Private Browsing
I do not know how do you feel but I have always felt the necessity of ‘Virtual Private Browsing’! i.e., the browser will let me login to my own account and
surf pages privately - just like other web applications like GMail etc. This is not the ‘Google Bookmar’ feature. Your entire browsing session will remain
private to you. Hope you got it. I do not know much about the technological feasiblity of this feature but I have always felt that this will be great. This
would definitely add another security layer for us, who share our PC with family members. It really do not feel great when I see my friends/ family members can
see my earnings from Google Adsense simply by typing "G" in the address bar! But it might just be my personal problem.
Secret Mission???
Now what might be the reason for Google to develop a browser, another new browser - while there are already dozens of browsers available for FREE Download? In
fact while discussing about ‘Chrome’ with one of my ex-student, his immediate reation was that - "I do not care for a new browser!" So, this might
be the reaction from a large section of usergroup. However, Google still invested in R & D for development of their new browser. And it came out so secretly!
Setting aside their official claim nicely explaining the differences between Websites and Web Applications in the form of a comic book, if we investigate
the primary reason - it must be towards monopolizing the Internet Market and grabbing more market share inspired by the unputdownable Google spree, there
might be some other reasons. Someone says, Google Applications may run better in this browser, while someone suspects that the new browser might cripple effectiveness
of ‘AdBlockPlus‘. Google will obviouly keep it as one of their ‘Trade Secret’.
Overall
However, what I feel in short about this browser is that Google knows the art to ‘keep it simple’ - from their famous ‘Search Engine’ to ‘Gmail’, including
‘Chrome’ - they have implemented this strategy to the perfection. Obviously, Chrome offers faster, simple and better browsing experience. Whether it is safe
or not, whether it will be able to snatch IE’s market share, or what might have inspired Google to develop this new browser is a matter of observation and debate
for the months to come.