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September 19, 2008

Google Chrome Review in 25 words

Pros: Great UI (not break-through, but very nice), Fast
Cons: Memory hog, Crashes a lot, not quite as compatible
Summary: Its my default browser - go figure!

September 2, 2008

Google Chrome: Quick Browser Benchmark

Update: IE 7 was not included because it took too damn long to finish and I got bored.

Using Dromaeo.

Firefox 3_____2042 ms
Safari 3.1.2__2561 ms
Chrome 0.2:____540 ms

Actual product thoughts forthcoming after a few days of usage... but my "first 10 minutes" review is: nice, but nothing that would make me switch (from Firefox).

September 1, 2008

New Browser: Google Chrome -
Launching Tomorrow! (maybe?)

Update: Official statement.

Lots of information available at blogoscoped. Of particular interest is how it looks like its going to be introduced: using an online graphic novel by Scout McCloud.

The new JavaScript VM should be interesting - I've certainly felt you could achieve 5-10X current JavaScript without resorting to a JIT for dynamic languages. Too much is made of the process isolation (IMHO) - though there is something nice in the idea that each tab is a "reboot" of your browser.

They also outline some UI design choices which I think are appropriate - we did them quite intentionally on AOL Explorer, and (forgive the sense of vindication but) two items I feel particularly that I pushed (larger back button and tabs above the address bar) look like they're mainstreaming... pity we blinked so often back then.

Hopefully there will be more in "Google Chrome" - a rethought browser is looooong over due. Definitely read Scott's comic commentary as to why.

Probably unfair to juedge without a test drive, but what I see in screenshots is still pretty incremental (as was AOL Explorer) - it would be a continued sign of corporate hubris to imagine success by tweaking a successful formula and sticking their brand on it.

(Note that I'm not saying it won't work.... :P)

I'll post some thoughts when I try it out.