Google to release Chrome browser

Posted on Tuesday, September 02 2008 @ 15:35 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
Last year and in 2006 we heard several rumours that Google might be working on an Internet browser and yesterday Google accidentally confirmed the existence of their Google Chrome browser. A Google blogger messed up and published the information, actually a comic, about an upcoming open source browser from the search giant a bit too early.

Several sites noticed it and a bit later Google published a message on the Google Blog that a beta version of Chrome will be officially released today. The Google Chrome browser is based on elements from Apple's WebKit and Mozilla Firefox - the firm says it will be available for Windows, Linux and Mac.

Here's a quick overview of what Chrome has to offer. One of the interesting features is that Chrome runs each tab in a "sandbox":
All of us at Google spend much of our time working inside a browser. We search, chat, email and collaborate in a browser. And in our spare time, we shop, bank, read news and keep in touch with friends -- all using a browser. Because we spend so much time online, we began seriously thinking about what kind of browser could exist if we started from scratch and built on the best elements out there. We realized that the web had evolved from mainly simple text pages to rich, interactive applications and that we needed to completely rethink the browser. What we really needed was not just a browser, but also a modern platform for web pages and applications, and that's what we set out to build.

On the surface, we designed a browser window that is streamlined and simple. To most people, it isn't the browser that matters. It's only a tool to run the important stuff -- the pages, sites and applications that make up the web. Like the classic Google homepage, Google Chrome is clean and fast. It gets out of your way and gets you where you want to go.

Under the hood, we were able to build the foundation of a browser that runs today's complex web applications much better. By keeping each tab in an isolated "sandbox", we were able to prevent one tab from crashing another and provide improved protection from rogue sites. We improved speed and responsiveness across the board. We also built a more powerful JavaScript engine, V8, to power the next generation of web applications that aren't even possible in today's browsers.
TechCrunch got their hands on a photo of Google Chrome's interface:



About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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