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Google Polishes Chrome Browser

Google has high hopes that Chrome's unique features will make it a suitable competitor to Microsoft Internet Explorer and other browsers on the market

By:

Nicholas Kolakowski
May 22, 2009

Google announced in a blog posting that tinkering with its Web browser, Chrome, had achieved some success: a new stable version of the program runs JavaScript-heavy Web pages some 30 percent faster than the previous stable iteration.

As part of the announcement, Google suggested that it was working hard to incorporate features requested by the online community, including AutoComplete, Google Toolbar compatibility and proxy settings adjustment.

“Additionally, we’ve added some useful features like form autofill, full screen mode and the ability to remove thumbnails from the New Tab page,” Darin Fisher, a member of the Google Chrome Team, wrote in the blog posting. “If you’re already using Google Chrome, you’ll be automatically updated with these new features soon.”

Although Google Chrome occupies only a small portion of the U.S. browser market, it has been making incremental gains. An April 2009 report by the research firm Forrester found that Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 had 60.2 percent of the market in December 2008, and Internet Explorer 7 had 39 percent, while Chrome had 2 percent, up nearly half a percentage point from its release in September 2008.

In March 2009, Google rolled out a beta release of Chrome that included additional browsing tools, such as basic form autofill and full-page zoom, to better compete against Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and other browsers. Since the initial rollout, it has tried to keep its browser loaded with unique features such as Google Gears, a hybrid search address bar.

Google also claimed that beta version was twice as fast as September 2008’s beta version, thanks to seven months’ worth of design work and 29 updates. Although the “beta” designation had been initially dropped in December, the company re-attached the label to the March release in order to encourage feedback.

Update: Read our review of Chrome 2.0

Categories: Infrastructure, Search Engines, Solutions & Apps

20 comments

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How can I leave google chrome and return to Windows Explorer
Post by : geoff collier, May 30, 2009 : 3:48 pm
I assume you’re talking about returning to Internet Explorer (Microsoft’s web browser), and that should be easy enough. It’s still on your PC. It’s just a matter of opening it again from your Start menu, and making it your default browser.

Myself, I’d download Firefox, though.
Post by : Peter Judge, June 1, 2009 : 7:30 am
When running Chrome it takes much less CPU than IE does. It’s fastest browser I’ve ever seen. But Chromes recognises much fewer add-ons than IE sometimes I have to switch to IE.
Post by : Charlie, December 3, 2009 : 2:15 pm
Shockwave flash - Keeps crashing on Chrome - anyone else?
Post by : E.M.Thomas, December 27, 2009 : 8:03 pm
friend siad it is faster
Post by : stanley derbyshire, March 15, 2010 : 11:49 pm
I really like google chrome but it has one dreadful fault every time I try to print anything chrome crashes this happens all the time on any site can anybody help with a solution
Post by : keith, March 17, 2010 : 1:21 pm
Google crome has revitalized my under powered laptop. Windows explorer has always been slow. Google crome allows you to search the web exactly as YOU the user has defined not the browser. NICE JOB GOOGLE CROME.
Post by : Mike, March 23, 2010 : 3:44 pm
I have lost all sound since installing google chrome; tried uninstalling/installing chrome and adobe flash player but nothing works and annoyingly Google do not offer any fixes. Any ideas?
Post by : Matt, March 26, 2010 : 1:28 am
last week i was playing in the compter and something happened now all the games in my dell compter has gone and even yhoo.com please help google chrome
Post by : junita limbu, March 27, 2010 : 1:31 pm
is there a ‘favorites’ button
Post by : Alastair Johnston-todd, March 29, 2010 : 4:48 pm

how do i download google chrome
Post by : gregory strange, March 30, 2010 : 10:37 am
why is google so slow, it was breaking down all the wile on facebook, its slower than the old one why,, takes 10 min, to move when i turn on the computer.
Post by : les thomas, May 23, 2010 : 12:15 am
PLEASE SEE THAT WHEN I PUT THE COMPUTER ON AGAIN THAT IT IS FASTER,
Post by : les thomas, May 23, 2010 : 12:20 am
iv tried to download google-chrome about 50x. each time it says succesfully downloaded and installed,but each time i try to open up the programme to use the net,it displays : error 102. what is wrong with my computer??? help, please someone ?
Post by : becki willis, May 23, 2010 : 7:57 pm
@becki willis: It is obvious, your computer is suffering from ERROR 102!!!
Buy a can of ERROR 102 remover and spray it all over the screen and keyboard. That should fix that.
Post by : RipRap, June 18, 2010 : 1:02 am
I’m looking of a “How to make best use of Google Chrome” Manual or Guide. First off, I’ve always wanted to be able to enter my E-mail address with one stroke,as it seems to promise. Roboform does most of the job in some cases, but can I have it on a toolbar?
Post by : Whitaker Delgoffe, July 9, 2010 : 2:04 pm
This is the World of graphical innovations.
Post by : CHIDI BENSON, July 25, 2010 : 4:38 am
found that it will only save 1 persons passwords which to be honest is a pain in the ass when the laptop has multiple users. i feel this is a big fuss about nothing as my machine ran the same as always and graphics ect were also the same.
Post by : rebecca millard, August 22, 2010 : 5:20 am
why google chrome not supporting javascript validation,

why showing error message during run time when javascript page run, error- prevent this page from creating additional dialogue, if we click then further no validation.
Post by : Gulab, August 31, 2010 : 12:39 pm
i was very sad because there no internet onmy comperter and i tried and tried to get google chrome but it didn’t work.

SO HELP ME!
Post by : junita limbu, August 31, 2010 : 12:40 pm