Google’s new beta version browser, Chrome, is out now for
all interested Windows users. The company released Chrome’s first version in
122 countries in 43 different languages, and it is expected to provide in the
near future two other versions for Mac OS X and Linux.
Chrome offers a whole new take on Web browsing, looking to
help users focus on the applications and the content of the pages they are
viewing, rather than wasting time with browser toolbars and buttons. Of course,
these changes will demand some time in order to get used to the new browser,
but its developers claim that will ensure a faster and a more effective Web
surfing action. The increased speed performances are caused by its
multithreaded browser that can simultaneously process several Javascripts,
allowing users to use one tab for a certain task and at the same time use
another for a different activity. At this point, most browsers are
singled-threaded, which means that once a Javascript process is started, the
browser waits until the process ends before dealing with other tasks.
The company admitted that these separate processes for
separate tabs will cause a bigger memory usage, but in the long run it will use
less memory. According to the presentation, the difference is that once a tab is
closed in Chrome, the memory process is completely closed and memory is freed
for future use, while traditional browsers keep certain fragments running in
case users want to reopen the closed tabs.
Google decided to put detachable tabs across the top, making
it easy to drag and drop them into the browser or rearrange them. Its new
display shows the most visited nine Web sites, the searches performed most and
the latest checked bookmarks.
After receiving complaints about the many flaws and errors
encountered by users while running Chrome, Google released its first update designed
to deal with four security-related issues. The update was automatically sent to
all the browser’s users. One of the problems was related to a SaveAs
vulnerability, which enabled attackers to execute arbitrary code on users’
systems through a stack-based overflow, once users saved a malicious Web page with
an overly long title tag in HTML. The issue with the URLs that end with a
percentage sign was also handled, as up until now it led to a complete crash
of the browser with all its tabs and sessions.
Being considered a market with huge potential, companies
keep investing in their browser’s development as they seek new and attractive
features. One of these companies is Opera, the world’s 4th most
popular browser. The company recently rolled out its new 9.6 version which
brings an improved synchronization with Opera Mini browsers on mobile phones
and several other new features.
"When Google announced Chrome, many experts predicted the
death of Opera," the organization's representative, Thomas Ford, told
BetaNews in an interview. "Google is too big, Opera too small. At the time
we said our numbers would grow and we would continue to innovate. I'm pleased
to say we're doing both."
Chrome has a long way before reaching the state Google wants but with some hard work and good advertising, the company can make it happen.
