With just one day since Google Chrome opened its tabs to the world, the new browser is causing a momentum among users, experts, journalists – pretty much anyone using the Web really. Why? The answer is very simple: the browser promised to deliver a different experience from what we see in today’s browsers, and even though it is still a beta release, with a lot of polishing needed, it does seem to put Internet Explorer and Firefox in trouble.

The first time I opened Google Chrome I just knew I’d love this browser, since it generously offered to import all my data from my current browser, including browsing history, which practically makes you feel like you’ve been using Chrome since forever.

It did seem a little bit tricky at first to spot the tabs, which unlike other browsers, are placed above the address bar. However, the idea is quite interesting, and navigating has never been easier. Another plus for Google Chrome was the speed: Google’s browser is capable of loading pages faster than existing browsers.

In addition to the address bar, there are about 7 more buttons that pretty much complete the user interface. That effect however shouldn’t be surprising, if we take into consideration Google’s Search page, which is beyond simplistic (that didn’t stop it from becoming widely popular).

In addition to the classic options accompanying the address bar, such as Back, Forward, Reload and Bookmark This Page, Chrome also offers a set of options, again very simplistic, to customize the browser, a Control The Current Page button and a Go To option at the end of the search bar. One thing that will probably surprise most people is that there is no Home button, however, the browser offers a set of Most Visited websites on each start, so why should there be a Home option?

The really cool thing about Google Chrome is that it handles very well multiple tabs, while at the same time it doesn’t crash when one site crashes. Furthermore, Google Chrome allows you to drag a tab onto the desktop, which will create a new window for that tab.

However, you can tell this is just a beta, since there are still a lot of things Google needs to take into consideration for an improved tab system. One of those things would be creating a list for all tabs, since opening a large number of tabs will simply have you guessing which tab is which, so while you might enjoy working with a lot of tabs simultaneously, you will find yourself in a blurry situation.

Leaving all that aside, Google Chrome was intended as more than just a browser: “We think of the browser as the window to the web – it’s a tool for users to interact with the websites and applications they care about, and it’s important that we don’t get in the way of that experience,” said Google’s Sundar Pichai, Vice president of Product Management.

Google tried to incorporate all the things a user might want from its browser, including building it as a platform for web pages and applications. However, you can tell this is a beta, and Google already promised to use user feedback in order to perfect its creation.

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8 and Mozilla’s Firefox still remain top competitors on the market today, as Google Chrome needs polishing. And although it has its flaws, this is clearly a good start for Google in the “browsing business.”

Microsoft released a statement following the Google Chrome announcement: “The browser landscape is highly competitive, but people will choose Internet Explorer 8 for the way it puts the services they want right at their fingertips.”

What people are questioning right now is the future of Firefox, who might be losing its users if Chrome proves to be the browser of the future. However, as Google co-founder Sergey Brin pointed out in a statement, we might see a closure between Chrome and Firefox: “I hope that big chunks of Chrome can make it into the next generation of Firefox.”

Update: Amongst the subjects of debate regarding the new Google browser, Chrome, one is particularly interesting: will Google’s Chrome manage to gain market share at the expense of Internet Explorer or at the expense of Firefox?

First of all, I must say that it’s too early to bring this question into debate. While Chrome is indisputably a good, quick and accurate browser, let’s not forget that we are talking about a product which is light years away from its competitors.

Unlike Internet Explorer and Firefox, which are already mature products, Google Chrome is still in infancy. Of course, Google Chrome is shaping up to be a serious competitor, with lots of interesting ideas, approaches and features, but it needs a lot of things before it will be able to go head to head with any of the two browsers named above.

For the moment, there is a lot of hype surrounding Google’s unexpected decision to go gunning after Internet Explorer. But after the initial excitement, it remains to be seen how many will remain faithful to Google’s browser.

On the other hand, despite being the most successful search engine known to mankind, Google’s ventures into other areas, such as e-mail or instant messaging have not been so astonishing.

Even if Google Mail or Google Talk are good products, in terms of market share, both are still behind their competitors from Microsoft or Yahoo.

On the other hand, “beating” Internet Explorer is not an easy job. Firefox needed five years to reach the 20 percent milestone.

Of course, Google is not Mozilla Foundation and it has a lot of money and ways to promote its browser. Still, it is hard to believe that Chrome will rise up faster than Firefox. Let’s not forget Firefox has had to compete only against Internet Explorer, while Chrome is facing two fierce competitors.

Also, judging by the last beta version released by Microsoft for Internet Explorer, its embattled browser is shaping up to be an interesting and good piece of software.

So, don’t rush to proclaim Chrome as a champion, because it’s a long way to the top…