Google Inc is set to introduce on Tuesday a new Web browser

[mountainhiker]

The browser wars are going to heat up now: Google Inc is set to introduce on Tuesday a new Web browser designed to more quickly handle video-rich or other complex Web programs, posing a challenge to browsers designed originally to handle text and graphics.

Google officials confirmed news of long-rumored plans to offer its own Web browsing software, entitled Google Chrome, in a company blog post after it mistakenly mailed details of the plan to a Google-watching blog, called Blogoscoped.com.

Check out the quiet announcement New browser

With the news that IE8 is a bloated HOG things could get interesting.

Heads up on this one, great article in September 1, 2008 (Computerworld)

Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) requires more than double the system memory of its main rival, Mozilla Corp.'s Firefox, and spawns nearly six times the number of processor threads, a performance researcher said today.

Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) Beta 2 also consumes 52% more memory than its predecessor, IE7, and uses almost three times as many threads, said Craig Barth, chief technology officer at Devil Mountain Software Inc., a Florida-based maker of PC performance testing software.

Computerworld

[Simon]

Hmm interesting indeed. I didn't know about this.. There have been rumours for ages that Google was developing a browser.

My first reaction is rather negative.. "Oh no, not another browser..."

Ohh and here is the Google Chrome Comic! ;)

[Simon]

And here are some Official Google Chrome Screenshots

The browser looks.. kind of.. ugly.. :cute:

[Simon]

You can now download the Google browser, click here!

At the moment it only works on Windows Vista/XP :whistle:

[Steve_Barker]

In once sense another browser to bite away at the IE strangle hold is no bad thing - obviousl I have not tried it (Linux / FreeBSD user), but I have used Konqueror and like it very much - but I do find it a bit sluggish compared to Opera. What may become a problem is, will Google stop paying Firefox / Opera for searchs, and funding schemes to encourage Firefox uptake?

[Steve_Barker]

If this is a step towards Google OS, then it may well be a good thing.

[mountainhiker]

Using the new Google browser now on Enviro Space, pages load very well. This is a blow to IE since it was announced that the new IE8 take almost twice the memory as IE7, a real HOG. Google has commited to fund Firefox thru 2011 so you have to wonder but it appears that this browser is aimed at the "end users" who wish to browser the internet and do so quickly. It does not have any of the developer tools of Firefox. Many companies may have to consider looking at it due to its low memory use.

[Simon]

I've just downloaded the new google browser... So far I got mix feelings.. It's both ugly and not ugly..

One thing is for sure tho, I will keep using Firefox and Opera a bit longer.. :)

[mountainhiker]

I've just downloaded the new google browser... So far I got mix feelings.. It's both ugly and not ugly..

One thing is for sure tho, I will keep using Firefox and Opera a bit longer..

Since it has no web development tool like Firefox it is good for faster browsing on the internet, plain design may be helping it some, but not a replacement for Firefox or IE yet. If the don't get the memory issue fixed with IE8, I can see people using it to browse the web since it is faster than IE8.

[Simon]

Since it has no web development tool like Firefox it is good for faster browsing on the internet, plain design may be helping it some, but not a replacement for Firefox or IE yet. If the don't get the memory issue fixed with IE8, I can see people using it to browse the web since it is faster than IE8.

True. But wouldn't it be more likely that ordinary IE users go to Firefox (or maybe even Opera) before this new google browser? Or has Google such powers and influence over ordinary IE users they will take the leap to google chrome asap? I doubt that, but it could be possible.