I love Google as a company but I am getting concerned that their pace of innovation is slowing down. This browser play is an old idea. We did it at AOL many times and struggled to make a dent into Microsoft’s monopoly position and we had a client and we could add a DLL into our code. We also owned Netscape. The work done by Mozilla and Firefox – which I played a direct role in with Mitch Kapor - is truly the only “alternative” play against Microsoft. Many hands make light work against a giant and I believe Firefox is the best alternative in the market.
It sure took a long time to get this product into market just as it did for instant messaging at Google. I think they have too many PhDs; too many levels of approval; and too many teams working on projects. This kind of launch is indicative that Google is slowing down and losing some if its edge and brilliance.
Google should be focused on life outside the browser. They should be focused on mobile and next generation computing. This move is the move of an incumbent that is financially motivated NOT consumer or technology- oriented. The browser wars are long over. The cold war has thawed. Live to fight another day and a more important battle.
I’m not ready to agree or disagree with Ted quite yet. It does hold promise, particular since the lack of chrome makes it an ideal browser for Android. However, it is far from revolutionary. This may turn into a huge success as it evolves, but right now it looks like so many other Google applications (other than search) — an interesting addition to the marketplace that doesn’t have anyone quaking in their boots.
If it is better and it is distributed freely, it will be adopted. Plain and simple – kind of like Caps practice sessions!
From your lips to Larry & Sergey’s ears! Right on!
Ted,
Just download it and check it out. It took me 10 minutes to fell in love with it. It’s beta, but I don’t see any bugs yet. I don’t have download any add-ons like with Firefox and it is a whole lot faster than Firefox. I can guarantee you, it will be number 1 browser very soon. Just like they did with the search beating Yahoo, Alta Vista, whatever search engine was there when they showed up.
GO OVECHKIN, GO GO OVECHKIN! CAPS RULE!
I agree with Brendan here. You need to go look at some of the details. Chrome isn’t just a browser, its a well architected platform for Web Applications.
I have a quick question for you and hopefully I can get a response. I want looking up “Washington Capitals” on Ebay today as I do just to see if there is anything cool that I have never seen before. To my amazement, the first 3 pages (that is as far as I got) were tickets to a game in the upcoming season. Not only have I not even received my tickets yet (which is fine), I would never dream of selling away the one thing that keeps me up at night and gets me through the winter.
I guess my question is, when the Caps tickets are is so much demand as they will be in a couple years, can we not stop this firesale of tickets? I think that the Capitals have given the ticket holders ample opportunity to trade in, sell through a Washington supported website, etc. their tickets without selling them on a nationwide website to the highest bidder which sometimes means compromising a seat that could very well go to a Caps fan.
I hate to disagree with you Ted, your so often right on the money. But Chrome is not the average browser. It took a long time to get the browser to market because it represents a fundamental change to the way browsers work. I wont bore you with the technical mumbo jumbo, but just check out this benchmarking test that cnet just recently ran on all the popular browsers. I think it gives a good graphical representation as to the technology leap that Chrome represents. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10030888-92.html?part=rss
GO CAPS!!!