Google Chrome - Why did they leave out the BROWSER??

Google released its new "browser" called Chrome this week. It's a disaster.

While Chrome has lots of geek features under the hood, it does not do the one thing a browser should - navigate the net.

(Ahh, remember the days of Netscape Navigator? The eyes are wistful.)

Here are five things wrong with Chrome:

1. There is no option to SEND a link or page. I send links and pages ALL DAY. This gives me good karma. Chrome does not have this feature. Dumb.

2. There is no version for MAC - With all of Google's vast programming resources they couldn't bother to release a Mac version? Mac users favor lean, clean design. A better strategy would have been to release it ONLY FOR MAC first. This would have made the PC nerds envious and lusting for the new, shiny toy. Opportunity missed.

3. There is no drag and drop to the link bar. The new funky omnibox does not display the URL's mini- icons that other browsers let you drag around the screen and desktop.

4. There is no default HOME button. When I use Internet Explorer I hit Home, which for me goes to GOOGLE NEWS, about 30 times a day. Why would Google force you to find a crazy option to turn this on?

5. Google's new Incognito feature DOES NOT WORK. Chrome tells you that while in Incognito mode "Pages you view in this window won't appear in your browser history" - YET THEY DO!

The list goes on.

I am sure Chrome has speedy javascript parsing and other features that will help us in a world where software is moving to the web. What use are these, though, if the core browsing experience is missing?

Grade: C-

Wait till version 5 of this one. It's a clunker.

Follow Jack Hidary on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jackhidary

Comments

[rvweber]

That's strange - I have read nothing but rave reviews from a myriad of diverse sources. Are you sure you read the user guide? Is there a tutorial?

[rgersmrk]

"A better strategy would have been to release it ONLY FOR MAC first. This would have made the PC nerds envious and lusting for the new, shiny toy. Opportunity missed."

Yeah, make a beta of a browser that serves less than 7 percent of the market. Smart move. I mean as a company wouldn't you want to reach to the largest user base first then address the fringes? It's not rocket science.

As for the rest of your criticism, one word. BETA. This is the first iteration of their beta and Google even said it was missing alot of the features and would be adding them (and fixing bugs like the incognito bug) in future releases.

It's a pretty nice browser although the "revolutionary" features they are touting about this browser are included in IE8 beta 2 and the latest beta of Firefox. I'm interested in seeing what Google does with this. My personal feelings are that most developers won't want to support another browser and that Firefox and IE will continue to be the 2 top browsers.

[stuckinOK06]

The use of caps in this article is REALLY ANNOYING. You really didn't tell me much about the browser in your article. THANKS ALOT.