Google Chrome

Who isn't blogging about Chrome this week?  Can I just start off by saying WOW!!!  The download, install and setup were so slick, and FAST.  I have an extensive list of bookmarks and the import took seconds.  Again, WOW!!!

There are many other places you can read about the features and what Chrome can and can’t do so I won't bore you with the details.   Let’s rather focus on the real story here.  Like Gmail and Google Apps, this is not just another “me too” app.  The story is not about a new browser.  The real story is about the paradigm shift that’s about to take place.  Chrome has Google’s typical minimalistic feel which is apparent in the distinct lack of hundreds of options to set.  Just download, install and use it.  You’re not going to spend hours figuring out what options to turn on and off like in IE.  It’s very easy and intuitive.  And, over time it will change the way we view web browsing.

I learned with Gmail to just accept the paradigm shift and not to grasp for all the handles and levers that I was used to in traditional email systems.  Chrome will be the same.  Case in point; Chrome handles bookmarks differently.  But that's OK because you're going to use it differently.  It took me a while to even find the bookmarks.  Not because they are hidden.  I just didn't look for them.  I found myself typing the first part of the address and then picking from the list of suggestions from my bookmarks.  Again, so easy and intuitive.

I was watching a movie last night that was made in 1997.  They were using big, clunky cell phones that looked very dated and clumsy.  Well, a lot’s happened in the cell phone industry in 11 years.  It’s NOT going to take 11 years for Chrome to make IE look like those clunky old cell phones.  With Google’s ability to roll out incremental updates every couple of weeks it’s probably going to take less than a year or two.  Actually, IE is already feeling clunky this morning.

Download Chrome from the Google home page:  www.google.com.  The page says it’s BETA but why do I get the impression that this is going to be main stream by the end of the week?