Yes, I’m talking about Chrome browser from Google. It might sound unbelievable ‘cos the 1st version is only come out like four months ago. Well, from the information from Google System Blog, this information was quite correctly. Actually, you could see it for yourself.

Google Chrome Update system has three different channel. One for stable version which everyone using, one for Beta which is a bit ealier where still a a lot of bugges around and Developer versions where the idea was just put in there, mean an absolutely unstable version. You could set your Chrome to update to a specific chanel to get you update through a small software from Chromium. This is the link to an article o Chromium Blog (Developers of Chrome) about update channels : Google Chrome Update Channels. And you could change your update channel by this software:  Google Chrome Channel Changer.

I was quite eager to test out the new Chrome version and a bit disappointed though. It’s is not much different from the stable one, the interface are the same. One function I’m really looking forward in Chrome is Add-in system. But it’s still not there yet. As long as Chrome don’t have a proper Add-in System, it’s kind of hard to compete with Firefox for Developers user.

Can’t deny it has some funky functions (Which I don’t need to use ).

• AutoComplete is a function which missing from the original one. BUT it’s in FireFox and IE for such a long time ago so, I’m kind of don’t really feel special.

• Zoom in and Zoom out with CTRL – and CTRL + is quite useful for old people when they want to read newspaper. Quite useful but not a cup of tea for me. (Note: you could go back to normal with CTRL + 0).
• Middle mouse scroll, another normal function in other browsers now added into Chrome.
• You could now drag a tab, move to side of your screen and dock it there. A docking system of Chrome. It’s just not the way I expect it to be and I found it quite useless (personal though only ).
• Profile browse, now it’s interesting. You could create many different setting profile ex: homepage, bookmark… Well, don’t have me much yet, but could be helpful for some one.

• GreaseMonkey: Now this is maybe the most exciting feature for someone who use to programming in Firefox. Now you could bring your GreaseMonkey code from FireFox to Chrome but not so easily though. 
• Also some important update at Javascript engine and webkit and security is made.

Although right now you couldn’t make an add-on for Chrome yet, it’s useful to check out Chrome source code from Chromium website. They documented all the information you need to digg into Chrome and personalize your own chrome. And if you’re not a professional in programming, you could learn a lot from the structure and the style of them.

Personal though only, don’t take it as an offence if you love Chrome. I love Chrome as well ‘cos it’s fast, it’s simple. But it’s too simple. The new tab page with the history of all page I visited maybe not the best idea, it’s actually a bad idea when I couldn’t turn it off . I believe Chrome will be a great browser in the future which could actually compete with FireFox and IE. But for developers, Firefox is still the best choice with their rich library of Add-on. I’m looking forward for a Chrome version with full of developer add-on.

INFORMATION FROM:

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2009/01/google-chrome-20-pre-beta.html