- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 2000
- Date added: November 05, 2009
- Total Downloads: 1,072,109
- Downloads last week: 19,632
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 977 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on October 16, 2009
Chrome is Google's attempt to make the Web browser disappear and to focus on the applications and pages users are viewing, rather than on the border with its tools. Some of Chrome's basic underpinnings are quite novel, but people will recognize other features as they exist in other, open-source Web browsers on the market today.
Chrome is blazingly fast and is easily the quickest browser available. Based on Webkit, the same open-source engine that powers Apple Safari, Google's Android mobile platform, and several other Web-browsing tools, Chrome's interface is a drastic departure from other browsers. Instead of the traditional toolbar, Chrome puts its tabs on top. Moreover, the tabs are detachable: "tabs" and "windows" are interchangeable here. Detached tabs can be dragged and dropped into the browser, and tabs can be rearranged at any time. By isolating each tab's processes, when one site crashes, the other tabs do not.
The search box and the address bar have been fused into a hybrid "Omnibox," which includes suggestions for URLs culled from your browser's history and search suggestions from your search engine. It also remembers site-specific search engine results. There's also Application Shortcuts, a feature that lets you create desktop icons for Web-only applications, such as Gmail or Calendar. The stealth mode, Incognito, lets you surf without the history recording cookies. With version 3, themes have been introduced to Chrome and users can reskin the browser with more than 30 choices--not quite the depth of Firefox, but they don't seem to negatively affect performance. A developer's version of Chrome supports extensions, which haven't made it into this stable release yet. If you're addicted to Web apps and a need for speed, though, Chrome just might be the shine your browsing experience has been looking for.
Publisher's description
From Google :Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the Web faster, safer, and easier. Use one box for everything--type in the address bar and get suggestions for both search and Web pages. Thumbnails of your top sites let you access your favorite pages instantly with lightning speed from any new tab. Desktop shortcuts allow you to launch your favorite Web apps straight from your desktop.
What's new in this version:
- Resolved a history issue that affected going back from queries in Google Maps.
- Fixed issue with Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.2, where no content would be displayed.
- Fixed an infinite loop in AAC decoding.
- Fixed a top crasher.
- Fix issues where setInterval sometimes eats 100% CPU.
- User not warned for some file types that can execute JavaScript
- Possible memory corruption in the Gears plugin
- Security Fixes:
More popular Web Browsers downloads
- 76,876 downloads 1. Mozilla Firefox
- 49,964 downloads 2. Internet Explorer
- 46,067 downloads 3. Avant Browser
- 19,632 downloads 4. Google Chrome
- 13,648 downloads 5. Opera
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.7 stars out of 977 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 5 user reviewsSee all 5 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Google Chrome 3.0.195.32
Pros: perfect , simple , fast , numer 1 browser of the world.
Cons: better then this impossible
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Version: Google Chrome 3.0.195.32
"Best browser in the whole wide world!"
Pros: It's faster than any other browser I have ever used. Extension system is going into its rightful place. What else do you ever want? Chrome has speed, customization, and security. However, extension support is in the dev channel for now.
Cons: Nothing to say.
Summary: I am using the dev channel version with all the extensions turned on. There are some minor imperfections, but it's getting there. Adblock, mouse gestures, WOT.... I couldn't believe the dev channel would be so stable. I have not yet encountered a cr... read more >>
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Version: Google Chrome 3.0.195.32
"The browser that get the job done"
Pros: Blazingly fast. No lag between click and action. Never have I seen my Chrome crash. Tabs at top helps preserve vital screen real estate.
Cons: No extensions supported yet.
Summary: If all you wanna do is browse, this is the one for you.
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Version: Google Chrome 3.0.195.32
Pros: Fast, Not a resource hog like firefox or , god-forbid, internet explorer, good crash management (if one tab starts acting up it doesn't take down your entire browser), and it's low profile, great look for the minimalists.
Cons: Well in the beginning it was the lack of add-ons, but those are here now so all I can think of is maybe a particular add-on or toolbar you may use that might not be available.
Summary: Great fast browser, nice firefox alternative, I'd imagine you'd get a better use of the limited screen real estate on a netbook.
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Version: Google Chrome 3.0.195.32
"Quick browser with many pros"
Pros: It's faster than Firefox and IE, a real plus.
Cons: Perhaps it's because I'm a relatively new user, but I miss toolbars. I use PDF Creator frequently and currently have to switch to Firefox to use it.
Summary: The browser is fast, in contrast to Firegox and IE that sometimes bog down. I use Chrome when the other two are sluggish, but do miss access to toolbars.
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