• My Week With Google Chrome

    by  • February 27, 2010 • Apple, Internet, Reviews, Technology • 6 Comments

    For the past week, I have changed by default browser on both my home and work computers (Apple iMacs running Mac OS X Snow Leopard) to Google Chrome. I have not previously used Chrome and have been a long-time loyal user of Firefox, but I’ve heard good things and figured I’d give it a shot. Knowing I wouldn’t get much out fo it just downloading it and surfing for a half hour, I decided the best way to really get to know it is to not use other browsers and exclusively use Chrome.

    The Good
    The absolute first thing I noticed when I opened it up is that if I had blinked, I would have missed it. When it comes to opening speed, Firefox is, well, slow. I had previously thought Safari was quick to load, but Chrome even makes Apple’s default browser seem sluggish. Beyond just opening, page loading is also speedy and smooth. Also a terrific feature is the ever-growing selection of extensions. This is something that I’ve always enjoyed about Firefox and is a great first step if Google wants me to switch over to their offering. Even the interface itself is clean, intuitive, and simple to use. Overall it is a very appealing browser and is constantly being updated with new features trying to stay ahead of the competition.

    The Bad
    I’m not a big fan of the search box and address bar merger. I have a ton of different search engines that I use regularly and the ability to rapidly toggle between them. Chrome, sadly, does not make this an easy task.

    The Ugly
    There were more than just a handful of sites with nagging visual errors that just simply are not there when using Firefox or Safari. I can overlook just about every other issue I have with Chrome, but incorrectly displaying pages that I frequent is a dealbreaker.

    After a week, I will admit I am impressed. Although Google Chrome will not be usurping Firefox as my primary browser, it has earned a spot in my Applications folder and I will be continuing to use it as a secondary browser.

    • http://www.uogaddict.com Mike

      I do enjoy using Chrome, but I just can’t give up Firefox. There’s so many plugins that I use regularly that are not available yet for chrome.

      Some of the plugins I use everyday are firebug, web developer toolbar, and ad block plus. I have a feeling it will be awhile before there’s a chrome ad blocker since most of the ads are from Google!

    • http://www.primakow.net/ Evan

      That’s basically where I am at too.

    • http://truvoipbuzz.com Alok @ TruVoIPBuzz

      From what I hear, the Mac edition is not as good as the Windows counterpart. But gives the speed at which G is updating its browser, I am guessing it will be a great option in times to come.

    • http://www.primakow.net/ Evan

      That wouldn’t surprise me, but I havn’t used the Windows version at all for comparison.

    • http://www.mygadgetplanet.com Pankaj

      I still like Firefox over Chrome although chrome is a bit lighter but still buggy.

    • http://www.cleverbox.co.uk/ Jon Web

      I love google chrome. Anyone that’s still using an ordinary browser needs examining. Its very modern and moving with the times :) I work on producing and creating school websites, and when i recently went to my last school for a meeting, some of the staff were talking about the impact of chrome and how all the pupils respond much better to it. Success? yes.