A gateway to Paris. But not a gateway to the web. That's a Browser
Which web browser should you use on your newly purchased used Mac? There is only one choice for us, but it's a close one: Google Chrome just pips it over Safari.
Let's start controversially. I like Safari. It's fast, it looks great and it is a true OS X application that integrates beautifully with Keychain Access and the appearance of the UI. I should use it daily. However there is a new kid in town. A kid that is just a bit less awkward than Safari. That, er kid, is Google Chrome (that's enough of analogies - Ed)
When I first got my Mac, Google hadn't even announced Chrome, it was just a wobbly rumour. I remember, for some reason, instantly discounting Safari and installing Firefox. Everyone used Firefox back then as well (if you were on Windows) as Internet Explorer is, frankly, woeful. (At work, up until recently, we still had to use IE6 without tabs... It looks like Microsoft are working hard to bring IE9 up to scratch though.)
Firefox was fine, but only fine - not great. For me it just felt too slow. Too slow to load, nowhere near as quick as Safari to render pages and, over time, it would become buggy leading me to delete it and reinstall.
But WORST of all, it just doesn't look like a Mac app. You could still see bits of its Netscape heritage (the first mainstream browser kids, look it up). This I didn't like. So when Chrome arrived on Windows I longed for a Mac version. It took a lot of longing though as it was nearly a year later it arrived. Luckily the developers at Google had took the time to make sure it was a true OS X app from the start, rather than the port that Firefox is.
Google Chrome: Not Evil. Possibly.
You're probably wondering why this integration matters? Well here's one example: OS X has a real trump card over Windows with 'Keychain Access'. This is basically a Login and Password store that is built into the operating system, which applications can use rather than store them themselves. So if you save a Password in Safari, it can be used by Chrome for example without needing to entered again. Very neat.
Extensions
One thing that put some users off Chrome at first was the lack of Extension's like Firefox boasts. These enable you to add functionality to your web browser with the advantage that if you don't want to, you don't have to. So if you want your browser to be lightweight and simple it can be. Or if you want to be able to update your Twitter or change the volume in iTunes from within the browser, you can.
Luckily Google decided to add extensions to Chrome. Have a look at the brilliant Extensions gallery (I recommend the Gmail extension. That is if you use Gmail). So if you want extra functionality like Firefox, you can now get it. Without Firefox. Ouch.
Speed
Google has always wanted Chrome to be all about speed. And it is. On Window's it easily outlicked Internet Explorer. This gap is not so big on the Mac though, as obviously we are blessed with a much better default browser in Safari. It's no surprise then that both Safari and Chrome are built on the same 'chassis' otherwise know as the rendering engine 'Webkit'.
Having milked Webkit for all it can performance wise, Chrome has thought about how we use the browser. It's extremely (surprise surprise) search focused. There is just one box for URL's and search. Now you wouldn't have thought being able to search in the same box as the URL made much of a difference. But it does. It just *feels* so much faster. Even if I think Safari 5 renders a little bit quicker. Since version 5, Safari is a lot better at offering up history in the URL bar when entering the name of a site, however it just wasn't as clever as the Google Omnibox. Just try it. Type in 'Katy Perry' and it will not only offer up the most relevant search results but it will have a guess from your history and pretty much all the time get what you expected. In this case probably the GQ photoshoot. It's magical. A little scary, but too good to care.
Innovation
HTML5. WebM. Synced Bookmarks, Passwords and History. Incognito Mode. Javascript.
Hello ladies.
Yep none of this seems very interesting. Although it all means that Chrome is rapidly developed and regularly updated. Its ability to render the next way in which websites are made 'HTML 5' and do 'Javascript' fast basically means Facebook Chat works a lot better and your Google Docs are easier to manipulate. It's basically the future of the web and Chrome is one of the best ways to experience modern sites. Just try it in IE6 and see what I mean.
This is not to say Firefox or Safari won't: Again Safari is up there with Chrome. The difference is Chrome seems to get these developments first. Google don't hold back, they update regularly. Which means your web experience is always up to date. Unless of course you hate auto updates. It does plently of these. If you do then I'd stick to Firefox. And keep checking for Big Brother through the black out blinds...
Anything rubbish?
We're nothing but fair here at UsedMac. If somethings brilliant we'll say it. If it's not good enough we wont ignore it. So here are my gripes with Chrome.
On OS X the Bookmarks bar still has too big a gap between icons. I've already written about this. It looks unsightly:
MIND THE GAP. MIND THE GAP.
Look at the Windows version. It's fine:
Vista: Johnson's never going to upgrade
You can clearly see how much screen space it wastes that could be filled with more bookmarks. Sort it Google!
It's nearly enough to make you want to go back to Vista! Hohoho.
What else? Well sometimes it will struggle to resolve a site. It's very random and most of the time its fine. I suspect this is to do with a method Google is using to make it even faster. Sadly it hiccups occasionally and you don't even get a webpage. Very annoying. Although I have also seen Safari affected in this way as Apple have recently started to use a similar technique.
The fact is though is that despite these niggles, its still feels moe intuitive to use than its rivals. There is more of a smooth flow to it. It handles tabs brilliantly, I love being able to pin them so your GMail and Facebook so they are easier to find. Crikey it's almost like its becoming an Operating System in its own right......
Download it here. Then tell us what you think. Am I spot on? Or a blinded Google fanbois? Tell me in the comments.
