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Google releases preview of Chrome 2.0

Jan. 9, 2009 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

Looks like Google is serious about ramping up Chrome to better compete with IE and Firefox. There's an alpha version of Chrome 2.0 available, and the release notes include a list of new features...

New version of WebKit. WebKit is the open source code Google Chrome uses to render web pages (HTML and CSS). 1.0.154.36 used basically the same version of WebKit as Safari 3.1, but the WebKit team has made a lot of improvements since that was released.

Form Autocomplete. Google Chrome remembers what you've typed into fields on web pages. If you type in the same form again, it will show any previous values that match what you've typed so far. You can disable Form autocomplete on the Minor Tweaks tab of the Options dialog.  (Note: this is like the basic form autocomplete available in Firefox or Internet Explorer. It is not the same as the form fill feature in Google Toolbar.)

Full-page zoom. Previously, page zoom (Ctrl++ or Ctrl+-) increased or decreased only the text on a page. Zoom now scales everything on the page together, so pages look correct at different zoom levels.

Spell-checking improvements. You can now enable or disable spell checking in a text field by right-clicking in the field. You can also change the spell-checking language by right clicking.

Autoscroll. Many users have asked for this and (thanks to our WebKit update), we now offer autoscrolling. Middle-click (click the mousewheel on most mice) on a page to turn on autoscroll, then move the mouse to scroll the page in any direction.

Docking dragged tabs. When you drag a tab to certain positions on the monitor, a docking icon will appear.  Release the mouse over the docking icon to have the tab snap to the docking position instead of being dropped at the same size as the original window.

Import bookmarks from Google Bookmarks. The [Wrench menu] > Import bookmarks & settings... option now has a Google Toolbar option to import Google Bookmarks. The bookmarks get imported into your Other bookmarks folder. The bookmarks are not kept in sync; the import process simply reads in the current set of online bookmarks.

And so on. You can download the Chrome 2.0 alpha through the Chromium Beta Channel or Chromium Developer Preview Channel, which will provide ongoing updates as they are released.

Discuss this Article 36

bluvg
on Jan 9, 2009
"Save all tabs in a tab group" is a feature that makes Chrome a no-go for me. Hopefully that's coming....
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 9, 2009
OK. Am I missing something? From this feature list I'd could see this as Chrome 1.1 but I don't see what's dramatic enough to justify a full version number change.
Ocean
on Jan 9, 2009
Mike...ever had anything good to say about a product from a competitor of MS?
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 9, 2009
"Mike...ever had anything good to say about a product from a competitor of MS?" Yes
planetarian
on Jan 9, 2009
It is strange seeing a 2.0 prerelease only four months after the original beta was released. i have no malice for chrome, but some of these features really should've been in 1.0 to begin with, and the others don't particularly seem to justify a major version bump. I suppose I shouldn't really complain though; microsoft can be just as bad sometimes.
Waethorn
on Jan 9, 2009
Something that was never addressed: Google must be feeling the hurt. Dell - the 2nd largest computer maker in the world, 2nd only to HP - has now switched to providing Live Search as the default search engine. HP is also (still) partnered with Yahoo AFAIK. Google is losing traction with partnerships.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 9, 2009
Waethorn If Google's losing the big deals for default search provider, I wonder what that says about their attempts to get Chrome preinstalled as the default browser.
Ocean
on Jan 9, 2009
Wae...that doesn't matter.
boyreinvented
on Jan 9, 2009
My 10 year old nephew was telling me that everyone he knows uses Google search and that to them, Live and Yahoo! search, just aren't cool. I don't think Google has any worries for the moment. Most people will just switch their browsers back to Google search anyway. Just wait till Google actively push Chrome. A big ad on www.google.com is all they'll need to get an almost instant chunk of browser share.
shark47
on Jan 9, 2009
"If Google's losing the big deals for default search provider, I wonder what that says about their attempts to get Chrome preinstalled as the default browser." The question I have is, where does this leave Firefox? Firefox may be a big loser if Google's browser gains traction. Also, how long before Google stops supporting it monetarily? Interesting times.
boyreinvented
on Jan 9, 2009
I think Google will happily shove money in Firefox's direction for sometime to come. Two alternatives to IE are better than one.
Waethorn
on Jan 9, 2009
"Most people will just switch their browsers back to Google search anyway." Most people don't know how to do that anyway. Some may navigate to Google directly, but Joe Average doesn't know how to change their default home page. Many people that have had Google set as their homepage or default search only got it that way because of bundling of Google Toolbar, and Adobe is shying away from it now. Sun has also stopped bundling it with Java.
tayme
on Jan 9, 2009
@boyreinvented - "Most people will just switch their browsers back to Google search anyway." Most people that I know that are not tech savvy do not use the search bars...they just go to google.com to do their searches. In fact...I usually tell them to remove any of those search bars...they are at the root of 90% of the problems that I run accross in my part time "friendly family/neighborhood tech support" job. Its amazing how when I show up and they have the Google bar, Yahoo bar, and about 5 others running and thye wonder why IE is running so slow...I remove all of them - not just turn them off, but uninstall them - and they are back to full speed. I hate those things!!! --tayme
boyreinvented
on Jan 9, 2009
True, but it won't matter. Once they go for it, Chrome will be everywhere and Google will be the default.
Sevenmack
on Jan 9, 2009
I may end up trying Chrome -- and I'm a loyal Firefox user. These days, Firefox seems to have trouble with Flash video playback and in some cases, just operating in a stable manner. IE is actually better than it used to be. But their form of tabbed browsing is still annoying. So I may end up doing something I didn't think I would have done a year ago.
Sevenmack
on Jan 9, 2009
boyreinvented: Try to be a little circumspect. There is definitely no guarantee that Chrome will be the default rolling metallic gizmo, much less the web browser of choice. There are still plenty of people like my fiancee who aren't even interested in switching from IE; it works fine for them. Hell, even my mother the techie uses IE and thinks highly of it.
techfan
on Jan 9, 2009
Firefox doesn't play nice with my machine, so when the last bug to hit IE, my default browser hit, I downloaded Chrome, and liked it -- a lot, but it's still way behind when it comes to features. From the feature list here (on the SS Blog), I don't see much that I can use. I'll keep an eye on the browser though.
techfan
on Jan 9, 2009
Sevenmack wrote: "But their form of tabbed browsing is still annoying." How so? I mean, I actually like how IE handles tabs, specially group tabs.
callayheeko
on Jan 9, 2009
@mike and planetarian "OK. Am I missing something? From this feature list I'd could see this as Chrome 1.1 but I don't see what's dramatic enough to justify a full version number change." The release notes describe seven more features in addition to those included in Paul's excerpt: http://dev.chromium.org/getting-involved/dev-channel/release-notes/relea... I see two standout features: Greasemonkey-like user scripting support and cross-platform networking code. I would argue that the first version of Chrome to run on Mac and Linux merits a major version change.
Sevenmack
on Jan 9, 2009
It's less about handling for me, techfan, as much as it is aesthetic; that proto-tab that awaits you to click on it is rather ugly. Again, it's more aesthetic than function. The lack of ability to add plug-ins like Downloadhelper also makes IE less appealing for an FLV-downloading junkie like me. But overall, IE is much-improved, almost to the point of being ready to displace Firefox. It definitely has no problems with Flash video. Chrome is interesting, but as you mentioned, Techfan, not yet ready for prime-time because of the lack of features. But I haven't made up my mind yet -- although if Firefox craps out on me one more time today, I most definitely will be uninstalling this crap.
adamb1000
on Jan 9, 2009
Mike I want you to say something good about a MS competitior just once.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 9, 2009
callayheeko I'd agree about the scripting support justifying a version bump. That's a difference that's programatically important and bumping the version makes life a lot easier for people doing scripts. I'd disagree with just adding platforms. If they did that then every new platform would give a bump.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 9, 2009
adamb1000 I have in the past, feel free to read back postings. Glad I could help you achieve the things you want. As a trade-off, I want a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, can you help with that?
robertsjoe
on Jan 9, 2009
Internet Explorer being attacked on multiple fronts is a wonderful. People will be better off the more market share IE loses to the much better competitors.
robertsjoe
on Jan 9, 2009
@mikegalos: "If Google's losing the big deals for default search provider, I wonder what that says about their attempts to get Chrome preinstalled as the default browser." The only loser in the deal (in the long run) is Verizon for choosing a second-rate search product.
robertsjoe
on Jan 9, 2009
@mikegalos: "OK. Am I missing something? From this feature list I'd could see this as Chrome 1.1 but I don't see what's dramatic enough to justify a full version number change." That is exactly what's happened with Vista 2 (Windows 7). Even though they are giving it a full version point, it's actually Windows 6.1. 6.1 is an accurate reflection.
robertsjoe
on Jan 9, 2009
Can someone please post a screenshot of Windows 7. Apparently this is an accurate description and depiction of it. http://xkcd.com/528/
Ocean
on Jan 9, 2009
robertsjoe Go away.
Sevenmack
on Jan 9, 2009
Thank you Ocean. Just what I was about to say about the nit.
robertsjoe
on Jan 9, 2009
@ocean and @sevenmack: You guys take things too seriously. Lighten up.
techfan
on Jan 9, 2009
@Sevenmack: I'm also addicted to downloading FLV files! I actually use two programs, one paid and one free, but first the "New Tab" icon in IE. Yeah. I can see what you mean. I don't mind it. I mean, it could be a bit smaller but after all I think it's a good idea, though I think maybe having it fixed to one location might be good, so as to not having it move father right as new tabs are opened. You know, so muscle memory can take hold of. Paid: Replay Media Catcher. What's great about this program is that it works on a lot of sites that not only use FLV files but also other formats such as .wmv, .mov and so on. Highly recommended but it's $40 Free: Free Download Manager is the best download manager/YouTube video downloader. It works great in both IE and Firefox. What's great about downloading YouTube FLV files with FMD is that you can automatically convert the FLV file to a number of formats (I have mine set to .wmv). Highly recommended. IE has gotten better. I've been using the brower since 5.6 and with v8, it's a lot better. Even when I was using Chrome, I missed some of the features of IE (with IE7Pro installed). I don't know what's happening with Firefox and my computer. Out of nowhere, the machine completely freezes and the only way to have access to it again is by going a hard reboot. No other program does this on my machine.
Lindy
on Jan 9, 2009
@tayme "Most people that I know that are not tech savvy do not use the search bars...they just go to google.com to do their searches." Are these the same Joe Users that find and install free AV??:)
Lindy
on Jan 9, 2009
You know you have a Joe User when they ask you to look at their PC because they thing they have "a virus" and its got at least 3 tool bars running:) Same people that never set the native resolution on their monitors so with the low res and 3+ tool bars you dont get a lot of web page to veiw.
tayme
on Jan 9, 2009
@Lindy - "Are these the same Joe Users that find and install free AV??:)" Yup!!! Same ones. Most of them hear about the free AV stuff from somebody at work. Then they install 3 or 4 of them thinking more is better...same with the tool bars! --tayme
Dipsh t Admin
on Jan 9, 2009
For downloading FLV files for many, many sites, the free DownloadHelper add-on for Firefox works wonders.
lotsamystuff
on Jan 10, 2009
"OK. Am I missing something? From this feature list I'd could see this as Chrome 1.1 but I don't see what's dramatic enough to justify a full version number change." And yet you're fine with calling Vista 2.5 "Windows 7". Go figure.

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