Google Chrome Review 2012

The latest version of Chrome is jam-packed with highly convenient features, including synchronization, tabbed browsing and privacy functions. Using your Google account, Chrome can sync your bookmarks, browser preferences and extensions so that they are available on any computer once you sign into your account. This is advantageous because it allows you to easily access your own add-ons and preferences regardless of what computer you are using. It’s also ideal for households with a single computer.

Chrome’s tabbed browsing, while basic, is another thing the web browser excels at. With a single mouse click, you can rearrange tabs, duplicate tabs and even drag tabs to open new windows. Not only can tabs be isolated, but they also function independently, meaning if one tab crashes, the others are not affected. Lastly, if you open a new tab from an existing one (e.g., clicking on an embedded link), the new tab is placed next to the originating or parent tab, rather than at the end of your list of tabs. This makes it much easier to keep related tabs organized and grouped together.

Another notable feature of Chrome is its privacy browsing. The browser boasts incognito mode, which doesn’t track your browsing as you navigate webpages. When a browser in incognito mode is closed, it also deletes cookies and passwords from that session. You can have browsers in normal mode and in incognito mode open simultaneously.

Another innovative feature that Google takes from traditional operating systems and applies to internet browsing is a task manager. You can open the online task manager and see which websites and applications are running and how much computer memory they are using. You can even check out the "stats for nerds" section and see detailed information about browser memory usage and the various processes running.

Chrome has most of the other standard features we were looking for when reviewing internet browsers, including automatic updates, RSS feeds and a password manager. The browser does not have any parental controls and likely won’t in future versions. Google has said that it believes there are other ways to monitor internet use, and there are already several third-party applications that exist for monitoring.

Security:10/10

Chrome is designed to keep you safer and more secure on the web with built-in malware and phishing protection, auto-updates to make sure you have all the latest security fixes, and more. When you navigate to a website suspected of phishing or containing malware, the internet browser displays a warning. The browser also has auto-updates, ensuring your security features stay current without any action on your part, and it employs the sandboxing method. Sandboxing helps block malware and isolates what happens in one tab from affecting the others, so once you close a tab, that process is completely terminated. Sandboxing is an effective method for preventing malware from installing itself on your computer and monitoring your online activities or stealing personal information.

Speed & Compatibility:10/10

Google Chrome is remarkably fast. In fact, the internet browser is the fastest of all major browsers. During our timed trials, Chrome initialized for the first time of the day within seconds, as it did during the subsequent times we launched the web browser. Navigation time is remarkably fast as well.

Google has taken initiative in making Chrome very compatible with the internet. Chrome was specifically designed to quickly and efficiently load, display and interact with the vast array of applications on the web, boasting a built-in Flash and PDF reader.

Ease of Use:10/10

Most internet browsers are built for function over form, but Google Chrome is a web browser that succeeds in both. The layout is clean, intuitive and well organized, and Chrome manages to achieve a level of simplicity other internet browsers lack. Its features are clearly designed for efficiency and ease of use, and you can search and navigate from the same box. Furthermore, the browser allows you to conveniently create shortcuts to web applications you regularly use, which can be placed on your desktop for quick and easy access. We also liked that when you have multiple tabs open, they get smaller as you open more and are all still displayed, rather than in a side-scrolling fashion like other internet browsers. Google Chrome is the ideal exemplification of how modern web browsers can – and should – minimize their footprint on your system resources while remaining flexible, feature-rich and easy to use.

Help & Support:10/10

Google Chrome has an in-depth help center that provides support in a variety of categories. The help center has resources to help get new users started, and help advanced users fully customize their browsing experience. You can also check on known product issues, browse FAQs, and change language and display settings. Google also provides a help forum where you can post issues, interact with other users and even provide useful feedback for other users experiencing issues.

Summary:

 Google Chrome is unquestionably the best overall internet browser on the market. Chrome’s features provide you with rich convenience features, a clean layout for intuitive navigation and security functions that enable safe browsing. Furthermore, the internet browser’s top speeds and standards-compliance render Chrome’s performance unrivaled and substantiates its rapidly growing user base. With Chrome originating from an open source project, we look forward to what the internet browser will offer in the future. No doubt Google Chrome will continue to lead the pack in terms of innovation, security and usability.