Google is to launch a beta version of a web browser, dubbed
Chrome, in 100 countries today as it steps up competition against
Microsoft.
Chrome was designed to be stable, fast and secure in a clear
challenge to Microsoft's dominant Internet Explorer browser, Google
said.
"What we really needed was not just a browser, but also a modern
platform for web pages and applications, and that is what we set
out to build," according to a posting on
The Official Google
Blog.
Chrome is based on several
open source projects and includes components of Apple's WebKit
and Mozilla's FireFox. "In that spirit, we are opening our code
open source as well," said Sundar Pichai, vice-president of product
management, and Linus Upsom in the blog posting.
Chrome was "far from done" and that is why they are releasing
the beta version for windows to "start the broader discussion" and
get input from the open source community.
Google said Chrome includes a more powerful JavaScript engine,
and for improved security it features isolated tabs.
"By keeping each tab in an isolated sandbox, we were able to
prevent one tab crashing another and provide improved protection
from rogues sites," said Pichai and Upsom.
Google has also announced the release of Google Video for
Business, which is an extension to Google Apps that allows users to
share video in a secure corporate environment.
David Mitchell, senior vice-president of IT Research at Ovum,
said Google Video for Business is a further sign that Google will
become a serious player in the enterprise applications market,
especially in categories of application that demand a collaboration
or sharing focus.