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EIC Squared: Chrome, iPods, and a Dell-Salesforce union

On this week's EIC Squared podcast ZDNet's Larry Dignan and I discuss Google's latest disruption in the Web 2.0 field, the Chrome browser, as well as Apple's product launch event on September 9. In addition, Larry explains his idea that Dell and Salesforce.com could merge. Dell is trying to be more of a software company and is using the Force.com platform, and Salesforce.com is a major Dell customer. But, it's unclear how Salesforce.com, its shareholders and customers, would hugely benefit from a union.

How will Google Chrome change the user experience on the Web?

By Gianluca Brugnoli, Principal Design Analyst in frog design 's Milan studio

Google Chrome was born explicitly as a platform for Web applications. From the first bits I saw I can say that Google's new creation delivers most of the promises and brings new interesting innovations in the user experience realm. Competitors will find them hard to ignore, especially when you look at the tab concept improvements. For a good review of these points, you can refer to this post on Ars Technica.

Many hailed Google's move as a revolutionary step. And indeed, with Google Chrome, the Web … Read more

10 things we'd like to see in Chrome

So far we're pretty smitten with Google's Chrome. It's certainly not without its faults, but for version 1.0 of a browser it's pretty sharp. We've compiled a list of 10 things we'd really like to see added or tweaked. Some come from other browsers, and some are just improvements on some of the existing features. Google, we hope you're listening.

1. Profile roaming between multiple browsers. This may be a pipe dream, but if Foxmarks for Firefox has proved anything, syncing up your bookmarks between multiple machines is awesome. Doing the same … Read more

Timelope makes your browser history public, social

I had a funny moment earlier this week when I showed Google's Chrome to one of my friends. She was floored that one of the top nine most visited sites featured on the browser's start page was Woot.com. Given how much browsing I do as part of this job I suppose it was surprising even to me, but it's also a hint of how intriguing your browsing history can be to others.

A service called Timelope is banking on that idea, letting users share their browsing history (or at least selected parts of it) with the … Read more

Understanding Google Chrome

Google's new Chrome browser is an interesting entry into the revitalized "browser wars." Given Google's Apps and Gears, the browser has essentially become the "OS" that contains them, so it makes perfect sense that Google would want to extend into that area to give it more control, and provide custom functionality that could not be accomplished with other browsers that it does not control.

But what is also interesting is how Google chose to describe some of its capabilities and intentions to the world: with comics.

The comics form has a number of benefits, … Read more

See Chrome's inner workings--and an Easter egg

Google's Chrome browser has as Spartan a user interface as possible, but the browser's Omnibox also turns out to be a window into a much more elaborate view of the browser.

That's because Chrome users can type several commands into the browser's address box to uncovers a wealth of nitty-gritty detail and an amusing Easter egg.

Firefox can be fine-tuned by typing "about:config" into its address bar, and other about: commands shed light on many details. Google followed suit.

Most folks won't care a whit, but the feature is notable for programmers--both … Read more

Google Chrome extensions: Not yet, but later

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--One of Firefox's initial claims to fame is the fact that the browser can be extended with a multitude of plug-ins, and even though Microsoft caught up with Internet Explorer, Firefox still has an extension edge over Google's new Chrome Web browser.

For now.

"We don't have that in the beta today, but we definitely plan an extension API," or application programming interface, Sundar Pichai, a Google vice president of product management, said at the Chrome launch event here Tuesday. "It is one of the things we will get to next.&… Read more

Google Chrome needs more than hype

When Google announced its new Chrome browser on Tuesday there was a tremendous amount of buzz in the media, Silicon Valley, and Wall Street. But what about John Q. Public? Average Internet users couldn't care less.

Google introduced Chrome with a ton of technical mumbo-jumbo about rendering Web pages and running applications written in Ajax and JavaScript. This dialogue may put most users to sleep rather than get them to switch browsers.

So what does Google really need to do to make Chrome a success? Here are a few suggestions:

Find a few killer applications. Whether its YouTube or … Read more

A video first look at Chrome

On Tuesday we shot a "first look" video of Google's new Chrome browser for CNET TV. In case you're on a Mac, running Linux, or if you're avoiding going through Google's entire list of feature videos, we've broken out some of the ones that set it apart from the competition.

What's demoed:

Tab dragging off the browser and back in The omnibar search box/address bar Customized start page Incognito/"porn" mode

If you want to see the widescreen, high-resolution version, click here to be taken to the CNET TV … Read more