The name should be Platinum not Chrome (Google Chrome)

Member Name: HS28

Product:	Google Chrome
Date:	23/05/09 (162 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It is easy to use, fast and has some good features

Disadvantages: Doesn't have the golden wand

Google Chrome

**Background**

I read a review about Google Chrome the other week and it tempted me to want to try it out due to my unfortunate problems with other internet web browsers.

For years Microsoft's Internet Explorer has been my sole search engine as I didn't know there were others out there and also heard varied reports on their safety and ease to use. Explorer was always so slow and crashing all the time for me. A few years ago I tried moving to firefox but me and firefox did not seem to get along and I didn't like the layout system having gotten used to explorer for so long. Both these web engines were still slow for me and moving to vista last year made these problems heightened as vista and firefox/explorer constantly caused my problems with websites crashing and those annoying words this website is not responding!! I suppose one good thing that came out of the above two with updates was the tab system which allowed new windows to be opened instead of me having about 4 or 5 new web pages opened at once and clogging up my computer memory.

Last year though after speaking to some techno people they assured me there was another way and some reliable search engines out there. I was persuaded to try Opera and found that easy to download and use. I loved the fact that this had tab systems like above, it seemed to be quicker than the previous two, it had a magic wand to save all my passwords and it had a speed dial page with my top 9 websites and min pictures to let me click on them straight away. However lately it has seemed to conflict with my Vista and wont open for some bizarre reason. So last week I was prompted to give Google chrome a go.


** Google Chrome and getting it**

So Google Chrome is a web engine like Internet explorer and operated/owned by the Google peeps. To get Google is a breeze as if you happen to get the Google page up then underneath the Google search bar is the option to download Google chrome. If you can't find it there then Google ''Google chrome''. You click to download it and in a few minutes you have the browser fully downloaded. If gives you the option to click to agree to something to help Google but I just ignored that and downloaded the browser. It will then ask you to run the programme and begin download. It also will transfer from your default browser should you wish saved bookmarks and passwords etc. (well it did from firefox)


**Using it**

It puts a shortcut onto your desktop once downloads and will ask if you want it to be a default browser. I said yes but still have on my desktop internet explorer, opera and firefox because I dip in and out of them and have found due to vista that I am best keeping my options open!

The icon for Google chrome is red/yellow/green circle with a blue type button in the middle. Once you load up the browser it is in tab format and the tabs are easy to open up and close. At the top left is a back and forward button which is useful to me when I am browsing websites. Then there is a refresh button and is the star button to add web pages to your favourites and turns gold.

The web address entry bit is next and with it being Google it will give suggestions underneath as you enter the webpage and extremely quickly. In once the page is in and you click it seems to get the page instantly and for me this is so much quicker than the other browsers I have used in loading up pages. At the right of the address entry bar is an icon for tools and then settings with all that you would find under these buttons in other browsers.


**What is different**

Well like Opera it has a page which will store mini snap shots of the most recent pages visited so you can go in here and click what you see to get to the pages you visit most often. To the right are also your most recent bookmarks as hyperlinks and a box to help search your history of web pages. There is also underneath the search bar your most recent favourites with icons and are clickable to that site.

I like this layout as it suits me and is clear and simple. It is similar to opera in the mini page set up but different in allowing me to easily click on my favourites too. Also when I downloaded this it saved my passwords across. Whenever you need to type in boxes on websites it highlights the outside of the box gold. I do miss my magic gold wand that I had with opera which allowed me to save passwords on all sites. On Google chrome on some sites I haven't worked out yet how to allow me to save the password/customer id which means I have to remember it in my busy brain or have it to hand. I know that is good for security but I liked the magic wand.


**Overall Opinion**

I have found chrome so far to be easy to download and no hassle in transferring for me existing favourites from my other browser. I have found it to be super duper fast in loading pages and fast at predicting what I might search for. I love the mini clips of websites and also the easy links to bookmarks. I also like the simplicity of the page layout and it isn't fussy like firefox or explorer. I think it is on a par with operas layout but certainly better in reliability. As opera has let me down lately by not responding and currently will not open. I wonder if Google Chrome is so reliable due to its newness and not having as many users as the other browsers. Maybe once people start converting it will get the same problems as opera, firefox and explorer in websites crashing or not responding. Also I think vista on my computer is part of my problem in conflicting to browsers.


**Rating**

As it is early days I would rate it 4 stars as I will keep it as my default browser but keep the main others on my desktop and dip in and out of them. Ultimately one browser is not the best or perfect to me and keeping my options open is always a good and safe policy. I would definitely say it out performs explorer and firefox but that is only one persons humble opinion!

*Edit* Now rating this a 5 Star as still fantastic and still my default browser

Summary: A Great Web Browser from Google

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