Google Shines With Chrome

When Google makes a big move, it's big news. The September beta release of its very own web browser, Google Chrome, into a field dominated by Apple Safari, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox is noteworthy. Still, are you wondering if you really need another web browser? Browse this list of features:

An extremely stripped-down interface maximizes your viewing area. The top is not cluttered by the usual icons and menus that other browsers have. The top address bar doubles as a search function and a direct conduit to websites.

Chrome takes some evolutionary steps in tabbed browsing: When you open a new tab, you see thumbnails of your most visited websites for quick access. Tabs can be pulled out into separate windows and then dragged and dropped back in.

Chrome lets you set up desktop shortcuts to access your web applications. It's a sensible way to better integrate your desktop with your web work.

Activating "incognito mode" keeps Chrome from storing web information like search history and cookies.

With crash protection, tabs work independently of each other so that if one stalls out, it won't take the others down, too.

—By Amanda C. Kooser.

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