Chrome - web browser by Google 40.0.2214.69
It’s amazing how neither Apple nor Microsoft - the tech giants that laid the foundation of personal computing - have been able to deliver a compelling web browsing experience to render alternative solutions irrelevant.
Hence the need to get yourself something that really works. Such as Google Chrome.
Desktop-like browsing on your iDevice
These days, web browsers are a dime a dozen. All of them offer dozens of features, but most of them are counter-intuitive and badly optimized for mobile devices. Chrome makes the most of the iPhone’s 4-inch screen, and the iPad’s 10-inch display.
Tabs are visible and big enough to touch, and they’re grouped vertically to finally solve the real estate problem posed by the iPhone’s small display.
There are very few controls in the menubar above, which is a good thing. Why clutter the UI with dozens of buttons that many people will probably never use? Hence the decision to include one button for creating a new tab, one for options (like History, Share, Find in Page, Print, etc.), and one for browsing your open tabs. You’d think it’s too simple, but it’s actually very convenient and clean.
Cross-platform experience
One key advantage that Chrome has over competing web browsers is that it’s 100% cross-platform. What you get on iOS you’re likely to get on Android in pretty much the same way. In fact, much of the functionality in the mobile version can be found in the desktop version, and vice versa.
The web browser brings something different to the mix by supporting right-to-left support to the omnibox for Arabic and Hebrew.
There’s also the fact that the app comes with Cast support which will work with any of your Cast-enabled devices, including the famous Google dongle Chromecast. By installing App Extensions, you’ll be able to post and share content, while an additionalcool feature that Chrome comes with nowadays is the ability to download and open files in Google Drive if you have the app.
Signing in with your Google account further ensures that your experience is unified across all your devices. Moving through tabs is as easy as swiping left and right on the display, searching can be done in the URL bar or by using your voice, and Incognito ensures your privacy wherever you plan on navigating next.
On iPad everything is even more spaced out, the tabs arrange themselves in a desktop-like manner, and on all devices you can choose to have any specific content open in Google’s other apps (like videos in YouTube and directions in Maps). You can chose a different search engine other than Google and set it as your default choice, save passwords and autofill forms, and even tweak multiple privacy settings for maximum flexibility.
One thing Chrome lacks is charisma. It’s not designed to impress, but only to make web surfing fast and painless. Some people might accuse that, and will choose a browser that lets them customize the color palette, the background, etc. It could be better in some other areas as well, but we’re not here to expand on stuff that might fall in the subjectivity realm.
Add to watchlist:
Search engineBrowserPortable version:
In a hurry? Add it to your Download Basket!
0/5
Hits & Misses
hits
|
misses
|
Bottom Line
Design / UI9
Google hasn’t set out to impress anyone with pop and glitter. Proud as they are, they managed to keep Chrome really simple and barebones |
Function8
In almost every aspect it touches, Chrome delivers. It’s intuitive, it bridges the gap between desktop and mobile browsing, and offers a way to sync your browsing habits and preferences between devices |
Security9
Chrome offers enough options to let the user select just how much of their web browsing info gets sent over the web, and receives constant updates from Mountain View with the latest security patches |
Battery8
Chrome is well optimized for iOS and doesn’t drain the battery more than normal |
Price9
Completely free, as you’d expect. No hidden costs or anything, but it’s kind of pushy about creating that Google account. This prevents the 10 score here. |
Compatibility9
Requires iOS 7.0 or later, but it's compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The app is optimised for iPhone 5, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. |
One of the few web browsers out there that offers a decent cross-platform experience
Specifications
- price:
- 100% Free
- current version:
- 40.0.2214.69
- reviewed version:
- 40.0.2214.69
- developer:
- Google Inc.
- category:
- INTERNET & NETWORK
- os version req.:
- 7.0
- age rating:
- 17+
- in-app purchases:
- No
- hits:
- 900