Google Chrome to be pre-installed on PCs in 2009?

[I-75]

Google Chrome to be pre-installed on PCs in 2009?

Posted by Sam Diaz @ 1:03 pm

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=10974

Google is reportedly thinking about cutting deals with PC makers to have its Chrome browser pre-installed on new computers, a move that could position the Internet giant to not only boost its presence in search but also put some of its branded apps - Gmail, Google Docs, Google Reader and others - in front of new users.

According to a report in The Times, Google will likely start working those deals after it pulls the “beta” label from Chrome in early 2009. Likewise, it expects to release Mac and Linux versions of the browser in the first half of next year, which positions it to be accessible by 99 percent of computers.

[Joeb454]

That's interesting. Especially as I believe Dell ship their PC's preinstalled with Firefox.

I guess we'll soon find out. 2009 is early for a Google beta to end...Gmail is *still* a beta :p

[Valok]

I think google keeps gmail in beta so people have less reason to complain about it.

"Gmail is messed up!"

Google: "sorry, its still in beta"

[RealG187]

I use Firefox and think it's the best browser. I use FF as my first. And for a second browser I use IE in Windows and Konqueror in Linux. Third would probably be Opera which I used to use back when I had Vista. The reason I needed different browsers is so FF was linked to my first account on this site, IE to the second account, and Opera to the third. I didn't have to sign out and back in, I just used the other browser.

[Dr Small]

What a very intellegent plot. Only google could have come up with that one.

[Grant A.]

I don't see why everything needs a mac port. Just compile X11 on a mac and you are good to go.

[Sealbhach]

I can imagine Microsoft using their muscle to make sure this never happens.


.

[Joeb454]

I can imagine Microsoft using their muscle to make sure this never happens.


.

I personally think that Microsoft's "muscle" must be weakening, they've started advertising Windows, which surely means they're actually concerned with the amount of market share they have, and with people's perceptions of Vista.

[karellen]

not such a bad idea. chrome is a fast lightweight browser, certainly a better one than IE7, the default browser shipped with Windows pcs

[Paqman]

Would make sense for netbooks. It's lighter than some of the competitors, and integrates Gears. We've already got gOS using Google web services to make up for lack of processor and storage on netbooks, it makes sense for Google to do it themselves.

I'd quite like to see an Ubuntu-powered netbook running Chrome and Google web apps. It'd be a very handy little machine, and would definitely tempt me to jump on the netbook bandwagon.

Mind you, until Chrome supports live bookmarks and some kind of bookmark sync system, I won't be using it over Firefox.

[Erunno]

I don't see why everything needs a mac port. Just compile X11 on a mac and you are good to go.

OSX already comes with X11 by default. You have never used a X11 application on a Mac, have you? Besides looking absolutely horrible on OSX (a no-go for many Mac users) X11 application don't follow standard keyboard shortcuts and have allegedly problems with Exposé, Spaces and the Dock. And that's what I could just think of at the top of my head after trying to use X11 apps.

Chrome would simply be rejected on Mac as many users have steep requirements when it comes to system integration.

[I-75]

I personally think that Microsoft's "muscle" must be weakening, they've started advertising Windows, which surely means they're actually concerned with the amount of market share they have, and with people's perceptions of Vista.

And Microsoft's market share will continue to slide even more as more and more government entities mandate open source with Russia being the most recent example with mandating open source in all schools throughout all regions of that country. The thing is, there is nothing Microsoft can do to stop governmental mandates and these mandates nicely puts Linux in the forefront.

A new Linux distro that could run everything that Windows could, would never be the catalyst to bring Linux into the mainstream by itself. Instead it is the open source mandates that will propel Linux into the double digit figures in just a few short years if not sooner.

Vista and its perceptions hurt Microsoft and the bleeding hasn't stopped. MSFT's new emphasis on Windows (as opposed to Vista) is a telling fact. Couple that with Windows XP is still available through the fast growing netbook market, and a new push into the server market with Microsoft home server and early interest in Windows 7 (as a perceived improvement to Vista) makes the advertising "Windows" and not Vista ... a logical marketing move from Microsoft's point of view.

Regardless on how one views it all, MSFT will continue to lose market share. Apple and of course Linux are the biggest winners. If one looks at other PC forums, like the Vista forums ... one will see a growing segment of seemingly die hard Windows users moving to dual boot with Linux. And thats a good thing :-)

[happysmileman]

I saw an Acer laptop in Dublin today with Chrome preinstalled, maybe it was just a display one or something, but generally the display ones are just the same as any other laptop in the same condition they arrive?

[-grubby]

What a very intellegent plot. Only google could have come up with that one.

...

What browser company wouldn't want their browser preinstalled? I suppose Opera has an evil plot too, since all those cell phones have it preinstalled. It is a perfectly normal move.

[schauerlich]

I don't see why everything needs a mac port. Just compile X11 on a mac and you are good to go.

Because it looks and runs terrible.

[poldie]

Would make sense for netbooks. It's lighter than some of the competitors, and integrates Gears. We've already got gOS using Google web services to make up for lack of processor and storage on netbooks, it makes sense for Google to do it themselves.

I'd quite like to see an Ubuntu-powered netbook running Chrome and Google web apps. It'd be a very handy little machine, and would definitely tempt me to jump on the netbook bandwagon.

Mind you, until Chrome supports live bookmarks and some kind of bookmark sync system, I won't be using it over Firefox.

I'm using Firefox on my netbook. I doubt using Chrome on it would make a great deal of difference, but as Chrome isn't out for Linux perhaps I'll never know.

[racoq]

not such a bad idea. chrome is a fast lightweight browser, certainly a better one than IE7, the default browser shipped with Windows pcs

Certainly better than ie7, but ie8 gives a living crap on chrome, in terms of features.When that time comes chrome will have the best browser ever made from microsoft to rival with. In the final speed won't mean much if chrome doesn't get more features, and it reduces dramatically the security holes it has been suffering.

But hey, i'm no supporter of IE, i thinkthat firefox is better than any of them, and version 3.1, will be more featured an faster.

[RealG187]

not such a bad idea. chrome is a fast lightweight browser, certainly a better one than IE7, the default browser shipped with Windows pcs

They should just ship out Linux and then they won't have to worry about IE7.

PS, there is no Linux Google Chrome is there?

[Paqman]

PS, there is no Linux Google Chrome is there?

Not yet, no. The Windows version goes stable in the new year, so expect the Mac and Linux betas to come out shortly after.

[mrgnash]

I think google keeps gmail in beta so people have less reason to complain about it.

"Gmail is messed up!"

Google: "sorry, its still in beta"

:lolflag:

Quite possible. But it *is* also under heavy development. New features seem to arrive every other week... almost :confused:

[karellen]

They should just ship out Linux and then they won't have to worry about IE7.

PS, there is no Linux Google Chrome is there?

for many people shipping Linux installed by OEM is not a solution, for various reasons. plus, chrome is available only for Windows, at least for now

[sertse]

Well, Google is a company that also as enough "muscle" of it's own to fight against Microsoft's "muscle", to do a strategy like this.

In response to a comment made earlier

[mikjp]

I don't see why everything needs a mac port. Just compile X11 on a mac and you are good to go.

How many mac users know how to compile anything?

[zmjjmz]

More OSS can only mean good things, right?

[RealG187]

for many people shipping Linux installed by OEM is not a solution, for various reasons. plus, chrome is available only for Windows, at least for now

I didnt say to include chrome. Firefox is plemty good.

[master5o1]

Did I read that right? Google is removing the BETA label from one of their products. OMG!

[Grant A.]

How many mac users know how to compile anything?

How many Ubuntu users?


Btw, X11 apps can be integrated into a Mac's theme, it just takes some work. Sorry about that post btw, I meant use X11 properly on a mac, not compile.

X11 is a FOSS, contribute to it if you want it better, and quit complaining that it doesn't "look good" I can name atleast 20 OS X theme clones for GTK+, QT, and WxWidgets. Picking something JUST for a theme is a horrible idea.

[Polygon]

it is better for anything to use a systems native toolkit. Its like windows shipping a GTK program by default. It works....and it can be themable to look like windows, but its just better to have it use the windows toolkit and widgets.

and most people, even people i know who are horrible with computers andknow almost nothing about them use firefox. its going to take a loooong time before google chrome gets a good marketshare, even if it is preinstalled.

[indiapavan]

Mind you, until Chrome supports live bookmarks and some kind of bookmark sync system, I won't be using it over Firefox.

I second that thought. It matters most to me since I am a blogger. If it has live-feeds as good as firefox or even Safari, I am willing to even ditch Firefox.

[Kernel Sanders]

I for one welcome this. Anything that helps kill IE is a blessing.

[el mariachi]

I wonder what toolkit will chrome use in Linux... qt, gtk or something else??

another thing I also wonder about is: why are all the good and old apps from google (except for google itself) are beta? :D haha