Sony adopts Chrome as default browser for VAIO line

Google's Chrome was already the default browser on the VAIO NW we handled a month ago, and now the Financial Times delivers confirmation of a wider distribution deal between the search giant and Sony. According to the report, new VAIO laptops and desktops will come with Chrome preinstalled -- an "experimental" arrangement -- and, most importantly, will default to Google for both their homepage and search queries. Pair this with the agreement to bring over a million Google Books to Sony's e-readers, and you start to see some clear lines being drawn in the sand. Intriguingly, Google is said to be pursuing similar distribution pacts with other manufacturers, which would place Internet Explorer's stranglehold on the uninitiated user under threat. Your move, Microsoft.

[Thanks, Matt]

[Wesley Posted Sep 1st 2009 1:35PM]

I use Chrome sometimes, but Opera is my main browser, cause it is very fast and has the best features that all the others end up copying.

Chrome is quite fast, but I think it does use a lot of memory -e.g. often when I open up existing tabs it takes a long time for the page to appear (and it apears slowly from the top of the screen to the bottom) and it's like using Windows Vista waiting for something to happen with the ribbon turning around. It also needs a proper bookmarking system, a way to open recently closed tabs (a bin) and when you push BACK it comes up with the massage that you have to push refresh, which is like the first Internet Explorer versions did and it is irritating.

Here's me preference.

1 Opera
2 Firefox
3 Chrome
4 Internet Explorer

[thefourthheat Posted Sep 2nd 2009 5:48AM]

I used to use Opera as my primary browser since it does have a lot of useful stuff.
But I got used to Chrome because I got a netbook and the problem is that Opera is not very good with running javascript. Which isn't a big deal if you have a powerful computer, but javascript-heavy web 2.0 stuff runs like total crap in Opera on a netbook.
And once I got used to Chrome I put it on all my other computers...then replaced it with Iron because yes Google Updater sucks and no I don't want Google sending weird unique browser info with every damned search I do.
Seriously though it's like the optimal netbook browser since it runs javascript blazingly, and takes up less vertical space.
The only downsides to Chrome is the lack of speed dial keyboard shortcuts like opera, the lack of a good ad blocker plugin like firefox has, the fact that Google owns your soul, and random websites not supporting it (aka Netflix)

[ch3burashka Posted Sep 1st 2009 1:35PM]

This is a big step in Chrome's proliferation. I wonder if Sony got a nice fat check for this, or if they came to some other agreements.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 1st 2009 5:43PM]

Geez, do you guys even know why IE6/7 is the most compatible? BECAUSE YOU GUYS KEEP USING IT. So we (web developers) had to make all of our websites "compatible" with it. Three years on this field and nothing has changed because of that stupid piece of junk. Seriously, everyone stop using IE6/7, so we can bring our websites to the next level.

[rento Posted Sep 1st 2009 2:06PM]

No plug-ins no Chrome... Besides I love Firefox!!

[thefourthheat Posted Sep 2nd 2009 5:38AM]

Extensions are finally supported now but yeah there's a lack of good extensions. The only decent ad-blocker plugin actually downloads the ads then hides them (on purpose since the author didn't want to hurt ad-view revenues).
I'm sure this will get better though once people start working on more plugins, but the only other thing that is somewhat worrying is the whole...google knows everything about you thing.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 1st 2009 2:31PM]

It's interesting that Sony is more and more partnering with Google to use their software and resources. In the past, that was the problem: Sony could make (arguably) some of the best hardware around, in many different categories, but the whole thing would be crippled by lousy software, or a bad UI at least. Hopefully developments like this Chrome deal, the eBook tie-ins, and Android for Sony Ericsson and the Walkman are signs that Sony isn't afraid to start outsourcing the stuff they frankly aren't good at, so that they can focus on engineering and design, where they're usually pretty solid.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 1st 2009 3:08PM]

I hope they make it the default browser on the Playstation!

[nthn2551 Posted Sep 1st 2009 3:54PM]

It always makes me so happy when I hear things aren't going optimally for both Microsoft and Toshiba.

[Quikboy Posted Sep 1st 2009 5:29PM]

Why?

[Quikboy Posted Sep 1st 2009 5:29PM]

Darn, I was hoping they'd put in IE8. I actually like IE8 and it does a fine job for me.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 1st 2009 8:53PM]

If sony can somehow work with google to bring the chrome like OS to the ps3, It would be huge. Chrome rocks

[scottkrk Posted Sep 1st 2009 7:13PM]

Hopefully this will accelerate the move to standards, the sooner we have have Webkit as the open standard available to all, with no need for proprietary video formats, codecs and plugins the better. No more Flash, Real Player, WMV, just video and/or audio what ever they specify in HTML 5.

This could end up being Google's biggest gift to the web.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 1st 2009 8:52PM]

Just be sure users to kill that malware aka. Google Update.

[thefourthheat Posted Sep 2nd 2009 5:40AM]

I ran a buncha tests and if you're on a fast connection Chrome can actually be faster than Firefox even though firefox is using ad block.
But then again I don't run regular Chrome anymore...Iron doesn't have the google updater and it has it's own bootleg ad blocking system (not as pretty as adblock plus and it breaks the back and forward buttons but it works).

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 2nd 2009 7:47AM]

I haven't used firefox since chrome came out last far. It is speedy, minimalist and stable.

[JPB Posted Sep 2nd 2009 9:06PM]

Sony + Google : Amazon + Microsoft + Yahoo : and then Apple on it's own?

Makes sense in a way -- Apple is rumored to be moving into the eBook space, all three have competing music stores, and all three have competing set top boxes (Xbox, PS3, AppleTV) and all three have handheld PMPs and mobile OS's. The only missing piece here is that Sony/Google doesn't have a desktop OS. I've been saying this for a long time, but Sony needs to embrace Ubuntu more whole-heartedly (to effectively have it's own OS) and push OpenGL based game development (to break free from Windows). Sony has great hardware, but by sticking with Microsoft they are holding themselves down -- unable to fully customize the software side to match their hardware.