Google Chrome hits beta for Mac and Linux, extensions available for extra-smug Windows and Linux users

At long last Mac and Linux users don't have to feel like second class citizens in Chrome land: they've got official beta versions of Google's browser to call their own. Of course, people have been running the open source Chromium version on both sides of the fence for ages, but beta brings with it a new level of stability and officialness. Google is also finally launching extensions for Chrome, which is available for the Windows and Linux versions of the browser, and with Mac compatibility on the way. There are already 300 extensions available, not a bad start, and hopefully a good indication of the sorts of added functionality we'll be able to stuff into Chrome OS with the help of a seemingly-excited developer community.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[sooperfli8791 Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:30PM]

Its about time

[Dragngt Posted Dec 8th 2009 3:08PM]

@sooperfli8791 Too little, too late. Honestly. I may download it and try it but I have no real reason to drop my two main browsers I'm already comfortable with.

[sooperfli8791 Posted Dec 8th 2009 3:14PM]

@Dragngt
That is true.. Firefox suites me just fine, and I hate importing all of my bookmarks and such.

[x181 Posted Dec 8th 2009 7:04PM]

@sooperfli8791 Firefox, for me, has become to slow. I'm glad they finally came out with Chrome for Mac/Linux.

[ciancrobbo Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:31PM]

Typo on extension *exension

[One Love Posted Dec 8th 2009 2:10PM]

@ciancrobbo : don't be extra smug.

[pcwolff Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:35PM]

Looks nicer in Windows than in OSX, in my opinion. Having the tabs start slightly to the right looks sorta odd to me.

[JoeRodricks Posted Dec 8th 2009 2:18PM]

Don't be UI hatin'

[AdamSpruijt Posted Dec 8th 2009 3:48PM]

@pcwolff I'm going to have to agree, it just isn't done very nice in OSX and it feels out of place with other apps.

[jamiepgs Posted Dec 8th 2009 4:12PM]

@pcwolff I have to disagree, but that's just because I'm a Mac user and naturally feel more comfortable with such designs. Although it does look odd with the tabs a little more to the right, I assure you that it is only in the appearance that it is odd, it's perfectly functional as it is.

I would've appreciated slightly more 'Macish' buttons, which is only really aimed the the back/forward buttons and the close buttons on the tabs, which turn a rather unsightly red when hovered, but I'm sure that, in time, someone will fix that, if Google doesn't.

[eggimage Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:41PM]

umm.. I'm still waiting for the official version of the browser..

[Zweben Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:51PM]

@(Unverified) Keep in mind Google's habit of calling things Beta that most companies would call 1.0. It's probably fine to use on a daily basis.

[eggimage Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:53PM]

@Zweben
that totally makes sense
I think i'll go ahead and get it downloaded lol
thanks

[DJ Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:41PM]

Hmm, if Chrome get some advanced tabbing and mouse gesture extensions Google may have taken over another part of my life...

[MrAffrox Posted Dec 8th 2009 5:14PM]

@DJ
Install BetterTouchTool it really helps my workflow. You can customize your whole Mac to your heart's content. I have four finger tap to maximize windows (actual maximize), three finger swipe up for new tab, three finger swipe down for close tab. And it's free!

[ipodman715 Posted Dec 8th 2009 5:38PM]

@DJ I use ChromePlus which has built in mouse gestures and adblock.

[Hotrod Posted Dec 8th 2009 7:22PM]

@MrAffrox BetterTouchTool is really great. Constantly getting updated with new features and bug fixes too.

[Zweben Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:42PM]

I've been using Safari as my primary browser since it came out. This is the first browser other than Safari that I can actually see myself using full-time. I hate the toolbar layout in the newest version of Safari, Chrome gets it right, plus it's getting extensions.

[sirthought Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:59PM]

@Zweben Plus, it handles Flash much better than Safari

[Zweben Posted Dec 8th 2009 2:02PM]

@sirthought What's wrong with Safari's Flash support? I thought the entire point of Flash was that, as a plugin, it worked the same across browsers.

[mrqs Posted Dec 8th 2009 4:10PM]

@Zweben

i've been using safari for like a month now just to see what it's like (normally a firefox user) and there are a few of things that are pushing me back to fox:
- keyboard shortcuts like ctrl+w or ctrl+tab stop working erratically (bug, other 2 are missing features)
- when i move my cursor on top of a href, i don't get notified where the link leads
- the address bar's autocomplete is an infant compared to firefox'

[Zweben Posted Dec 8th 2009 4:16PM]

@mrqs

If you want to see where a link leads, select "Show Status Bar" from the View menu. You'll get a bar at the bottom that shows URLs as you hover over links.

[Shash450 Posted Dec 8th 2009 5:31PM]

@sirthought
I've always wondered what the hell that was about as well.. I used to use Safari on a daily basis, but random YouTube videos started doing my nut in - especially the HD ones. Firefox handles it like a trooper, and I haven't turned back since - which is a shame, since I love the history/bookmarks/top sites grid thing on Safari.....

[Shunnabunich Posted Dec 8th 2009 5:36PM]

@Zweben ("...plus it's getting extensions")
Correction: extensions are "on the way". Judging by the past, that means late 2011 at best.

[JonObea Posted Dec 8th 2009 7:31PM]

@Shunnabunich ok. im using them right now though.

[ChazClout Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:43PM]

I love it.

[cjcamilla Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:43PM]

Jeez. I can't even download it. I feel like I'm the only one =[

[Jeff Kibuule Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:44PM]

Hopefully Chrome extensions won't slow down the browser like Firefox extensions have a bad habit of doing.

[dunn Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:45PM]

not going to lie, never thought this would happen esp. when the chrome OS was announced.

looking forward to putting this up against firefox on fedora when i get home

[Jorvay Posted Dec 8th 2009 4:40PM]

@dunn

I've had a pre-release running on my netbook on Ubuntu for a while. It runs very smoothly. Though between the two on a full-featured machine, the speed is fairly similar.

[dunn Posted Dec 8th 2009 6:06PM]

@Jorvay Yeah little touch and go on load times early on...i'll give it a day to cache some stuff, but early on firefox is still numero uno

[jordanice77 Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:45PM]

i have been using it for about 4 days...absolutely awesome.

[jordanice77 Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:46PM]

on ubuntu 9.10

[manifest3r Posted Dec 8th 2009 2:24PM]

@jordanice77 I just switched to linux, ubuntu distro, a few days ago :D

Nice to know chromes here! I have't really been too big of a Chrome fan, but i'll check it out anyways

[saturnblackhole Posted Dec 8th 2009 2:27PM]

@jordanice77 hey is your java plug-in working in your chrome? chrome doesnt recognize mines even though it works in firefox. im also using 9.10

[herkPRIME Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:46PM]

Meh. I like most of chrome, but i won't be switching from firefox until they get an adblock add-on.

[dbeta Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:50PM]

@herkPRIME They have one, it just sucks. In my experience it only blocks, at best, 50% of advertising. Flashblock for Chrome has an even worse record. It seems to only block useful flash, not the flash I don't want in the first place.

[sirthought Posted Dec 8th 2009 2:01PM]

@herkPRIME I prefer FireFox for the Ad-Block feature too. We already have to deal with too much marketing.

[kris120890 Posted Dec 8th 2009 2:24PM]

@herkPRIME
I'll say the same to you two.
I'm using adthwart. Its got no options but it uses easylist and its working.

[herkPRIME Posted Dec 8th 2009 2:45PM]

@kris120890 hmmm...i'll have to check that one out.

[paradigm Posted Dec 8th 2009 3:12PM]

@herkPRIME

I wonder if we'll ever see a good ad blocking extension for Chrome. After all, this is Google we're talking about...they'd be taking a huge cut into their own advertising. Firefox doesn't have that problem.

[herkPRIME Posted Dec 8th 2009 4:59PM]

@paradigm That's exactly what i'd figured as well. Google wouldn't love cutting out their bread and butter.

[SirMaster Posted Dec 8th 2009 5:21PM]

@herkPRIME

Chrome has had an Ad Blocker since version 3 came out more than 6 months ago:

http://adsweep.org/

It actually works much better than the ad-blockplus extension in Firefox. Check out the comparisons down the page.

[HeeHaw Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:46PM]

So far, I really like it. Simple interface and fast. Nice alternative.

[Zweben Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:46PM]

I hope they add RSS support soon and borrow Safari's ability to load a bookmark folder of RSS feed URLs as one combined feed. I don't know if I can switch from Safari without that.

[kingu Posted Dec 9th 2009 4:18PM]

@Zweben As in http://www.google.com/reader/ ?

[tonyae1989 Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:46PM]

finally !!! im so happy i got the E-mail

[horchata Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:48PM]

I thought Chrome was official for OSX all along. This is news.

[mytey0 Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:51PM]

I love chrome for windows, I'm pleased that it is now available for Mac OS X & Linux

[kjb434 Posted Dec 8th 2009 1:52PM]

Will google push to make a version of ChromeOS work on macs? Maybe even older out of date macs on pre x86 architecture? Would they get sued?