So, just a couple of hours ago Google released the first version of their internet browser, Chrome. And like many other bloggers I’ve just had my first attempt at using it.

A couple of posts ago I wrote about the new IE 8 (read here) and then I wrote about the new release of a great program for Firefox, Ubiquity, and then followed it up on an article regarding the renewal of the contract between Google and Firefox.

Now Google Chrome is launched… and with such great timing. The whole new Microsoft IE 8 was supposed to be about increased security, increase in loading time and tabbing. This was just after Firefox 3 had been released and was downloaded over 8million times in 24hours. I wonder what the stats will be on Chrome.

A lot of bloggers are giving their views on Chrome, I’m not going to mimick them but I’m rather going to say that I think IE 8 is going to be under a serious amount of pressure. In my mind its definitely now between Firefox and Chrome, my first like of a browser is one that quickly opens up a new tab and allows you to browse between them. The security that Google goes on about sounds good and the fact that it is going to be very open for developers is great.

Matthew Buckland mentioned the fact in his review that there aren’t enough goodies with it, I say give it time let people check it out and within a week you’ll start seeing the new apps coming.

Wow, is all I can say the new Firefox add-on ‘Ubiquity‘ is simply incredible and will surely change the way everyone accesses the internet.

Quite simply if you are using Firefox as your web browser you need to add this add-on to it. To access it all you need to do is hit ‘ctr – space’ and up pops the little window. With this you now use typed commands to run searches on various search engines, translate words, look up definitions, email your friends (currently only with gmail) and the ability to quickly interact with Google’s street maps.

I’m supposed to be having drinks tonight at Fat Cactus in Cape Town but I don’t know where it is, so all I need to do is highlight ” and hit ‘ctr space’ in the little pop up I’ll type ‘map this’ and by using ajax it will inform me below my command that it is mapping ‘Fat Cactus in Cape Town’.

If I leave it for a bit a little map will display that I can interact with or I can simply hit the enter button and a new tab will open with the google street map there. This map can easily then be added into your email to your friends etc.

The best thing is that its open for developers to add their own commands, can’t wait to create some of my own.

My one concern was the little warning message at the end of the ‘introduction to Ubiquity’. To combat this they say there’ll be a ‘trust network’ so all I’m saying for now is just to use what comes with the package and my command line that I’ll soon be releasing!