Google has introduced a beta version of a new Web browser called "Chrome" that is being praised for its speed and some innovative features, and critiqued for some shortcomings. I downloaded and installed Chrome to try it out with some of the most popular online GPS utilities to see if it works.
There's a lot to like about Chrome. For me, first and foremost is an impressive and noticeable speed improvement over the latest version of Internet Explorer, or even Firefox. Sites load and jump to new pages faster. Tabs open more quickly. I never thought of the browser as a bottleneck in the Web experience, but evidently, with enough bloatware on board, the typical browser does slow things down.
Other Chrome features being praised by the experts include strong resistance to crashing due to multi-processing, and isolation of slow or "broken" processes; a clean, minimalist design; simplified search through a smart "omnibox" search box; and an "incognito" tab that doesn't save browsing history.
Chrome has some innovative ways of handling favorites and browsing history (including a set of thumbnail images of your most-visited sites) but on the down side, I miss having a simple, straightforward list of favorites always one click away in the toolbar (you need to open a new tab to access the favorites drop-down). Also, Firefox users who have a set of add-ons they like will not want to abandon that browser for currently add-on-free Chrome.
Chrome and GPS Plug-ins
So how does Chrome handle common GPS apps and plug-ins? Not well, so far. Chrome does not yet run the free Garmin Communicator plug-in. Garmin Communicator is the program that lets various GPS units, including non-Garmin brands, exchange data between the GPS unit and the browser/PC. This means that if you use Garmin Connect or MotionBased to upload workout data, you're out of luck until Garmin Communicator is supported.
You also won't be able to do routine data exchange between your car GPS and Chrome until the Communicator plug-in is supported. That includes the popular "send-to-GPS" feature of Google maps and other map programs.
Lack of Communicator support also disables the ability to send geocache data directly to your GPS from the popular Geocaching.com site. However, everything else works fine in Geocaching.com.
A Garmin representative says the company is following Google Chrome's beta launch with interest and will support the browser with Garmin Communicator if and when Chrome gains significant share of the browser market. The Garmin rep pointed out that Communicator presently supports Internet Explorer and Firefox on Windows PCs, and Safari and Firefox on Macs.
Beyond the lack of Communicator support, I had problems with other sites when visited via the Google Chrome browser, including route planning tools such as Bike Route Toaster.
Bottom line? Enjoy the speed and innovative new features of Chrome, but don't uninstall your other favorite browser until the Garmin Communicator is supported, and developers at your favorite mapping and route planning sites update to become Chrome-compatible. Also, no Chrome (yet) for the Mac.
