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Google releases Chrome Beta for Android

Posted: , by Michael H.

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Google releases Chrome Beta for Android
There have been plenty of rumors, and users have been calling for it for a long time. Well, the time is finally here: Chrome Beta has been released for Android. The browser has some pretty nice features, but one big caveat. The caveat being the one that you never want to hear as an Android user: Chrome Beta is only available on Android 4.0+, which effectively rules out 99% of the ecosystem

Chrome Beta definitely fits in well with the new Ice Cream Sandwich UI. The browser looks great and features the subtle animations that have become standard in Android. Pages render quickly, and overall it feels a lot like the stock ICS browser, just with some added extras. It has the same omnibox and the ability to save pages for offline reading. The extra features come from interacting with your Chrome browser on your desktop. 

Along with syncing your bookmarks and history, Chrome now also syncs open tabs (and the full history of that tab) from desktop to mobile for easy access. You can also send pages from desktop to your phone much like you could with the Chrome to Phone extension, but now there is also the added option of automatically saving the sent page for offline viewing. Additionally, Chrome Beta offers Incognito Mode for private browsing as well as gestures to easily flip between tabs. 

It's about time Android had a proper Chrome browser and with luck it will come to older versions of Android sooner rather than later. If you have an ICS device and want to try it out, Chrome Beta is available for free in the Android Market

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1. solidsnakeduds013 posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:25 2 1

There is only one phone that has ics right now sooo...

3. MichaelHeller posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:31 6

One official phone, a bunch of unofficial, as well as a couple tablets. Still, this is a beta, so theoretically beta products get released to a smaller audience. 1% is really really small though...

6. clevername posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:36 2

A little too small for a proper beta me thinks. They shoulder released on 3.0+, at least that way the ui would been mostly universal.

11. Scott_H posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:48 3

I'm guessing that there are specific APIs in 4.0 that they need, otherwise you'd see a broader release.

15. protozeloz posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:53

indeed is the new API that allows the new fragments

26. Sniggly posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:39 1

1 percent of 250 million devices is still 2.5 million though. :p

I know the actual number of ICE devices is way smaller, but they should at least get a few thousand dude/ttes to download it.

12. Fayeznoor posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:50

the reason Google says its for ICS users is that they have enable Hardware acceleration in it which is not found on Gingerbread

24. jove39 posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:33

Well hopefully they'll release chrome for other versions in future...gingerbread atleast...for now...I'll install it on my Vibrant...got a excellent ICS rom on it (by neobuddy on xda dev)...Anyone can point me to a decent ICS rom for att galaxys2? been looking for a while now!

2. Yankchef posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:27 1

Still sweet! I should be getting ICS on my photon at some point, I have started to really like the dolphin hd however so we shall see how they compare...

4. clevername posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:32 1

Yeah dolphin has become default too, so Im really curious how this stacks up. Hopefully it has a desktop mode.

8. protozeloz posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:39 1

I tried the stock ICS browser and it beats dolphin with One hand (unless you dig addons) is fast is beautiful allows desktop mode I only miss some of my other tools but with chrome and maybe the extensions we can get that one too :D

14. clevername posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:53

Oh cool can't wait to have ics on my galaxy s 2. I don't use extensions much in dolphin, its just my preferred browser because of the tabs and desktop mode. Well there is one extension i use all the time, the wikipedia extension. That should be a must in every browser.

16. protozeloz posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:57

I really like that the new browser syncs my bookmarks but it seems chrome can even sync tabs with my desktop that's quite nice :D

hope you get your update fast!

22. protozeloz posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:27

oh and you can see a demo video so you can see it in action

http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/7/2776319/chrome-for-android-beta-launches-on-android-4-0-phones-and-tablets

31. clevername posted on 07 Feb 2012, 14:01

Good thanks

38. JGuinan007 posted on 07 Feb 2012, 22:24

Dolphin HD you should try Opera mini it's fast and won't eat up data I wonder if Chrome will work like Opera MIni if not I'll stick with opera mini

5. davidvvassallo posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:33

i am trying it right now it is awesome the best browser on android for sure

7. iamcc posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:37 2 1

YES I HAVE INCOGNITO MODE!!!

9. protozeloz posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:41 1

LOL yes you do

25. iamcc posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:36

Muahaha

10. protozeloz posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:42

oh man right when I decided to stop testing CM9.... I needed my camera witch is not fully operational yet.... chrome or cam..... decisions decisions

13. Fayeznoor posted on 07 Feb 2012, 12:52 1

before flaming google for ICS only, the reason Google says its for ICS users is that they have enable Hardware acceleration in Chrome , which is not found on Gingerbread

17. MATOZ posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:02

at last! with incognito mode!

20. KingKurogiii posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:07

now you can get fappin' anywhere with a cellular or wi-fi signal! ;D

18. KingKurogiii posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:04

damn it! i got excited. now you really need to c'mon Moto. :P

19. abdane posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:05 1

CANT WAIT FOR MY SGS2 GET OFFICIAL ICS !!! :D

21. willywill_evo posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:09 2

im just happy that the chrome browser is in the market now we wait a few weeks for a update, that will support more phones not just ICS

23. protozeloz posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:28

here is a video for the sake of those who want to compare

http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/7/2776319/chrome-for-android-beta-launches-on-android-4-0-phones-and-tablets

sorry PA

27. imkyle posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:40

Just downloaded it for my Xoom and the browser is ok. The layout is really simple and clean, but Flash is not supported yet (beta still). Give it a couple of updates and should be an awesome browser.

28. KingKurogiii posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:56

i got it on my sister's Prime and it's the spitting image of Chrome with some ICS here and there. it's a little glitchy though.

29. AndresJ posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:56

Hope it will be as good as the one on my laptop

30. Ksupowercat13 posted on 07 Feb 2012, 13:59

Its not that great yet but keep in mind that it is only a beta. It doesn't seem to be working with flash, no flash content, and I don't.know what he's talking.about when he says it looks good with ics because its a really light grey color, doesn't match at all. Other than that it is really fast and smooth.

32. ChafedBanana posted on 07 Feb 2012, 14:41

It's really nice on my SGN. Kinda makes me wanna go pick up the Asus Transformer Prime I was playing on at Best Buy because that has ICS on it too. It just needs flash.

33. Stuntman posted on 07 Feb 2012, 14:49

Now I have a reason to look forward to ICS on my Eee Pad Transformer.

34. skymitch89 posted on 07 Feb 2012, 14:50

I'm sure that within a few days to about 2 weeks, someone over at XDA will have a version of Chrome for those of us who don't have ICS.

35. pooked posted on 07 Feb 2012, 14:52

pages dont seem to render as fast as stock ICS browser or is it just me? im running Codename Android 1.3.2.

36. doubler86 posted on 07 Feb 2012, 15:00

I downloaded it and it is working great. It's a beta so it's missing certain things but it is soooooo much faster than stock or dolphin browser. The swipe gestures are really nice to go between all your tabs and you can close them like that as well, but with a better animation than the stock browser had. A lot of my friends are mad it's only on Android 4.0 though.

37. 9_HeLLs_oF_DrOid posted on 07 Feb 2012, 17:36

:( only for ICS :(

39. jove39 posted on 07 Feb 2012, 22:54

Tested chrome...it looks and render pages with noticeable difference...i meant less time compared to stock browser. With ICS Google has bring Android user experience to heights...love it!

40. shnibz posted on 11 Feb 2012, 10:14

Chrome is great!!! It makes me enjoy my galaxy nexus even more than I already did

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