The addition of extensions (also known as plug-ins or addons) to Google Chrome is a big step forward in Chrome’s development. A few samples of the first Google Chrome extensions can be seen here, and if you’re the adventurous type there is also a how to guide for building your own extensions.

The first phase called “Bootstrap” is set to be completed this July. In addition to the obvious effect of increasing speed multithreading support will also improve stability. Currently when one tab crashes it takes the whole browser down with it. When the changes are implemented each tab will run on its own thread, so if one tab takes a dive the others shouldn’t be effected.

Mozilla might even do away with its own network library API (Necko) and instead use the open source networking stack currently integrated with Google Chrome.

I was sort of surprised when I found out that Firefox was so far behind on this issue. It has been touted by many for years as being more innovative than its rivals. After all, Firefox was the first to implement mouse gestures. Oh wait… That was Opera. But what about being the first browser to support some features of HTML 5 and CSS 3. Hmmm…No…That was Safari. Oh well…Better late than never.

This is probably is a good thing since it will give the devs more time to get caught up updating the Beta and Stable channels, although I’m guessing the main reason was give the team some time off to go see the new Star Trek movie.

A full list of the release notes can be viewed here.

The ad was originally an instructional video made by Google Japan to show the simplicity of Chrome. It features a Google Chrome logo that slides around knocking blocks out of the way until a Google Chrome browser is relieved.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHZFsJKlsuA

97% of Google Chrome users surfing the net were found to have the latest version within three weeks after that version was released. In contrast 85% of Firefox users, 53% of Safari users, and 24% of Opera users were found to be using the latest version of their browser within 21 days of release.

Google Chrome automatically checks for updates every five hours and then installs them silently. Firefox updates whenever the browser starts up, but prompts the user to accept the new version. Safari updates via OSX’s Software Update feature, which updates either daily, weekly, or monthly. Opera requires their users to download a new installer every time a new version is released. Internet Explorer wasn’t tested, but like Safari it only updates however often the OS is set to update.

Now if you’re awake and had your coffee this morning you might be wondering: “If Chrome updates itself every 5 hours, how is it that the 3% of Chrome users don’t have an up to date browser three weeks after?” While Google Chrome checks for updates very often it does require the user to restart the browser in order for the new updates to take effect.

So what does all this mean for us end users? Long story short Google Chrome keeps you safer. All the security fixes in the world won’t help if your browser doesn’t have them installed, and Chrome’s system of frequent and silent updates ensures that the majority of its users are protected ASAP.

The full report can be viewed here.

The coolest one by far is Balldroppings. I imagine many productive work hours will be lost in offices worldwide if this program goes viral. In under 5 minutes of messing around I had myself convinced that I was an undiscovered musical prodigy.

Bomomo was also fun to play around with. I easily created a work of art that in my opinion rivals many of the modern paintings that adorn the walls of NYC’s most prestigious art galleries. I call it “Swirly Colors of Happiness”, and it can be yours for only 25K!

There are many other experiments that are worth a look-see, and if you’re knowledgeable in javascript you can also submit your own. Enjoy!

So what does the new Beta have to offer so far? Speed, and lots of it! Fast response time is continuing to be a priority for the Chromium team. The V8 benchmark and Sunspider benchmark show the Beta to be between 25% and 35% faster than the current stable version of Chrome. We’ve always been impressed with this browser’s exceptional speed, and it’s only getting faster. Keep up the good work!

The first thing I did was load up a few websites and although I didn’t use a stopwatch, Chrome feels faster than Safari even though I have seen claims to the contrary.  However, Safari like Chrome is noticably faster than Firefox and IE is really left behind.   Both browsers excel in the rendering of webpages.

Safari includes some preloaded sites but I don’t want any preloaded sites, usually it means I have to delete them.  The preloaded addresses might be helpful to the “typical” Apple customer.   I prefer to import my own list from the previous broswer.

The use of tabs is strikingly similiar to Chrome and thus there is no advantage to using Safari for the tabbed experience.

In conclusion, the browser is nearly identical in speed and functionality to Chrome, Chrome has the opportunity to set itself apart by integrating gmail, igoogle, etc.   Therefore, I see no reason for anyone using Chrome to bother installing Safari at this time.  However, if you are on Internet Explorer then you must try Chrome or Safari.

The move is controversial for more than a few reasons. First of all, Chrome is not yet cross-platform. Flock announcing their switch to Chrome assumes that Google will soon release a Mac and Linux version. Remember, Firefox is cross-platform, so if Flock were to release their next version on Chrome before true cross-platform compatibility, it would essentially be shooting itself in the foot.

Secondly, Flock, like Firefox, is an extension-able browser. Flock supports changes in themes, addition of new social networks, and other add-ons. In its current state, the Chrome backend would simply not allow Flock to function. One would have to assume that the forthcoming Chrome extensions is the reason Flock made this switch.

So why would Flock switch to a new code base even before these key features are available? It seems rather odd to be done so early in Chrome’s life. Time will tell if this is a smart move on Flock’s part.

Update: Flock CEO Shawn Hardin responds:

Mike,

I was responding to your email from only a few hours ago when I saw your article. It’s important to clarify a couple of things. We haven’t ceased development efforts on the Mozilla platform. Our upcoming release of Flock 2.1 is built on the Mozilla platform. Having said that, the browser space is heating up, and we’ve seen a variety of exciting technologies emerge over the last several months that are appealing.

We always have and will continue to make architectural decisions that balance what’s best for our users and what’s best for Flock as a business. This has resulted in a healthy, growing user base and business for Flock, and we expect this to continue in 2009. In fact, with over seven million downloads almost entirely from word of mouth, Flock enjoys a highly satisfied user base with consistently over 92% customer satisfaction, very strong net promoter scores, and an average of four hours of usage per day.

With a continuing focus on user-centered browser innovation, our team is in active research and development on a range of exciting new enhancements to Flock. It is still far too early to comment on anything specific, but we are very excited about this design phase…