Still Waiting on Chrome

Kevin Maney writes: Google Chrome is apparently supposed to be out by 2 pm ET. No sign yet. Certainly it's the most anticipated event on the Web today.

From Google's comic strip and other reports, it seems like the two main differences between Chrome and other browsers will be (a) closing one tab will shut down the Web page in that tab and wipe it from your laptop's memory and (b) the underlying software will be faster and friendlier to video and Web-based applications. Both will be welcome developments, but it's hard to imagine that they'll totally change the game in browsers.

Chrome will highlight one factor in the browser wars: There really isn't much of a barrier to people switching browsers. We don't pay anything for a browser, or store personal information on them or do anything that makes a particular browser "ours." There's not steep learning curve. You can discard one browser and start using another about as easily as you can change the brand of frying pan you use. Firefox already opened that hole in Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Chrome will drive a truck through it.

More when we've got a real Chrome browser to look at. That is, if demand for the downloads doesn't crash the server or the whole stinkin' Internet.