If you like Google for its speed and simplicity, you might be interested in their Internet browser, Chrome. Google created Chrome because they wanted to start from scratch on a browser made for today's Internet. The Internet has changed a lot since the first browsers were developed. Chrome is simple and neat, but loaded with security, speed, and functionality features.

Google acknowledges their use of features already implemented on browsers, like Firefox Safari, to design Chrome. Chrome is an open source project, meaning that other can use from their ideas as well. One of the features you'll recognize is bookmarks. You can automatically copy bookmarks or favorites from another browser and instantly save a new bookmark by clicking the star icon next to the address bar. These features are identical to those of Firefox.

Like Internet Explorer, Chrome as the option of tabbed browsing and reordering the tabs. However, Chrome allows you to drag tabs into their own windows, or drag windows to become a tab of another window. Chrome also has “Crash Control”, which lets each tab run individually to avoid shutting down the whole browser if one tab crashes.

Chrome carries Google's tradition of personalizing and simplifying tasks, using the features from the homepage and Google toolbar. When you open a new tab, for example, you will see a thumbnails of previous and often visited websites to choose from, instead of a blank page. Also, while typing in the address bar, Google suggests visited sites and popular sites, or to run a Google search on the keyword(s) you entered.

Chrome was one of the first browsers to have a private searching option. While surfing “incognito”, pages are displayed as read-only, and nothing from these sites are saved on your computer. Google Chrome also has its own task manager. Just like Windows, Chrome allows you to track usage and running processes on the browser. You can detect what add-on, tab, or other process that is using the most bandwidth and end processes separately without disrupting the other processes.

Like many browsers, Google Chrome claims to be the safest and the fastest browser. There are so many ways to test this and different factors that effect actual speed, that this is difficult to prove. In fact, Chrome could work faster for some people or websites, where Internet Explorer or another browser would be faster in another area. Regardless, there is no doubt that this browser is well made and is preferred by a small group of users.

If you just want a fast engine and don't need a bunch of buttons and toolbars, Google Chrome might be just right for you. To read more details about Chrome features or to download the latest version of Chrome, go to google.com/chrome.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles! 

Most search queries are relatively simple on a search engine like Google. Usually in the first try, a few keywords will answer basic, popular questions. Obscure and past topics, or advanced and genre-specific searches are sometimes hard to find. The additional features on Google are ideal for this type of extensive research.

Google.com has categories to refine searches at the top of the page, such as Images, Maps, and Shopping. The “more” option, has additional queries that may be of interest , such as Finance or Blogs. The “even more>>” link directs users to a page of all the categories and other special features, including alerts that can be sent to your email for specific topics, links to popular resources, like YouTube, and Google tools and downloads, like the google mail and browser. Each item has a short description of how it can be used.

Many research topics have subtopics, categories, and fields that can be explored on Google. A “Show options...” link is available at the top of the search results of every query. When a user clicks here, a sidebar displays to the left of the search results with additional search tools.

The first section is videos, forums or reviews of the keyword(s) queried. The next section has the option to specify the age of article or website. The third section changes the layout of the search results to include pictures or more text.

The fourth section has four options:

• Standard view-the normal view showing the search results of the keywords queried.

• Related searches-common topics related to the query

• Wonder wheel-related topics are displayed on spokes with the keyword(s) in the center. For example, for the keyword “dial-up”, the wonder wheel shows “dial-up isp” and “dial-up speed” as related searches. A sub category (when clicked) becomes the main category and shows more subheadings. “dial-up speed” brings up “dial-up compression” and “56K dial-up”.

• Timeline-shows the graph of search results for the queried keywords over time. Underneath the graph is a listing of results in chronological order. Each decade, year, month, etc., on the timeline graph can be clicked to expand the results over that time period. The earliest search results will query books written on the topic.

There are other search options available on Google.com. The advanced search link on the home page leads to a detailed page that helps a user make specific choices about what type of results should be displayed. The “Topic-specific search engines from Google” section at the bottom of this page shows multiple genres that may be of interest to advanced searchers.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!