Chrome To Get Extensions - Just Not Yet
Even though we have quickly come to enjoy using Google Chrome after its launch yesterday, we still miss a couple of things from Firefox that Google's browser just doesn't offer yet. Most importantly, Google doesn't yet have any architecture in place that would allow developers to program extensions for it. For Firefox, the extension ecology that developed around it has a been a major contributor to its success and many users who might prefer the speed and simplicity of Chrome over Firefox won't be able to switch because they have become dependent on certain extensions they use every day.
During the launch, however, Sundar Pichai, a VP for product management at Google, promised that Google would eventually start supporting extensions and stressed that it was high on Google's to-do list for Chrome. For developers, it would obviously be nice if Google used an extension architecture similar to Firefox's. That, after all, would make porting extensions over to Chrome a lot easier. So far, however, Google has not made any announcements about the details of the extension API.
What Else is Missing?
One other feature we really miss from Chrome is RSS feed autodiscovery. Both Firefox and Internet Explorer have had this feature for quite a while now. As Google Reader is one of the most popular web-based RSS readers,integrating it tighter into the browser would only help Google in the long run.
Also, as Corvida points out, Google could integrate a lot of its other services closer into the browser. Why, for example, doesn't a search for an address bring up Google Maps immediately?
What Do You Miss?
Are there any features you really miss in Google Chrome that stop you from switching? Let us know in the comments.
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No Google Notebook!!!
Posted by: Tom Brander | September 3, 2008 4:22 PM
Most of what I miss is plugin based. Yahoo Mail Notifier... Alexa Toolbar...
But I have reverted to FF for using Wordpress because Chrome seems to really screw up my posts by rendering DIVs in the text editor a different way. I'm using WP 2.6 - not sure if anyone else has had this problem.
If you're not sick of the Chrome posts yet you can always come to our site when the Chrome coverage shores up on the blogs: http://ChromeSpot.com
By the way... great article/update... thanks.
Posted by: ChromeSpot.com | September 3, 2008 4:25 PM
The two FF extensions that keep me from switching to Chrome:
1. Universal Edit Button
2. TwitterFox
Posted by: Steven Walling | September 3, 2008 4:28 PM
As with the poster above, my missing piece for Chrome is plug-in based - specifically - Ad Block.
I am an application developer doing mostly intranet/extranet based applications, so web advertising is something I don't think about daily. But with ad blocking "turned up to 11", I barely see any when outside the work zone.
Posted by: MojoMark | September 3, 2008 4:33 PM
I miss my opera mouse gestures. I love the quickness of being able to hold down the right mouse button and clicking the left button to go back, it takes milliseconds and I don't have to think about it.
I'm sure there'll be a mouse gesture add on fast though.
Posted by: Yosefxp | September 3, 2008 4:38 PM
Delicious bookmarking is my major missing piece of the puzzle.
I just fell in love with Ubiquity so I was torn when Chrome appeared only days later.
I think Google were unwise to miss out on RSS feed auto-discovery but I'm actually glad they didn't go for any integration of Google Apps and Services... I think that would put a lot of people off... it would feel like the gOS linux distro or like the walled garden of the AOL browser of yesteryear.
I like the fact it's low on branding and pretty minimal in the UI stakes - like the original Google homepage I like the minimalism... but wonder how long it'll last.
Posted by: Michael Rose | September 3, 2008 4:41 PM
Posted by: Ethan Winters | September 3, 2008 5:01 PM
Delicious bookmarking, DownloadHelper and the biggie: Adblock Plus.
I'd gotten so used to a clean interweb that I was wondering what the hell was going on when I first opened up Chrome.
If those get added to Chrome then I'm all over it.
Posted by: Ant2206 | September 3, 2008 5:11 PM
I hope they start tightly integrating their services into the browser.
And I hope Opera or some other browser maker complaints to the DOJ, which starts an antitrust trial against Google just like IE sparked the one against Microsoft.
And I hope Google is locked down just as much as Microsoft is because of their market position.
Posted by: Dan Grossman | September 3, 2008 5:25 PM
available on a mac?!!?!?!
Posted by: Kat | September 3, 2008 6:36 PM
Chrome doesnot support “Get Word” of Google KingSoft PowerWord. It's really a pity.
Posted by: Jude Liu | September 3, 2008 6:53 PM
The thing I miss most besides my favorite Firefox plugins is the functionality of the "awesome bar." I love adding tags to my favorites and being able to look up sites with little shortcut abbreviations. Though Chrome loads pages more quickly, it takes me longer to navigate my favorites than Firefox.
Posted by: Phil Gons | September 3, 2008 7:09 PM
For delicious bookmarks head to the delicious site help section and drag a bookmarklet to the chrome bookmark bar. This will give you addon functionality similar to the delicious addon for Firefox. This works for Google Bookmarks too. There is a rss discovery bookmarklet floating around too, a google search should get it.
Posted by: Raul | September 3, 2008 7:46 PM
can't use Google toolbar in chrome!!!
Posted by: Jimmy | September 3, 2008 7:52 PM
FF3 already does what I want.. I just don't see the need for another browser. They're all *basically* the same already. It's good that people are trying to improve browsers in general, but until someone comes out with a big leap in tech, I'm sticking with what I already like.
Posted by: Steph | September 3, 2008 7:52 PM
Forgot to mention I was also getting quite comfortable with Ubiquity however the Chrome Omnibar can replicate at least the search functionality of Ubiquity so that's something.
This has been mentioned many times but just incase some of the folks don't know, you have to go to a site let's say Flickr/Youtube/Wikipedia and search once and chrome will 'learn' that so next time you type 'fl' or 'yo' and press 'tab' it should give your search functionality in that site ie Flickr or Youtube search, not Google search. You can do this with nearly any site with search. No previews and all the other stuff of Ubiquity though. The only other thing I use a lot is noscript and google notebook. No solution for those yet.
Posted by: Raul | September 3, 2008 7:54 PM
@Jimmy You don't need it, the chrome Omnibar is the Google toolbar, it integrates that functionality.
@Steph- This is totally new technology and ideas with the exception of webkit. And the best thing is its not theory or future plans, its already executed and out there for us to test.
You get a huge advantage if you have the liberty to start from scratch which benefits users. The video of the press con available on Youtube now is interesting viewing. It gives the rationale for building this, the 'why' so to speak, the design and the advantages for users and web developers. Gives a nice perspective from the UI, security,and performance standpoint.
Posted by: Raul | September 3, 2008 8:03 PM
Mouse gestures and Find As You Type. Otherwise I'd use Chrome 100% of the time.
Posted by: Peege | September 3, 2008 8:45 PM
I miss most the ability to open all my bookmarks in a folder (which FIrefox provides) in Tabs.
Varun
Posted by: Varun | September 3, 2008 9:17 PM
FF3 has a great feature in that instead of resizing text, it resizes the entire page and remembers how you like it for each page you visit. I have a large screen so I was constantly resizing pages before FF3. I can't move to chrome until it does this.
Posted by: geebus | September 3, 2008 10:27 PM
- integration with the online Google Bookmarks! Please.
Posted by: David John | September 3, 2008 10:35 PM
Well I did miss it not supporting Java applets, but it can be easily overcome with this trick http://techie-buzz.com/tips-and-tricks/how-to-run-java-applets-including-yahoo-games-and-yahoo-chat-in-google-chrome.html
Posted by: Keith Dsouza | September 3, 2008 10:40 PM
It's the extensions that are missing for me. The fact that it's BETA doesn't even bother me too much as of yet ...
I am afraid however that when Chrome catches wind, it'll start to be much less nice to use... of course this will be because of the amount of custom Google stuff that they might slap onto it ...
Lex G
www.newmediatype.com
Posted by: Lex G | September 4, 2008 12:17 AM
Are we(Web Engineers) heading for a nightmare to support a new browser, FF + IE + Opera + Safari + Chrome!!???
Posted by: Aditya | September 4, 2008 12:35 AM
In addition to plugins and rss issues. I really miss sidebar or at least a posibility to open particular links in perstucaliry sized windows.
For example I read my feeds from iPhone optimized Greader from FF sidebar, while opening links in main window.
Or just keep Todoist sidebar on all the time.
Posted by: Oxiris | September 4, 2008 2:01 AM
I really missed (from the brief impression)
-Look customisation like skin or at least color schemes - that blue color of their tabs looks awfull
-RSS functionality
-On-line sync for bookmarks and import from Opera
-Built-in e-mail client like Opera mail, which I use very active - I hate web-interfaces even Gmail
-The control over auto-opening files after downloading especially PDF-s
In general I expected more integration between Chrome and others Google services... probably this is the question of time... will see
Posted by: Anna | September 4, 2008 2:31 AM
I miss the google notebook integration as well. the plugins are available for firefox and IE
Posted by: Nalin
|
September 4, 2008 2:33 AM
@22, @28, If you read the comments you will see @14 offers you an easy way to get Google bookmarks and delicous working with chrome through bookmarklets available at del.icio.us./help/buttons and google bokmarks site that can be dragged to the chrome bookmarks bar for online bookmarking/addon functionality.
@28 that was the first thing addressed by the developers during the launch presscon and in the comic. Perhaps you should take a look.
Posted by: Raul | September 4, 2008 3:48 AM
Oops, Correction, second para of @29 should be:
@25 That was the first thing addressed by the developers during the launch presscon and in the comic. Perhaps you should take a look.
Posted by: Raul | September 4, 2008 3:51 AM
Add to Google Reader bookmarklet
I too was craving for an RSS auto-discovery function so I devised this for the time being: http://jldupont.blogspot.com/2008/09/add-to-google-reader-bookmarklet.html
Posted by: Jean-Lou Dupont | September 4, 2008 3:57 AM
Yes it seems to lack a lot of features, i would of thought extensions would have been done from the get-go to encourage developers to start expanding on Chrome.
However it looks like extensions, themes and plugins are coming: http://www.chromeplugins.org
There's too much missing for me to switch sorry Google.
Posted by: Nayla | September 4, 2008 4:27 AM
Developers forget that most of the users out there are just ordinary folk who just want the browser to do the basics.
Posted by: Pampado | September 4, 2008 4:58 AM
Don't you see the contradiction here? Google's vision for Chrome is clearly for the browser to be as quick and light as possible, leaving the user to focus on the web itself instead of the web browser. Letting users weigh down the software with a barrage of extension risks bloating the interface, hurting performance and introducing security risks. While I'm sure we'll see some kind of extension API for Chrome, I don't think it'll be along the lines of Firefox, and I think Mozilla's browser will likely remain the choice of power users, whilst Chrome targets more average users who currently use Internet Explorer.
Posted by: Jon | September 4, 2008 5:32 AM
What do I miss?
Please let there be a native port for Linux and not just WINE parody like Picasa for Linux. I am craving for simple lightweight superfast and superstable browser.
And make add-ons compatible with Firefox add-ons. The eco-system of add-ons around FF is the best feature of Firefox, and it would be great to have super-simple basic browser for those who need it to be fast and stable and add-ons for those missing some functionality - but don't make the same mistake as Firefox, don't build additional functionality in making the whole thing slower by adding functionality that not everybody needs and missing some other functionality anyway, you can never make everybody happy this way, the only way is keep the base simple and let people choose add-ons... please:-)
Posted by: Jan | September 4, 2008 6:25 AM
There's still a lot room for some good features, I'd love to see it too.. checking it out now.
Posted by: ITrush | September 4, 2008 6:58 AM
I would like to see the google toolbar feature that highlights your search text on the current tab as well as the autofill feature. I would also like to see some sort of email notifier for the popular emails (MSN-Hotmail, Yahoo!, GMail, AOL, etc.
Posted by: Aubrey | September 4, 2008 10:52 AM
Almost forgot! I would also like to be able to back up several pages back with a dropdown arrow similar to FF3 or IE7 for maybe the last 10-15 pages. That way you wouldn't have to keep clicking the "Back" arrow multiple times.
Posted by: Aubrey | September 4, 2008 10:55 AM
- Live spell checker, yess, but easly customizable/dictionary_selection (Firefox is on the right click)
Posted by: par7133 | September 4, 2008 5:21 PM
I want a Google Notebook extension for Chrome. Pleeeease??
Posted by: Theresa | September 4, 2008 9:16 PM
Chromes WebKit rendering engine has very low support at web, but this can change... so the guys at KDE and Apple should be thankful. But I really miss an integration with Mozilla.
Having an option to switch the rendering engine, or even integrating the browser into the another browser with all the extensions would be revolutionary. This way would Google and Mozilla share the same growing market share, overpowering MS.
Posted by: Matej 'Yin' Gagyi | September 5, 2008 4:46 AM
... and I am also missing searching a word in text by typing
Posted by: Jan | September 5, 2008 5:36 AM
@38: Click and hold down the mouse button on the Back icon and a dropdown list shows up just like in FF.
Right now, I'm finding the most use in the application windows. I know I could just use gears, but the quick and lightweight Chrome browser works great with Gmail & GReader.
I don't see a problem with using several different browsers for different tasks. Firefox is my default browser, customized with all my plugins and shortcuts and scripts and extensions, and I use it for serious web-work, research, uploading and downloading of images and files.
Because most of my company's intranet and our clients work with IE and SharePoint, and our SAP apps are happier with IE, (and Flash is often flaky on FF) I usually have an IE window open all day.
Chrome is quick and its JavaScript is supersonic, so it will be useful for JS heavy webapps. And with its "sandboxes" for security, it will probably come in handy when going to sketchy sites.
Why is it necessary to have just one tool?
Posted by: evano | September 5, 2008 3:15 PM
the chrome seems not support kingsoft online translation software so i have to go back to IE or firefox for now.
Posted by: Beaver | September 8, 2008 9:40 AM
While using Chrome I found that a lot of sites sites don't work, due to missing plugins for the new platform. Sometimes just quitting the site is not an option so I created an easy way to open the page in your "old" browser. Just drag and drop the URL from the Chrome URL bar into the Mirror form and you can continue your Chrome browsing.
Download: http://www.zonator.com/mirror.zip
Posted by: Zonator | September 8, 2008 7:31 PM
Hi,
Google Chrome looks nice, is fast and so on.
But the Addons like from firefox are missing.
things like Google-pagerank, alexa, seo tools. And a tool like foxmarks.
Posted by: Martin | September 12, 2008 5:02 AM
What Chrome is missing is deep extensibility like that of Firefox.
I can't see how Google is gonna work this around. Will it be like Opera's widgets?
I mean that Firefox extension database is growing and there are some new things that just rock. Search helper tools, for example.
Let's take this small yet cool extension, TopicInsight. It is in Mozilla sandbox now, but I downloaded it from the developer's site: http://www.quickjist.com/topicinsight
It suggests search queries for virtually any page you visit. So that you can find more pages like that. What impressed me most is that it really works and it works in your browser. It exracts actual keywords from a web page and does that on-the-fly.
I could also mention other extensions that I use every day. Will Chrome be extensible to that degree I don't know.
Posted by: AlexJ | September 18, 2008 2:54 AM
tabs restore, firefox like, after a crash
Posted by: par7133 | September 25, 2008 6:29 AM