AfterDawn: News

Sony loads VAIO's with Google Chrome

Google Chrome has gotten itself a bit of a boost in the global Internet browser market. Sony announced on Tuesday that it plans to include Google's Chrome browser as the default Internet web browser in VAIO-branded computers sold in the United States, a decision it said was based on Chrome's quality and functions.

Even though this deal gives a bit more ammo to Google in the fight against Microsoft on the web, Google's Chrome browser hasn't enjoyed overwhelming success just yet, despite a wide advertising campaign and the status of its search engine service.



It took a 1.2% share in the market in February, according to research firm Net Applications after its initial launch to the public in September 2008. Internet Explorer was still, by far, on top of the market with a 67 percent share at the time, though market share numbers vary.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 1 Sep 2009 22:15

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• 14 comments

• borhan9

  At least its different. But still i think part of the windows installation you should get to choose what search engine u wish to install and use.

  1.9.2009 23:20 #1

• KillerBug

  "based on Chrome's quality and functions."
  
  Bull...they would have put firefox on their laptops years ago if that was the case.

  2.9.2009 00:48 #2

• kyo28

  I think it's good that hardware manufacturers are moving away from a preinstalled Internet Explorer towards other browsers, although I would have prefered they chose Firefox instead of Chrome.

  2.9.2009 03:08 #3

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by kyo28: I think it's good that hardware manufacturers are moving away from a preinstalled Internet Explorer towards other browsers, although I would have prefered they chose Firefox instead of Chrome.I doubt there are many who would prefer Chrome. It's clearly just a bad OEM making deals with google in exchange for advertising. If they actualy cared about the software on their machines, they would come with openoffice.

  2.9.2009 06:11 #4

• pphoenix

  Originally posted by borhan9: At least its different. But still i think part of the windows installation you should get to choose what search engine u wish to install and use.i fully agree, but bloatware is often sold to reduce the costs to the manufacturers so ppl choose the said product over another as it's already installed, look at norton for instance!
  
  that's why the first thing you do when you get a new pc you didn't build yourself is format it.
  
  as long as the PC manufacturer has supplied the OS disc & not some terrible restore disc which costs extra even though you already purchased the licence.

  2.9.2009 07:08 #5

• DoggRuff

  Quote:Internet Explorer was still, by far, on top of the market with a 67 percent share at the time, though market share numbers vary. This statistic has much to do with the fact that PCs are loaded only with Internet Explorer and many owners are either unaware of other browsers, unable to successfully download/install other browsers with confidence so they skip it, or are scared of the big bad change.
  
  With Sony being a big name (regardless of how overpriced they may be...), those EXACT users mentioned above will continue to purchase VAIOs and others of the sort. Should other companies start moving to other default browsers, I think IE will take a HUGE hit statistically.

  2.9.2009 12:47 #6

• jetyi83

  I use chrome. I prefer it over firefox and ie, but it does run into its problems. When a page doesnt fully work i have to switch over to firefox, and sometimes even IE, but thats rare; once every couple months.

  2.9.2009 15:25 #7

• forestm33

  You would think along with all the proprietary crap computer manufacturers put on our pc's out of the box that they would be happy to distribute some potentially "useful" open source software like open office, but no.. they probably get a kickback from Microsoft if they bundle a 'free trial' of MS Office while they get no benefit from including more useful programs.
  
  Quote:Should other companies start moving to other default browsers, I think IE will take a HUGE hit statistically. I can imagine the second they do M$ will start offering them kickbacks to keep I.E. on there.
  

  digital copying & dvd duplicator

  2.9.2009 15:35 #8

• ChiefBrdy

  Google Chrome of Firefox. Take your pick because IE sucks major ass.
  
  It boggles my mind how anyone would choose to use such a bloated, slow, bug ridden IE instead of Firefox or Chrome for that matter.

  3.9.2009 10:49 #9

• forestm33

  because it ships with their computer and they don't know there's an alternative and don't know why they would bother and when you tell them it sounds too scary to make the switch and you say 'but you don't have to switch' and they say "you mean I can have more then one web browser? Why would I want more than one web browser?" and you're lucky if they just called it a web browser - some people refer to the browser as the operating system (unfortunately in the future of google chrome that's a pseudo truth). You shake your head and warn them that they'll probably still have to use I.E. for government web pages because they were designed to work specifically with I.E. and some other pages might work better for I.E. and they ask why and you say because they designed those pages to work with I.E. - but by now you've totally lost them. They go away and you download firefox or chrome when they're not looking and wait for them to so what's this program? And for some reason they always want to call pronounce Firefox as Motzilla like they're saying Mozzarella and no matter how many times you remind them that Mozzarella has two z's they still say it the same way.
  
  Yeah, I've had that conversation a few too many times with a few too many folk. *pulls out last remaining hair from head*
  

  digital copying & dvd duplicator

  3.9.2009 12:45 #10

• omegaman7

  LOL forestm33!!! Thanks for the grin on my face.
  
  Im curious what people think of Google Chrome. I've been running it for about 2 weeks, and am thoroughly impressed. It loads 5X quicker than firefox, and is just plain a smoother experience. I suppose lots of people are too USED to Firefox to switch though. Change is something that A lot of people don't like, or are simply stubborn LOL! I suppose if Firefox were to become Multicore capable, that might Re-earn my attention :)
  
  I've heard that "google doesnt care about privacy." Is there any truth to that? Should I be concerned running Chrome?
  

  
  
  Patience is a virtue

  3.9.2009 14:14 #11

• forestm33

  I don't know about the privacy issues of chrome. I'd have to actually read the EULA :( But you can bet google wants to know your surfing habits in order to market towards you more effectively and even more importantly to them so they can see how relevant their search results are and how to improve their search algorithm. They certainly don't want your personal info for anything illegal or 'too' unethical.
  
  I like Chrome quite a bit. It's still missing a few features but it's new, slick, runs fast, minimalistic. Google is also doing some interesting things with Javascript. Microsoft is trying to compete with Flash by making Silverlight and then spreading propaganda that Flash is dead, Adobe AIR sucks and Adobe has had its day, oh yes, the people telling you this are M$ friendly websites or indoctrinated .Net developers :) Google on the other hand... has worked very hard to optimize javascript execution and is trying to convince OS vendors that browsers (and therefore javascript) should have access to 3D hardware acceleration. You should see the amazing google chrome javascript demo - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZo-Uv7TZ...player_embedded
  
  There's already a chrome proof of concept console emulator. It runs a bit slow though.
  
  Basically google is trying to get the browser and javascript to be so fast that it can be the entire gaming platform. This is Adobe Flash's real competition, not Silverlight. Of course currently there are no development suites and the javascript/chrome route is the programmers approach, Flash remains the designers approach.

  4.9.2009 14:03 #12

• omegaman7

  Thanks buddy :) I guess time will tell, whether or not Google Chrome will become the new standard, and adopted by millions. I sure hope they don't over step their bounds, and have to shut down for some reason. E.G. privacy laws, infringement, etc. I say infringement, because what isn't infringed anymore? Its pretty difficult to be original anymore...
  

  
  
  Patience is a virtue

  5.9.2009 03:55 #13

• zachth3

  SPAM removed

  5.9.2009 11:19 #14