Sony Vaio Bundle Won't Help Google Chrome Break Enterprise Barrier (
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News Analysis: Google Chrome is coming bundled in Sony Vaio laptops. While this is good news for Chrome fans and could boost the Vaio's appeal to consumers, it's not likely to help Chrome win more converts in the enterprise market. Google still has a lot more work to do to add the kind of features that make both Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer more effective for business users.Sony's
stable of Vaio laptops will soon come bundled with Google's Chrome browser. It's a major victory for Google, which so
far commands just 2.8 percent of the browser market. But it's also a call to
arms for the company.
Although Google Chrome is celebrated by consumers who have had a chance to
zip around the Web at speeds that are much faster than the competition, the
enterprise has yet to see any real value in it. And given the fact that it's
still so far from achieving the kind of success Microsoft's Internet Explorer
or even Mozilla's Firefox browsers have, it's tough to say Google's deal with
Sony will deliver lasting change in the marketplace.
Google
Chrome is easily one of the most capable browsers on the Web. It might not
have the proprietary-software support Internet Explorer relies on or the
add-ons that make Firefox so compelling, but it has speed. In my experience,
it's the fastest browser on the market.
It loads pages far more quickly than the competition, thanks to its
lightweight design. It also has some nice features, like the listing of
recently browsed sites that makes it easy to go back to where I left off. And
with such a simple menu system, getting work done takes no time. Chrome is a
great browser.
Consumers
That's especially true for consumers. Google
Chrome boasts several features that would make just about home user happy. As
mentioned, it has speed and a simple menu system. It has a nice design. It's
safe. It's
secure. And it provides a far more reliable experience than Internet
Explorer.
But Chrome isn't without its faults. One of the browser's biggest issues is
that it doesn't have extensions. Firefox has made that a key to its success.
Even Opera Software's Opera browser has widgets that enhance its appeal. Chrome
also isn't available to Mac OS X users. Granted, that accounts for a very small
percentage of the market, but it's a glaring omission, especially as consumers
start moving to Apple products.
Regardless, Chrome seems like the perfect fit for Vaio computers. Sony's
laptops have, so far, not done enough to appeal to consumer desire. It's still
very much a three-company race in the PC market between Dell, Hewlett-Packard
and Acer. Sony's computers are lagging far behind.