Google Chrome looks to have done a good job of reigniting the browser wars that many of have long since forgotten Sure, FireFox is doing a good job and has picked up significant market share but the recent announcement of the Chrome OS looks set to upset the apple cart…again.

So far, Chrome has managed to garner a respectable market share of nearly 2 percent which may not seem like a lot but you have to remember that it was only launch back in 2008. The main disadvantage that Chrome has is that it’s not bundled into an OS like Microsofts Internet Explorer or Apples Safari but that is all changing. Google recently announced that they are building the Chrome OS designed specifically to fun on those feisty little netbooks that seem to be all the rage right now. This could give Chrome a significant advantage the developers favourite, FireFox.

Google has also been working hard to emulate features seen in other browsers - plug-ins, bookmark management, print preview, and all the other gizmos that nobody really uses! In addition, they’re working on greater security and faster performance when running applications written in the JavaScript (such as the ability to kill of a tab that has hung).

One of the most significant announcements to come from the search giant is the current development of its O3D plug-in which allows for hardware-accelerated 3D graphics into its Chrome browser. The idea behind this plug-in is to further Google’s ambition to speed up the transformation of the internet from a static medium into a foundation for applications - think Google Apps. Another ongoing project is the Google Native Client, which allows Web applications to take advantage of a computer’s native processing power.

In short, it looks like Google is progressing with their aim of moving your desktop and applications onto the web, a sort of cloud computing gargantuan.

Are we going to see a return of the browser wars? Probably but nothing compared to the early days of IE. Google has a plan for the Chrome OS and it isn’t just about being the best web browser. Watch this space.

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