Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a web browser developed by Google that uses the WebKit layout engine. It was first released as a beta version for Microsoft Windows on September 2, 2008, and the public stable release was on December 11, 2008. The name is derived from the graphical user interface frame, or "chrome", of web browsers. As of October 2011, Chrome is the third most widely used browser with 25% worldwide usage share of web browsers and the most popular browser in South America, according to StatCounter.
In September 2008, Google released a large portion of Chrome's source code, including its V8 JavaScript engine, as an open source project entitled Chromium. This move enabled third-party developers to study the underlying source code and to help port the browser to the Mac OS X and Linux operating systems. Google also expressed hope that other browsers would adopt V8 to improve web application performance. The Google-authored portion of Chromium is released under the permissive BSD license,which allows portions to be incorporated into both open source and closed source software programs. Other portions of the source code are subject to a variety of open source licenses. Chromium implements a similar feature set as Chrome, but lacks built-in automatic updates, built-in PDF reader and Google branding, and most noticeably has a blue-colored logo in place of the multicolored Google logo.
Features
Sandbox
Malware blocking
Speed
Stability
User interface
Desktop shortcuts and apps
Chrome Web Store
Aero peek capability
Extensions
Themes
Automatic web page translation
Release channels and updates
Usage tracking
Flexible Tabs
Incognito Mode for Private Browsing
Integrated Download Manager
Online Task Manager
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FireFox
Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. As of September 2011, Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers. The browser has had particular success in Germany and Africa, where it is the most popular browser with 50% and 35% usage respectively.
To display web pages, Firefox uses the Gecko layout engine, which implements most current web standards in addition to several features that are intended to anticipate likely additions to the standards.
Features include tabbed browsing, spell checking, incremental find, live bookmarking, a download manager, private browsing, location-aware browsing (also known as "geolocation") based exclusively on a Google service and an integrated search system that uses Google by default in most localizations. Functions can be added through extensions, created by third-party developers, of which there is a wide selection, a feature that has attracted many of Firefox's users.
Firefox runs on various operating systems including Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, and many other platforms. Its current stable release is version 8.0, released on November 8, 2011.
Features
Private Browser ModeOpen Video and Audio
Instant Web Site ID
Smart Location Bar
Built-in Spell Checker
Customization
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