Google is about to release a new browser today called “Google Chrome”. This is pretty exciting for me as I’ve toyed with browsers since using Mosaic in 1995 in my computer science lab. This is hotly anticipated to be one of the big launches since Firefox hit the scene - so I’ll be keenly interested to see how this browser works gathering from what they’ve put up on their Comic strip?! I know - I don’t know why they did it either - but it’s fun to read. Here’s some of the key features in a nutshell:
- The tabs feature have their own process (multi-threaded) - very true, nothing worse than some JavaScript hanging the whole browser.
- Cleaner memory management: Nothing worst that a browser hogging up loads of memory like Firefox did (but it took 5 comic pages to explain the pros!
- It’s open source (Fully they say)
- Web Kit is the rendering engine
- Virtual Machine for JavaScript
- Re-worked user experience - i.e. tabs are now on top of the browser
- Search = Omnibox - Omniwhat you say? A search box that offers suggestions that more than just keyword suggestions to what your typing
- New tabs open by default the 9 most popular sites you visit (behaviour driven)
- Pop-ups confined to the originating tabs (I like this one!)
- Increased security - processes have limited rights
- Harmful sites list - available as a public API woo!
- Google will save us - I’m kidding, some sarcasm to bring you back to reality
All-in-all it sounds great. I’m curious though, with improvements such as having a VM machine for JavaScript in this browser - is it really leaning towards better browser experience or more IE type experience where essentially Google will be guiding the users and developers into having to write more specific markup/code to suit this browser yet again? I hope not as it all sounds very cool and very good long term … let’s see who will end up leading the industry in tech terms (browser usage still learns heavily towards IE at approximately 80% - according to the BBC news website)
Anyways, can’t wait to check it out!
More references:
Techcrunch
Google Blog
BBC news
dot.life (BBC news tech blog)
Yes!! It’s finally in town! But god damn *!&£ing hell … it costs 1 months rent for a small Notting Hill Gate apartment!
My sister-in-law scoped it out in Central Bangna the other day going for THB 45,000. That would pay 6 Thai police basic salaries! (I say “basic” due to the the erm, extra curricular methods of obtaining viable income of theirs - ahem.)
I mean come on! Apple just opened an iTunes store for Thailand for the very first time. An iTunes store!! Ok, it’s only for Apps - but that’s my point!
iTunes store - Yes
Official iPhone - No
Hmm, something is missing here - but saying that, it’s a positive sign from Apple. And this corroborates rumors that the 3G iPhone will be coming to Thailand officially, especially since the 3G license spat seems to be resolved. According to CNET asia the equipment rollout has begun but my resource says rollout time will take probably 6 months for one of the networks which means a lot of waiting and lots of time for the grey imports to rinse our wallets clean for those that aren’t willing to wait.
Is it really worth it people? I think I’ll wait or just go for the 2G iPhone. By the time 3G really hits Thailand, other nations will be laughing at our legacy technology. How embarrassing.
More info at CNET Asia and Absolutely Bangkok
If you have your own startup and it’s time to pitch the business/product to an investor - Jason Calacanis has got great advice. At least it’s the best shortcut for me rather than reading the “Perfect Pitch” by Jon Steel that’s been sitting on my book shelf for the last 10 months.
Actually, perhaps I should sit down and read it now that I have more time…
Anyway, Techcrunch was lovely enough to print the fulltext of the post from Jason’s mailing list here.
You just gotta love Sam Pullara for using Yahoo!’s BOSS API to parody cuil. Unfortunately I can only sit back and read the comments as I wasn’t quick enough to see the actual hack working.
You can only admire the pace at which the web 2.0 community is running, and at the speed that you can put a mashup together with Yahoo!’s API. We’ve got some interesting times ahead of us - but I can help feeling there way too many web startups with random applications that don’t neccessarily offer anything of value except “entertainment”. How on earth do they make money? Or is just a quick publicity stunt to generate financial interest and then sell up and let them deal with the other problems? hmm…
Oh dear, the first decent challenge to Google in 10 years and well, it isn’t going so well. Techcrunch initially reported the stealth startup just a couple days ago too.
Having had a quick toy with it myself, I think I have to agree on the latest barrage of criticsm of the new service. Good to be able to boast an index of 120 billion web pages, but it’s all a bit pointless if you can’t find what you want or even view an appropriate thumbnail for the responding result!
Oh well, I guess if your gonna go down, you gotta go down in style!
Cuil or not so Cuil?
I guess like Microsoft Windows, it’s time for a reboot.
Having now left Venda for couple of weeks - I find myself soul searching and yet invigorated to start anew. Shall I find another job, or shall I start my own business?
The last 8 months has been incredibly draining and very educational. And now I’m in a position to chose again. Exciting and yet scary … it’s one of classic cross-road moments … which path?
Time to take a step back, time to re-invent “Drew”.
It’s December, and I’m wondering what the hell happened to November.
A whirlwind month behind, and I’m really feeling the corporate culture effect. And it’s not all bad really - just incredibly, incredibly busy! I’ve never been in so many meetings and had so much information thrown my way and I hate not understanding the technical issues!! Venda’s platform is certainly different to anything I’ve come across but that’s mainly because of how customized the platform is. Still, it’s all good and certainly a very challenging task for me ahead.
Anyway, Thai (all?) corporate culture is another thing. It’s been an eye opener on how people interact between departments and the issues that we face. It’s rather disturbing that the number one problem in general is “communication“.
Let me ask you guys/gals this of corporate communication in general:
- What problems have you face?
- How have you approach the intercontinental communication problem?
- What was the communication structure in your company?
- Have you come across people trying to get answers anyway they could even if it meant asking the same question to 3 different groups of people simultaneously? What was the outcome? What would you have done better?
We talk to people everyday, but we can’t seem to say the important things that will allow us to get the job done, and that people spend most of their time defending themselves from potential blame. What happened to accountability and a bit of zest?
I’m off to clear 3 weeks of my staff’s time sheets … sigh
Recently I’ve re-found IRC. Don’t know what it is? It stands for “Internet Relay Chat” - but you can go read more about IRC at Wikipedia.
The last time I was on IRC, was when I was back at University ten years ago - and things haven’t changed too much either. Still the same old IRC types online.
You still have the smart arses, the idiots, the helpful, and the scarcastic but helpful if you ask a concise and grammatically correct question (yep, it gets like that…).
Anyway, I’ve found freenode.net network in particular to be a very good source of help and knowledge. So if you’re so inclined to try, download an IRC client such as mIRC (for Windows) and drop by. Where do I hang out? Checkout these channels: ##php, #javascript, #prototype, #xajax, #mysql and #html
This week is my last week at NHS Intercon. It’s been a great ride here and I’ve met some real great people that I’ll definitely keep in touch with. However, the web world waits for no-one and neither does a good job opportunity when it comes up. Therefore, I’m getting on the old ‘wagon‘ and makin’ a move!
Where will I be going?
Well, I’ll be going to a company called “Venda”. Venda who you say? Well, actually these guys have been around for a while since 1998 (perhaps earlier) and released (I have yet to see) all-in-one e-commerce platform in 2001. These guys have a great office on Wireless Road, Bangkok where I can get stuck in really bad traffic during rush hour.
What will I be doing?
I have been very fortunate to be chosen as their new Head of Production
Er … isn’t that more managerial work? What happened to web development??
Good question. It is very managerial. That part sucks a bit, however for the sake of personal advancement I can keep my development skills honed at home and develop my managerial skills as well impart all of my 7 years of web development onto my Thai team (Not totally accurate, I believe they do have a few foreigners). I like programming and cracking the whip a bit - but at the managerial level there’s a real sense of control over projects and involvement that’s not the same as purely programming. I’m pretty sure I won’t be totally hands off - but we’ll have to wait and see.
This is a sad (for leaving NHS) and very exciting week - I’m really looking forward to the new place and I hope I can really use my knowledge and experience to good use and perhaps make e-commerce that much more exciting for Venda’s clients :)
Wish me luck!
During my commute to the office today (Saturday? I love my work!) I spotted this funny vehicle.
Now, I’m pretty certain Toyota* doesn’t have this pickup truck in their range of vehicles!
Let’s hope it stays in one piece on the motorway…
- or whatever manufacturer that makes pickups
