LightShadow Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Back in March, we began work on a Metro-style enabled desktop browser, a version of Chrome that will run in both the Metro and desktop environments of Windows 8 on x86. (Chrome won?t run in WinRT, i.e. Windows 8 on ARM processors, as Microsoft is not allowing browsers other than Internet Explorer on the platform.) If you?re running the Release Preview of Windows 8, you?ll be able to try Chrome in Metro mode in the next Chrome Dev channel release by setting it as your default browser. The initial releases of Chrome in Metro mode will include integration with the basic Windows 8 system functionality, such as charms and snap view. Over the next few months, we?ll be smoothing out the UI on Metro and improving touch support, so please feel free to file bugs. We?re committed to bringing the speed, simplicity, and security of Chrome into Windows 8, and we look forward to working with you on it. Source - http://blog.chromium.org/2012/06/try-chrome-in-metro-mode.html I can't wait for this, and yes, that screenshot is the metro-style mode from the lack of settings among other things. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdtaUK Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 They will have to work on those controls to make them touch friendly in size. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917557 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambroos Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 They will have to work on those controls to make them touch friendly in size. They're doing that later on. The harder part is making Chrome work properly with all the Start Screen like Charms and snap view. Adding some bigger icons and including a switch to make some things bigger isn't exactly a challenge. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917565 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noir Angel Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I'm not normally one to say this but I hope Microsoft get sued for not allowing non-IE browsers on the arm version of Windows 8. Although I'd never buy a tablet or anything else powered by Metro, I'd hate to be stuck with only IE on any platform. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917567 Share on other sites More sharing options...
George P Global Moderator Posted June 7, 2012 Global Moderator Share Posted June 7, 2012 I'm not normally one to say this but I hope Microsoft get sued for not allowing non-IE browsers on the arm version of Windows 8. Although I'd never buy a tablet or anything else powered by Metro, I'd hate to be stuck with only IE on any platform. *sigh* Who said they don't allow other browsers on the ARM version? Any metro browser will run on it just as it does on x86. What they don't allow are desktop apps on the ARM version. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917581 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grinch Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I'm not normally one to say this but I hope Microsoft get sued for not allowing non-IE browsers on the arm version of Windows 8. Although I'd never buy a tablet or anything else powered by Metro, I'd hate to be stuck with only IE on any platform. I thought they only disallowed browsers on ARM for the desktop, not metro. There is nothing stopping them in that case from making a full metro app that doesn't depend on an installed version of Chrome for the desktop. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917585 Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightShadow Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 They will have to work on those controls to make them touch friendly in size. From looking in about:flags on Chromium builds, all that'll happen is like menus and that have bigger clicking space. Navigation buttons are fine for touch. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917593 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noir Angel Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 *sigh* Who said they don't allow other browsers on the ARM version? Any metro browser will run on it just as it does on x86. What they don't allow are desktop apps on the ARM version. So their browser, mysteriously is available in the desktop but nobody else's is. Still sounds like an arbitrary limitation to me. I thought they only disallowed browsers on ARM for the desktop, not metro. There is nothing stopping them in that case from making a full metro app that doesn't depend on an installed version of Chrome for the desktop. Again, a sign of the trend that they're trying to force everyone to go Metro Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917595 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grinch Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 So their browser, mysteriously is available in the desktop but nobody else's is. Still sounds like an arbitrary limitation to me. Again, a sign of the trend that they're trying to force everyone to go Metro I believe they stated a valid reason for disallowing browsers on the desktop for Windows RT. Cannot conjure it up right this second though. I personally have no issue with them pushing towards Metro, if I was a developer of something like this I'd do the exact same thing and push people towards it. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917601 Share on other sites More sharing options...
George P Global Moderator Posted June 7, 2012 Global Moderator Share Posted June 7, 2012 So their browser, mysteriously is available in the desktop but nobody else's is. Still sounds like an arbitrary limitation to me. Again, a sign of the trend that they're trying to force everyone to go Metro There's nothing suspect about it, the simple fact, and technical fact is that the desktop on ARM isn't the same desktop, x86 apps won't run and MS isn't going to customize it or build in compatibility for it, the only apps will be Office and while IE10 for the desktop is there (for now, could change) you're not going to go into the desktop to use the desktop version that's a pain to use with touch on a touch tablet. If MS allows desktop apps on the ARM version it'll only make a mess of things. The last thing we need, or anyone else, is for people to think they can install any x86 desktop app on the ARM version then turn around and bitch because it doesn't install or just crashes when they try to run it. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917613 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noir Angel Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I believe they stated a valid reason for disallowing browsers on the desktop for Windows RT. Cannot conjure it up right this second though. I personally have no issue with them pushing towards Metro, if I was a developer of something like this I'd do the exact same thing and push people towards it. If IE can be ran on it, their reasons regardless of how well they have sucked you in are pure bunk. There's nothing suspect about it, the simple fact, and technical fact is that the desktop on ARM isn't the same desktop, x86 apps won't run and MS isn't going to customize it or build in compatibility for it, the only apps will be Office and while IE10 for the desktop is there (for now, could change) you're not going to go into the desktop to use the desktop version that's a pain to use with touch on a touch tablet. If MS allows desktop apps on the ARM version it'll only make a mess of things. The last thing we need, or anyone else, is for people to think they can install any x86 desktop app on the ARM version then turn around and bitch because it doesn't install or just crashes when they try to run it. No, it is exactly the same desktop, just compiled to run on a different architecture. And hell it's not as if software vendors could *gasp* just do the same thing, now, is it? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917619 Share on other sites More sharing options...
George P Global Moderator Posted June 7, 2012 Global Moderator Share Posted June 7, 2012 No, it is exactly the same desktop, just compiled to run on a different architecture. And hell it's not as if software vendors could *gasp* just do the same thing, now, is it? Just because it looks the same doesn't make it the same, each ARM version of Windows RT, and this has been stated officially, has been custom coded to run on specific ARM SoCs since they're not all exactly the same. You really think it's just a matter of recompiling your x86 app to ARM and it'll magically just run? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917631 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArialBlue Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I seriously doubt Chrome can magically catch up to IE10 speed. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917633 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum Veteran Posted June 7, 2012 Veteran Share Posted June 7, 2012 I really do hope the design for the Metro experience ends up being more than just larger icons and more spacing. I would highly dislike the current Chrome design when in the Metro experience. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917641 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KibosJ Subscriber² Posted June 7, 2012 Subscriber² Share Posted June 7, 2012 I really do hope the design for the Metro experience ends up being more than just larger icons and more spacing. I would highly dislike the current Chrome design when in the Metro experience. Fully agree, it would seem stupidly out of place. Calum 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594917667 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted June 8, 2012 Member Share Posted June 8, 2012 This will be fun to have. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594918207 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noir Angel Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Just because it looks the same doesn't make it the same, each ARM version of Windows RT, and this has been stated officially, has been custom coded to run on specific ARM SoCs since they're not all exactly the same. You really think it's just a matter of recompiling your x86 app to ARM and it'll magically just run? Strange, it seems to work for Linux and Android... save perhaps for a bit of custom kernel code tailored to specific device requirements. I seriously doubt Chrome can magically catch up to IE10 speed. Seeing as it's already ahead in every test apart from Javascript I'm interested to see what exactly you base that inference on. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594918217 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArialBlue Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Seeing as it's already ahead in every test apart from Javascript I'm interested to see what exactly you base that inference on. Real world performance with full D2D HWA, scroll smoothness and responsiveness. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594918371 Share on other sites More sharing options...
George P Global Moderator Posted June 8, 2012 Global Moderator Share Posted June 8, 2012 Strange, it seems to work for Linux and Android... save perhaps for a bit of custom kernel code tailored to specific device requirements. Funny, and all this time I thought Android apps were written in Java. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594918719 Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakem1 Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Strange, it seems to work for Linux and Android... save perhaps for a bit of custom kernel code tailored to specific device requirements. Which is why Android's performance is a joke and nobody wants Android-based tablets. Microsoft have imposed deliberate restrictions to ensure the stability and performance of WoA so they don't end up in the same mess as Google have. If you want a tablet that allows you to install whatever you want to the desktop then just buy an x86-based tablet. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1082655-google-chrome-metro-app-due-soon/#findComment-594918729 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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