Google Brings Online Chrome Ad to TV

Explorer, Firefox down as Google's browser makes big gains

(NEWSER) - Less than three years since its official public launch, Google's Chrome has become the second-most popular web browser in the world, reports Digital Trends . In November, Chrome accounted for 25.7% of global browser usage, climbing just past declining Firefox, which fell to 25.23%. Just two years ago, Chrome had been roughly tied for third, along with Safari and Opera, with about 4.5%, but since then has steadily gained market share around the world. More»

Especially if they haven't upgraded

(NEWSER) - If you’re reading this site on Internet Explorer 6, you should know you’re not in good company. A new study from a Canadian company called AptiQuant has found that Internet Explorer users are on average significantly less intelligent than users of other browsers, especially if they’re using older versions. Those still running Internet Explorer 6 have an average IQ just above 80, while Firefox and Chrome users are up at around 110 and Opera and Camino users above 120. More»

Microsoft's latest puts it back ahead in browser wars

(NEWSER) - It's been quite a while since Microsoft was in the lead for browser innovation, but Internet Explorer 9—released in beta form yesterday—is good enough to lure some users back from Firefox and Chrome, say reviewers.

• IE9 "not only catches up with its competitors, but improves in several areas," writes Jared Newman at PC World , praising the lack of clutter and Microsoft's adoption of the "omnibar" for addresses and searching.

Look to browser wars for lesson in path to niche irrelevance

(NEWSER) - Apple doesn't seem to realize it, but its new hardware-software gadget strategy is a road right back to the irrelevancy it so recently crawled out of, argues Henry Blodget of Business Insider . As before, Apple will prevail only in the small, premium market, muscled out by a more ubiquitous standard. Last time it was Windows. This time, it'll be Google's Android and Chrome. More»

Prefix no longer necessary, developers decide

(NEWSER) - Do you really need that http:// at the front of a web address? Google doesn't think so. The developer version of its Chrome browser now just hides the ubiquitous prefix, Mashable reports. It's an aesthetic improvement, but not necessarily a functional one—some users have already reported the feature as a bug; others worry that it'll train users to omit it, which could cause problems. Some software, they note, looks for the http:// when auto-linking URLs. More»