Google announces Chrome web store for apps

By on May 19, 2010 at 1:14 PM
Breaking May 19, 2010

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Today at I/O 2010, Google announced the Chrome web store for apps. To debut later in the year at an unspecified time, the Chrome web store will allow users to install web-based applications that will run in native code such as Flash. Some of the applications featured in live demos included Dark Room, Plants vs. Zombies (it looked awesome), and Lego Star Wars. Google also announced it will be brining magazines to the Chrome web store. Sports Illustrated was on stage and showed off a pretty slick looking example which included slideshows, videos, live scores and more. Feature-rich advertisements were also shown off.

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  • BobbyWhoKnew

    What is “brining magazines”?

    • Steve J

      It’s from Sergey Brin the founder of Google

  • Trent

    ‘Brining magazines’ means soaking magazines in salty water before cooking.

    Search for ‘define:Brining’ on Google search.

    • BobbyWhoKnew

      Hmm.. The more you know! Thanks ;P

    • StevenHamburg

      mmm salty magazines

  • patrick

    So. It sounds like their next announcement after FroYo could be a tablet. Sign me up Google, I surrender. Google makes everything so easy. Keep up the good work.

  • RidleyGriff

    So let me get this straight — Apple creating an AppStore that allows users to run discrete applications on their devices that utilize the web is limiting the web and terrible, but Google creating an AppStore within _the very web itself_ (which will no doubt encourage companies to limit their true “free” web offerings in lieu of paid Google AppStore experiences) is supposed to be good?

    • http://www.twitter.com/joeproblems joeproblems

      google is going to delete you from the internet if you keep this up.

      • RidleyGriff

        You’re probably right. Mother Google must silence all dissent for the good of the heartland.

      • ernielm

        No, because that would be EVIL and Google DOES NOT do Evil!!!!!

  • patrick

    @ridley. I don’t think anyone YET is cpapping on apples istore/appstore. Just people that use Google products on a daily basis will appreciate Google’s efforts a little more than Apple’s. I’m sure they will though. I didn’t want to contradict myself, so I will refrain.

    • RidleyGriff

      @patrick Seemed to me that a ton of the strum und drang over the past few months has been a fretting that Apple “app” experience would lead to a devaluation of the web (i.e., why go to CNN.com when there’s an app, etc.)

      This seems to me to be a very similar thing, only much more dangerous — because it is directly superceding the Web itself.

      I know it’s cool, and I realize everybody loves Google, but there are real ramifications to what they’re talking about here. It’s one thing to control a platform; it’s another to control the Web.

      • David

        I don’t think you understand what they are doing. They are not going to have a CNN app, but rather have web based software some of which is already out there. Plus some that are not. The Lego Star Wars in a browser looked hot

      • RidleyGriff

        I agree it looked cool, but think about the long term ramifications of what will happen with this kind of market in place.

        If it is more profitable for CNN to put out an app (either because they’re charging for it or because Google’s ad structure is specifically modeled for it and provides greater returns), which one do you think CNN will focus the most on?

  • Ag

    What’s wrong with this picture??

  • StevenGlansburg

    Google is an evil empire

    • D.Simms

      Google is an evil empire?

      But so are Apple and Microsoft and Adobe and Oracle.

      IBM, alas, once was, but their glory days as the evil empire have been Eclipsed. And AT&T is still just a dwarf in TPC clothing*.

      —–
      * see, AT&T used to be a big evil empire too, but they shot themselves in the groin, got broke up into the 7 dwarfs, finally went belly-up, and now those dwarfs are slowly re-assembling back into the TPC (“the phone company”, as evil incarnate)

  • http://www.google.com/profiles/Strodtbeck.C Strodtbeck

    This isn’t really anything new or special if we think about it. . .
    Where do you go to get your Firefox Add-ons? ;)

    HP, Palm, MS, etc, all have these. They know that many users don’t know how to find software. The key is, can they make it usable. . .

  • Dara

    So, will google index its Chrome store? I’d just like to know that I can continue doing exactly what I always do when I want an app for any platform…

    Google it.

  • patrick

    @ridley. But wouldn’t that just chap Steve Jobs hide, if Google controlled the WEB!? Does seem like it is one-upmanship at this point.
    I understand the real concern of privacy/vs Google, but I have not encountered any obvious effects of their control at this point. The threat is definitely real, but maybe not realized at this point.

  • http://bitflung.com bitflung

    @RidleyGriff

    the key difference here is that google is not prohibiting websites or apps that are developed using tools aside from their own. that is the main problem with apple: the only legit way to distribute an app is via the itunes store, and the only legit way to write an app for that distribution device is using their tools exclusively. never mind the added assault from their whimsy in selecting which apps to ban and which to allow.

    google on the other hand is providing an additive solution, rather than an exclusive one like apple. this additive solution does what it sounds like: it adds to the existing infrastructure without prohibiting, actively or passively, the development and distribution of apps by means outside of their control.

    why is this stuff so hard for people to grasp?

    • ernielm

      I will give my two cents here.

      My thoughts regarding Apple and their AppStore are that it is THEIR store! If you owned a retail store and someone came over to you and said I want you to carry this product. Should you be forced to carry it? I don’t think so! You should carry whatever you want to carry in your store. The AppStore is APPLE’s and NOT OURS! They can carry whatever the heck they want to carry. I, we, may not like it but that’s their right.

      With regards Chrome’s, I haven’t formulated an opinion yet. But I am a Google AND Apple fan so chances are I will eventually find an argument to support them, as I have done with the AppStore, as you can see per my thoughts in the previous paragraph. :-)

      I may be totally off but that’s what I am thinking today. Not to say I may have a totally different opinion tomorrow! LOL.

    • RidleyGriff

      You miss the point entirely.

      What any company wants to do within the confines of their own closed environment is their business, imo. Whether it’s Apple’s development tools, whether it’s WP7′s, whether it’s the hoops you have to jump through in order to develop for the Wii, it doesn’t matter because it is all within an individual company’s own store and environment. If the market doesn’t like it, the market will reject it. All is good, because the only thing Apple (or whomever) is affecting is their own closed systems.

      What is dangerous is when one company (in this case Google) starts trying to commodify and app-ify the nature of the web itself. A completely different proposition, and much more disturbing for anyone that cares about the freedom the web currently provides.

      I feel you on not understanding why it is so hard for people to grasp what seem to be basic truths, but from the opposite end of things. Such as:

      If you think Apple’s approvals process is terrible, don’t support their products, and they will die. If Google gets their way, however, the web itself will be changed, and there will be no alternatives for anyone to run to.

      Think about that. That’s the long term strategy of what Google’s unveiling. Why people are so eager to give away their independence to a bunch of ad salesmen makes zero sense to me.

  • Mitch Cumstein

    Kramer: “These magazines…are making me thirsty!!”

  • StevenHamburg
  • 1magine

    Apple’s entire model is built around “it all just works”. The lowest common denominator of user experience. Apple’s approach is to ensure that every userhas the same level of experience no matter what they put on their device. In order to accomplish that they control the hardware, and fully control the software enviroment. And for millions of users this is exactly what they want, and need. If you want more open source, there are other platforms from fully open to partially open. Anyone can write a BB application and sell it anywhere on the web. And if it is coded poorly it will leak memory and freeze up your device or cause reboots. This is exactly
    the freedom some users want to have. B/c in the end it may have cost them 2.99 or 5.99 but they delete the ap and will learn to check reviews first. And this is exactly what Apple wants to avoid for THEIR consumers. My problem with Apple is when they move into the general internet and try to push that closed model on me. If I want my internet Apple’s way, I’ll buy a Mac.

    • ernielm

      I don’t understand what you mean when you say Apple’s trying to push “that closed model” on you. Please elaborate. Because I fail to see how Apple is doing that. Thanks!

  • MikeD

    So I guess the Hypocrites will be rushing to buy apps from the Chrome Apps store.

    Of course not because its cool to use or buy from google.

    I say go ahead, but these haters really need to now be very careful what you say because the smell of Hypocrisy is just rancid now.

    Personally I say go for it Google. They now have their own set of lock in services and devices. Subtle as it may be its still a circle of products and devices that are to work best with each other.

  • Apocalypse

    Google can Chrome my A$$

  • http://zevkli.in zevkli in

    Yes, Search for ‘define:Brining’ on Google search.

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