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Google to Launch "Chrome" Web Browser

Google announced on Monday plans to unveil a version of its own Web browser, challenging Microsoft’s dominance over the Internet.

Today, a beta version of the browser, called “Google Chrome,” will debut in more than 100 countries and offer features that make it easier and faster to browse the Web.

Monday’s move escalates the rivalry between the Mountain View company and Microsoft, which recently released an updated version of Internet Explorer, used by a majority of Web surfers.

Google would not comment Monday on the launch, instead pointing to its blog posting.

“We believe we can add value for users, and, at the same time, help drive innovation on the web…this is just the beginning – Google Chrome is far from done,” wrote Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management and Linus Upson, engineering director.

Microsoft, however, reiterated confidence in its product despite its rival’s attempts to alter the Internet playing field.

“The browser landscape is highly competitive, but people will choose Internet Explorer 8 for the way it puts the services they want right at their fingertips, respects their personal choices about how they want to browse and, more than any other browsing technology, puts them in control of their personal data online,” said Dean Hachamovitch, general manager of Internet Explorer.

Google, meanwhile, touted a “more powerful JavaScript engine, V8, to power the next generation

of Web applications that aren’t even possible in today’s browsers.”

The Internet powerhouse’s free new browser will be open source, allowing others to modify the code, and the company is still working on versions compatible with Apple’s Mac, and the Linux operating system.

News about the browser came after Google prematurely sent a comic book to Google Blogoscoped that illustrated the browser – a gaffe acknowledged in the blog posting by the search company.

The browser could possibly thwart the increasingly popular Mozilla Foundation, the organization that runs Firefox Web browser and which has benefited from engineering help and money from Google. However, Google and Mozilla last week extended their agreement through 2011.

Mercury News wire services contributed to this report.

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