Google Chrome 4 (Beta)

Google's dominance of the internet is worryingly reminiscent of Microsoft's command of the desktop market, and with Chrome being a big component of the Chrome operating system, it's clear this app is more than just a browser.

However, if 2012 sees us with Google chips implanted in our skulls, things won't be so bad as long as the company takes the same level of care as it has with Chrome for Mac.

Google claims the browser's been built from the ground up, which explains why it's taken so long to arrive. There's still the occasional iffy design decision – tabs have close boxes at the right and become small and fiddly when many are open, for example, and the toolbar drag area above the tabs is too small.

Elsewhere, though, it's clear this isn't a lazy Firefox-style port – Chrome utilises Mac OS X's Dictionary and Keychain; it also offers subtle Mac-like animations when opening tabs and panels.

The browser's fast, sleek and stable (in part due to each tab being an individual process – if one crashes, the others don't), almost making Safari feel cluttered and fussy by comparison. However, Chrome's also unfinished – this beta lacks extensions support, bookmarks and cookies management, as well as inline PDF display and a standalone app mode.

There's also no session restoration, although you can at least reopen closed tabs from the current session. Gripes aside, it's clear Google might have the Mac's leading browser – once it's finished.