Inside Google’s Open Source Browser

We’re gaining some new insight into Google’s browser project from an unlikely source: a comic book.

The folks over at Google Blogoscoped say they received the book in the mail from Google. While it certainly seems like an unusual thing for Google to do, full scans of the book are posted online, and sending such materials out would sure be an elaborate and rather pointless hoax for anyone to pull off.

The book goes into great detail about the upcoming open source browser, seemingly named Chrome. Among the details divulged, Google Blogoscoped reveals:

• It will be based on Webkit.
• It will include a brand new, custom Javascript Virtual Machine.
• It will have unique, top-of-window tabs that make the browser look almost like a real filing folder.
• It’ll offer a souped-up location bar called the “Omnibox.”
• It’ll present a home page that features snapshots of your favorite sites on one screen.
• It’ll have a private browsing mode comparable to IE’s new InPrivate option.

Of course, no release date or even initial beta target date are mentioned in the materials. You can check out the full comic book for yourself here.

Google