Chrome apps are breaking out of the browser

For those of us who are constantly scorned and ridiculed for using Google’s browser centric Chrome OS (I work in a rough office), we can finally hold our head’s high as Google’s breaking the shackles of the browser and letting apps run free on the desktop. 

With this new generation of Chrome apps the two newest features that are exciting people most are the ability to work offline and run apps on the desktop. Currently only Chrome OS and Windows using the Chrome browser has support for the desktop apps.  For the official announcement and a bulleted list of new features check out the Google Chrome Blog.  Who doesn’t love a bulleted list?

Heading to the pub, beach or coffee shop?  Offline mode has you covered.  To be honest, I’m still not sure why this is a “new” feature as it’s been around for quite a while.  Google’s own apps such as Docs, Calendar and Gmail had this feature as well as hundreds of third party applications.  Who knows, maybe it’s less beta-y.

As for running an app on the desktop, the app is actually still in the browser.

 

* Spelunky, a Chrome game for your desktop. This screen capture was taken while on my Windows 8 desktop PC.

The browser is more of a frame without all the noticeable flips and switches.  To quote Google, “More app, less Chrome: No tabs, buttons or text boxes …”.  So yeah, a bit of smoke and mirrors, but it’s a start.

Will these new features win the OS war?  God no, but it may entice a few more people over to Google’s beck and call.

Also, this was written using Google Docs, though not on my Chromebook.  It’s so small …