Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Google Tests Curvy Chrome Tabs With Material Design Overhaul (cnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the shape-of-things-to-come dept.

Google is trying out a new Chrome interface that for the first time in a decade presents a very different look for the tabs and address bar at the top of the widely used web browser, CNET reports. It adds: Since its public debut in 2008, Chrome has featured a trapezoidal tab for each website you have open. But tabs now look very different on Chrome Canary -- a very rough-around-the-edges version used to test changes before they reach a broader audience. The active tab has a slope-shouldered look with curved corners. The grayed-out inactive tabs merge with the the browser itself and are separated only by thin vertical lines. In addition, the address bar's text box is a gray oval against a white backdrop, instead of a round-cornered white rectangle with a hairline border.

4 of 109 comments (clear)

  1. Finally! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Slashdot is finally reporting about stuff that matters.

  2. Re:material design is an abomination by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's the pendulum swinging too far each way.

    Management: I like skeuomorphism is great! All skeuomorphism:
    Designers/developers: "But see"

    Management: "NO. MORE. MORE SKEUOMORPHISM. DOUBLE DOWN. MOORE'S LAW DOUBLE DOWN. MORE MORE MORE!"
    Designers/developers: "Okay. Sure."

    Jump ahead

    Management: "I want a button so subtle you don't even know what to click. No color, no text, no nothing. I mean, and stay with me here because this is in my TEDtalk LIKE IF I BUILT A PRIVATE ROOM IN MY PARENTS' HOUSE SO I COULD WATCH TELETUBBIES INSIDE A REFRIDGERATOR BOX MY DAD THOUGH HE THREW AWAY BUT DIDN'T AND I HELD IT IN THE CRAWLSPACE SINCE THEN TO WATCH THE SHOW THEY FORBID ME TO SEE!!!! I WANT A BUTTON THAT IS SO SECRET JUST LIKE THAT ONLY A GENIUS LIKE ME COULD FIND IT ON THE PAGE TO PAY SOME STUPID BILL. ONLY A GENIUS! ONLY A GENIUS! I have to go to my box. SIMPLE! MINIMALISM! THIS IS LIFE!"

  3. Professional assessment by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 4, Funny

    Looking at the image from the OP, I have the following notes:

    1) There is still a tiny bit of warmth in the color scheme. They should work to remove this last bit of friendliness to make the browser maximally cold and uninviting.

    2) There is still too much contrast between the white background and window elements. For example, using Chrome I can still see where the slider is in its rail on the right-hand side of a website. The white background should be made softer (lower luminance), and the window elements should be a bit brighter (higher luminance) to bring them closer together.

    3) There are only 12 incomprehensible icons on the address bar line, to the right of the address bar. The screen needs more googaws, curios, gimcracks, and oddities to function properly. Addresses and/or search fields are of less importance so make the address field narrower so that the search terms are never fully shown, in favor of more gizmos and thingamajigs.

    4) The red, orange, and green dots on the upper left are a nice touch. In reference to "Demolition Man", maybe change these to three seashells?

    Just trying to be helpful...

  4. Focus by mcswell · · Score: 3, Funny

    Re 5, Google hasn't done this because Microsoft Office does it; hence NIH. (And yes, that is one of my biggest beefs about MsOffice. Next to the ribbon, of course.)

    6) Get rid of the hamburger menu, who needs menus? Menus imply that the engineers did something wrong. The user should not be able to change anything about the browser's behavior, it's already perfect, and Google Knows Best.